Lorraine Bayly

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Lorraine Bayly
AM
Lorraine Bayly.jpg
Lorraine Bayly in 2012, at the premiere of Annie (musical)
Born
Lorraine Daphne Bayly

(1937-01-16) 16 January 1937 (age 88)
Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
Occupations
  • Film television and theatre actress
  • presenter
  • pianist
  • singer
  • dancer
  • theatre founder
  • director
  • stage manager
  • writer
Years active1954–2018 [1]
Known for

Lorraine Daphne Bayly AM (born 16 January 1937) is an Australian retired actress of film, television and theatre, narrator, presenter, singer, dancer, pianist and theatre director, stage manager and writer. [1]

Contents

Bayly has been a performer since she was a child, and became a professional actress in 1954, [1] having started as a theatre performer. She is perhaps best known to small screen audiences for her soap opera roles, especially in the World War II period-piece drama The Sullivans as matriarch Grace Sullivan, as well as roles in legal drama Carson's Law as Jennifer Carson and briefly in serial Neighbours as Faye Hudson, the sister of patriarch Doug Willis played by Terence Donovan. [2]

She is well-known also for having been a presenter of children's television series Play School as an original presenter in 1966 until 1978. [3]

Early life

Bayly was born in Narrandera, New South Wales. Her first performance was at age 3, playing tambourine with the Salvation Army. [4] [5] From ages 5–9, she wrote, directed and starred in plays in the local jail; her father being a policeman, amateur magician and ventriloquist. [6]

From ages 9–10, Bayly had her own ventriloquist act which 35 years later she performed on The Parkinson Show in 1983, using host Michael Parkinson as her dummy. [7]

At age 11–12, she played classical piano Saturday afternoons live on Radio 2UE. [6]

Career

Theatre

Bayly was a founder with Hayes Gordon of the Ensemble Theatre at Kirribilli, in Sydney. She has appeared in professional theatre since 1954, playing Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Sheila in John Misto's The Shoe-Horn Sonata , Mrs Patrick Campbell in Dear Liar , Margaret in Rough Justice and Bella in Gaslight.

Other credits include Chase Me Comrade with Stanley Baxter, Arthur Miller's The Last Yankee , D. H. Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law , David Williamson's Travelling North , Birthrights and The Male of the Species with Edward Woodward.

In 2010 Bayly starred in the well known play Calendar Girls and more recently in David Williamson's When Dad Married Fury and The Sound of Music . [1]

Television

Bayly's many television credits include 1982 ABC miniseries 1915 and 1986 miniseries The Challenge , based on Australia's win in America's Cup, playing Eileen Bond. 1989 series Grim Pickings (SAFC) as Betsy Tander and as Lindy Chamberlain's mother Avis Murchison in Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story , alongside Miranda Otto. She was also a popular presenter and original cast member on the children's television show Play School from 1966 to 1978.

Bayly is perhaps best known to television audiences for her portrayal in the drama series The Sullivans (1976–1979), in the maternal role of Grace Sullivan, dealing with life for an ordinary Australian family during the Second World War.

From 1982 to 1984, Bayly played the lead role in another period television drama Carson's Law , as progressive lawyer Jennifer Carson, set in 1920s Melbourne. The episodes revolved around the cases taken on by Carson and the various personal intrigues of her family. The series also starred Kevin Miles as Jennifer's father-in-law Godfrey Carson and Gregg Caves, as Billy Carson. The series was written specifically for Bayly.

From 1991 to 1992, Bayly appeared in long-running soap opera Neighbours as Faye Hudson. Faye was a "busybody" who moved in with her brother Doug Willis (Terence Donovan) and his extended family. [2]

Film

Bayly's film credits include Fatty Finn (AFI nominated), Ride a Wild Pony (aka Born to Run) for Disney and The Man From Snowy River , alongside acting legend Kirk Douglas.

Retirement

In 2019 Bayly retired from acting, due to numerous health issues. [8]

Honours, awards & nominations (selected)

YearAssociationAwardWorkResults
1978 Logie Awards Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress The Sullivans as Grace SullivanWon
1979 Logie Awards Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress The Sullivans as Grace SullivanWon
1981 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role Fatty Finn Nominated
1983 Logie Awards Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress Carson's Law as Jennifer CarsonWon
2001 Australian Government Member of the Order of Australia Honoured
2006Australian VarietyVariety's 100 Entertainer of the CenturyLifetime honourHonoured

Bayly was made a Member of the Order of Australia by The Queen in the Australia Day Honours List 2001.

