Jane Clifton

Last updated

Jane Clifton
Born (1949-04-10) 10 April 1949 (age 75)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • writer
  • voice-artist
  • public speaker
Years active1970–present
Known forMargo Gaffney ( Prisoner )
Singer with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons
Website www.janeclifton.com.au

Jane Clifton (born 10 April 1949) [1] is a Gibraltar-born Australian actress, singer, writer and former radio and voice artist.

Contents

She is best known for her role in TV serial Prisoner as tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney.

As a singer, she had a stint with Jo Jo Zep and has recorded an album featuring Jenny Morris and Wendy Matthews, Mark Williams and Marc Hunter [1]

Early life

Clifton was born in Gibraltar to British Army parents. In 1961 she emigrated to Perth, Australia, before later settling in Melbourne. She became a naturalised citizen of Australia in 1992. [1]

Career

Clifton started out her career on Melbourne community radio stations 3CR and 3RMT-FM in the 1970s. She then worked for commercial stations 3AK, Radio National and 774 ABC. Clifton has also done voice-over work for commercials and audio books. [2]

Film, television and stage

Clifton has acted extensively in film and the stage and in various television programs. Beginning in cult favorites Stork (1971) and Pure Shit (1975), her films include The Clinic and A Slice of Life . Her stage roles include The Pack of Women and Mum's the Word . She has also made a number of television appearances, starting in the mid 70s with the Crawford's series Division 4, Homicide and Bluey, Against the Wind, Skyways, Holiday Island, Sweet and Sour , Carson's Law and Shock Jock , but her best-known acting role is probably that of tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney in Prisoner . Clifton played the role for 107 episodes from 1980 until 1984 on an intermittent basis as the script allowed, having previously appeared in the minor role of Yvonne, from episode 9, and even appeared in the Prisoner in Concert special.

Clifton also performed with Betty Bobbitt and Colette Mann as part of a three-woman troupe, The Mini Busettes, in the 1980s in RSLs across Australia. [3]

In September 2010, it was announced that Clifton would be joining the cast of Neighbours as Judge Willow. [4] Her scenes aired in November of that year. [4]

In 2015 she appeared in the television series The Doctor Blake Mysteries as Sister Josephine.

Music

Clifton is also a singer. In 1975 she was the lead singer in a pub rock band, Toads, alongside Martin Armiger on lead guitar and vocals, Andrew Bell on guitar, Eric Gradman on violin, Marney Sheehan on bass guitar and Eddie Van Roosendaal on drums and vocals. [5] [6] In the following year with Bell, Sheehan, van Roosendaal and Janie Conway on guitar and vocals, Clifton formed rock, pop group Stiletto. [5] Conway and Sheehan were replaced by Chris Worrall on guitar and Celeste Howden on bass guitar, respectively. [5] The group provided three tracks, "Nights in Parlour", "Cream" and "The Man", for a Various Artists' album, Debutantes (1977). [5]

Stiletto issued a studio album, Licence to Rage on Oz Records/EMI in September 1978, which was produced by Peter Walker. [5] [7] It peaked at No. 93 on the Kent Music Report albums chart. [8] The album provided two singles, "Bluebirds" (March) and "Goodbye, Johnny" (August). [5] Later that year the band supported a performance by Elvis Costello before breaking up early in 1979. [5] While a member of Stiletto, Clifton co-wrote "Goodbye, Johnny" with Bell and Conway. [9] The singer formed Jane Clifton Sextet, which provided cover versions of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald songs. In late 1982 Clifton provided vocals for Jo Jo Zep's single, "Taxi Mary", [5] [10] which reached No. 11 on the singles chart. [8] She also provided vocals on Zep's album, Cha (October 1982).

Clifton released a solo single, "Girl on the Wall" (February 1984), on Mushroom. [5] [11] It is her version of a song from The Pack of Women cabaret, stage show. [11] Her backing band, the Go Go Boys, comprised Jo Jo Zep's associates from the Black Sorrows, Jeff Burstin on guitar, Wayne Burt on guitar, Wayne Duncan on bass guitar, Steve Williamson on saxophone and Gary Young on drums. [5] According to Debbie Muir of The Canberra Times , "her vocals are smooth and soft" and the song is "good and catchy". [11] It peaked at No. 13. [8] She issued two more singles, "My Machines" (June) and "Turn to Dust" (1985). [5]

Clifton provided vocals for tracks on the soundtrack album for TV series, Dancing Daze (February 1986), including "Second Home", which was released as the B-side of the single, "Might Have Been" by Jenny Morris, Wendy Matthews and Mark Williams. [12] That album was produced by former bandmate, Armiger. [12] For her track she was backed by the Green Sisters Band: Armiger and Bell both on guitars, Chris Abrahams on piano, Jeremy Alsop on bass guitar, Tony Buchanan on alto saxophone, Ricky Fataar on drums, Clive Harrison on bass guitar, Jason Morphett on tenor saxophone, Glen Muirhead on keyboards and Lloyd Swanton on bass guitar. [12]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum details
The Marriage of Style
  • Released: 1993
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Sound Vault Records

Soundtracks

TitleAlbum details
Dancing Daze
(by Jenny Morris, Wendy Matthews, Mark Williams, Marc Hunter & Jane Clifton)
  • Released: February 1986
  • Formats: LP, Cassette
  • Label: ABC Music (RML 53191)

