Valerie Perrine, who played Lex Luthor’s girlfriend and assistant, Miss Eve Teschmacher opposite Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve in 1978’s Superman and 1980’s Superman II, died on Monday, March 23, her friend Stacey Souther revealed, per The Hollywood Reporter.
She was 82.
“It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away,” Southier wrote on Facebook.
“She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining,” the post continued. “She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest—and what a magnificent life it was. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.”
The former Las Vegas showgirl made her film debut as soft-core porn actress Montana in Slaughterhouse-Five in 1972. That year she posed in Playboy and in 1973, she became the first actress to appear topless on national TV, during a PBS production of Steambath, per IndieWire.
Warner Brothers
She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Honey Bruce in 1974’s Lenny, and went on to appear in more movies, including 1979’s The Electric Horseman, 1981’s The Cannonball Run and 2000’s What Women Want, and had guest-starring roles in TV series, including ER and Nash Bridges. She also had a 1998 to 1999 stint on the soap opera As The World Turns.
“Please consider donating, sharing, and helping spread the word for her funeral GoFundMe,” Southier wrote. “Her final wish is to be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery, but after more than 15 years of fighting Parkinson’s, her finances are exhausted. Let’s come together to make her last wish a reality—she truly deserves it.”
The cemetary is located in Hollywood Hills, her friend noted, “in the city that shaped her destiny.”
This story ‘Superman’ Star Dead at 82 After Parkinson’s Battle: Her Final Wish Revealed first appeared on Closer Weekly. Add Closer Weekly as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