She has won 10 awards from 14 nominations including three Silver Logies in 1978, 1979 and 1983 for Most Popular Actress in The Sullivans and Carson's Law respectively. She was also named in "Australian Variety's 100 Entertainers of the Century" in 2006.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1965Birth of JesusFilm short
1967Heaven Help UsFilm short
1975 Ride a Wild Pony (aka Born to Run or Harness Fever)Mrs. EllisonFeature film
1980 Fatty Finn Maggie McGrathFeature film
1982 The Man From Snowy River Rosemary HumeFeature film
2014Locks of LoveDorisFeature film
2015To My One and OnlyDorisFilm short

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1962The Mobil Limb ShowTV series
1965Diary of a Plastic SurgeonTeleplay
1966 The Interpretaris Verna Balovna6 episodes
1966–1976 Play School Presenter147 episodes
1967Owly's SchoolPresenterTV series
1967–1971 Homicide Moira Simmons / Jennifer Tracy / Margaret Stevens / Audrey Shepherd4 episodes
1967; 1968 Hunter Karen Savage / Sharon Reid / Diana Mannering3 episodes
1967 Divorce Court 1 episode
1968Play School In LondonRegular PresenterTV series, 48 episodes
1969 Division 4 Jenny Noble / Linda Szabo2 episodes
1969Slim As You CleanSelf - HostTV series
1969 Riptide TV series, 1 episode
1969 The Rovers Virginia Shaw1 episode
1970 The Link Men 1 episode
1971 Spyforce Julia CarpenterEpisode: "The Bridge"
1974 Silent Number Jackson1 episode
1975 Number 96 Guest roleTV series, 1 episode
1976–1979; 1980 The Sullivans Grace Sullivan594 episodes
1978 Case for the Defence Sister Barrett1 episode
1979 The Wonderful World of Disney James' wife2 episodes
1982 1915 Helen GilchristMiniseries, 4 episodes
1982Smithy's FriendsTV pilot
1983–1984 Carson's Law Jennifer Carson184 episodes
1986 The Challenge Eileen BondMiniseries, 6 episodes
1988The PandasNarratorDocumentary
1988; 1990 Rafferty's Rules Gwen Forster / Audrey Shepherd2 episodes
1989 A Country Practice Jean Richmond2 episodes
1989 Grim Pickings Betsy TenderMniseries, 2 episodes
1989Home BrewEdna EustaceTV film
1991–1992 Neighbours Faye Hudson 48 episodes
1992The Adventures of Snugglepot, Cuddlepie and Ragged BlossomNarratorTV special
1995Toddlers and their ThinkingNarratorDocumentary
1995 G.P. Pat Stoppard1 episode
2001 Pizza The Fairy1 episode
2004 Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story AvisNiniseries, 2 episodes
2014When the Queen Came to TownNarratorDocumentary special
2015The Jewel of the MountainsNarratorDocumentary

Stage

Source [1]

YearProductionRoleVenue / Company
1954 The Desert Song Rockdale Town Hall
1958Variations on Similar ThemesCammeray Children's Library, Theatre Institute, Sydney
1958–1960The ManRuthTheatre Institute, Sydney, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1959 The Drunkard The Child Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1960The Lonely Hearts
1961The Buffalo SkinnerThe Mother
1962Fairytales of New YorkAll female roles
1963 The Season at Sarsaparilla Judy Pogson Theatre Royal, Sydney with J. C. Williamson's / Elizabethan Theatre Trust
1964 Mary, Mary Tiffany Richards Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's
1965 The Rehearsal Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
Chase Me Comrade Nancy Rimmington Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's
1967Invitation to a March Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1968 The Rimers of Eldritch
1969 The Daughter-in-Law
Come Laughing Home
1970 We Bombed in New Haven
Three Months Gone Anna
1971Who Killed Santa Claus? J. C. Williamson's
1973Suddenly at HomeSheila Wallis Comedy Theatre Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's
Queen of the Rebels Marian St Theatre, Sydney
1974Who's Who Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1975The Male of the Species J. C. Williamson's
1976Status Quo Vadis Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1980–1981 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Mona Stangley Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with Cooke Hayden Price
1982The Man From Snowy RiverRosemary Hume
The Last Yankee
1991 Gaslight Bella
1992 Dear Liar Mrs Patrick Campbell
1996Rough JusticeProsecutor Margaret Casely Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1997 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Sydney Opera House
1999 The Shoe-Horn Sonata Sheila
2000 Travelling North Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2003 Birthrights Margaret Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney,
2007 Rabbit Hole Nat Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra
2010 Calendar Girls Jessie Lyric Theatre, Brisbane Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
2012 When Dad Married Fury Judy Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Sydney
2015 The Shoe-Horn Sonata Sheila Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2015–2016 The Sound of Music Frau SchmidtAustralian national tour

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lorraine Bayly theatre credits". AusStage.
  2. 1 2 Dempsey, Shelley (20 June 1992). "Airwaves". The Sun-Herald . Fairfax Media . Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Presenters".
  4. ↑ "Lorraine Bayly joins the cast of The Sound of Music with Cameron Daddo and Marina Prior". The Daily Telegraph. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Lorraine Bayly interview for The Daily Show, Dec 2015 , retrieved 20 December 2023
  6. 1 2 "Nostalgia Week: Lorraine Bayly | TV Tonight". TV Tonight. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "Where are they now? Lorraine Bayly starring in The Sound of Music". WYZA. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Duck, Siobhan (30 January 2021). "Lorraine Bayly on the health issues forcing her to retire from acting". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 20 December 2023.
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