Valerie Perrine, ‘Superman’ Actress and ‘Lenny’ Oscar Nominee, Dies at 82

Valerie Perrine, the former Las Vegas showgirl who earned a best actress Oscar nomination for portraying Lenny Bruce’s drug-addicted stripper wife in *Lenny *and played Lex Luthor’s secretary in a pair of Superman films, died Monday. She was 82.

Perrine’s death at her home in Beverly Hills was announced by friend and soulmate Stacey Souther. She was diagnosed in 2015 with Parkinson’s disease, which eventually robbed her of her mobility and much of her ability to eat and speak.

“She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining,” he wrote. “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.”