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
YearTitlePeak chart
positions
Album
AUS
[8]
1982"Taxi Mary"
(Jo Jo Zep featuring Jane Clifton (who is uncredited on the song))
11 Cha
1984"Turn to Dust"non album single
"Girl on the Wall"13
"My Machines"

Awards and nominations

Countdown Australian Music Awards

Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week . The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards. [13] [14]

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1984herself – "Girl on a Wall"Best Female Performance in a VideoNominated

Author

Clifton is the author of the novels Half Past Dead and A Hand in the Bush. [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1971 Stork Student (uncredited)Feature film
1975 Pure S (aka 'Pure Shit')Party GirlFeature film
1982 A Slice of Life FayFeature film
1982 The Clinic SharonFeature film
1984Anna Who?HerselfFilm short
1988 As Time Goes By MechanicFeature film
1990 A Kink in the Picasso BellaFeature film
1992 Garbo MayorFeature film
2010 Matching Jack Fin's DoctorFeature film
2014Helen Garner's Monkey GripHerselfFilm short
2017BeastBeaFilm short
2017 Lost Gully Road MotherFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1971; 1973 Division 4 Guest roles: Anne Mason / Hippy GirlTV series, 2 episodes
1973 Ryan Guest role: JennyTV series, 1 episode: "A Little Something Special"
1975–76 Homicide Guest roles: Cheryl / Jenny Walker / Janice ThelgoodTV series, 3 episodes
1977 Bluey Guest role: SeabootsTV series, 1 episode: "Father and Son"
1978RockturnalHerself – Band 'Stiletto'TV series, 1 episode
1978; 1982; 1984 Countdown Herself – Band 'Stiletto' sing "Goodbye Johnny"TV series, 1 episode
1978 Against the Wind Convict WomanTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1979 Prisoner Guest role: YvonneTV series, 3 episodes
1979 Skyways Guest role: ShelleyTV series, 1 episode: "The Flying Sleuths"
1980Working UpHerselfFilm documentary
1980–1984 Prisoner Regular role: Margo GaffneyTV series, 104 episodes
1981 Holiday Island Guest role: FranTV series, episode: 'A Mother's Revenge'
1981Prisoner in ConcertHerselfTV special
1981 Home Guest role: KearnsTV series, 2 episodes
1982-1988 Hey Hey It's Saturday SingerTV series, 9 episodes
1982 Countdown Herself & Jo Jo Zep singing 'Taxi Mary'TV series, 1 episode
1983For Love or MoneyHerselfFilm documentary
1984Sweet and SourGuest role:ABC TV series, 1 episode
1984, 1985 Hey Hey It's Saturday Night SingerTV series, 2 episodes
1984 Countdown Co-hostTV series, 1 episode
1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1984 Carson's Law Guest role: Mrs. WatkinsTV series, 1 episode
1984; 1985 The Mike Walsh Show Guest Performer sings "Turn To Dust"TV series, 1 episode
1984 Special Squad Guest roleTV series, 1 episode
1985 The Mike Walsh Show Guest Performer - Herself with band CricketTV series, 1 episode
1985 A Single Life Support role: LeeTV movie
1986 Dancing Daze Lead role: Lee HarperTV miniseries
1986 Five Times Dizzy Regular role: Mrs. WilsonTV series, 12 episodes
1986Kids 21st Birthday Channel Ten TelethonGuest - Herself with Prisoner cast: Colette Mann, Elspeth Ballantyne, Glenda Linscott & Val Lehman taped appearanceTV special
1986 The Pack of Women HerselfTV special
1989 The Power, The Passion Regular role: Carla GrantTV series
1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself with Victoria Nicholls & Julie AdamsTV series, 1 episode
1989In Melbourne TodayGuest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1990 The Flying Doctors Guest role: GretaTV series, 1 episode: "The Last Carnival"
1991 Col'n Carpenter Guest role: Emily SutcliffeTV series, 1 episode
1991In Sydney TodayGuestTV series, 1 episode
1992 World Series Debating HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1993–2005 Good Morning Australia Regular singerTV series
1995 Janus Guest role: Phillipa StrongTV series, 1 episode: "A Lawful Apprehension"
1998 In Melbourne Tonight Guest / SingerTV series, 1 episode
1999; 2000 Denise GuestTV series, 2 episodes
2001 Round the Twist Guest role: ProducerTV series, 1 episode: "TV or Not TV"
2001Shock JockGuest role: Joy GoldTV series, 1 episode: "Cops and Dobber"
2010; 2019 Neighbours Guest recurring role: Judge Nerida WillowTV series, 4 episodes
2011 A Current Affair Herself with Prisoner cast: Patsy King, Val Lehman, Elspeth Ballantyne, Carol Burns, Judith McGrath & Margaret Laurence TV series, 1 episode
2011 Spicks and Specks HerselfTV series, 1 episode
2011 The Morning Show Guest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
2014 Winners & Losers Guest role: Lynette VanderthorpeTV series, 1 episode: "The New Me"
2015 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Guest role: Sister JosephineTV series, 1 episode: "This Time and this Place"
2016 Bringing Our Stories Home Guest role: Miss MulhollandTV series, 1 episode: "Doing Our Bit"
2017 Classic Countdown NarratorTV series, 1 episode: "1978"
2019 Neighbours Guest role: Meg FletcherTV series, 1 episode
2023 Seven News Adelaide HerselfTV series, 1 episode

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References

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