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Anna Volska | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1944 Milanówek, Poland |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouse | John Bell AO OBE |
| Children | Lucy Bell, Hilary Bell |
| Awards | 1 (naacp image) |
Anna Volska (born 1 December 1944 in Milanówek, Poland) is an Australian stage and television actress. She arrived in Australia when she was young and has acted from a young age.
Anna Volska moved from Poland to Australia with her mother when she was seven. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)in 1962. [1]
Volska has acted extensively in theatre as an actor, director and teacher. While performing in The Cherry Orchard at the Old Tote Theatre Company, Volska met fellow cast member John Bell. She followed his career to the UK, where they married in 1965, and she subsequenfly spent three seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company. [2] They returned to Australia in 1970 and founded the Nimrod Theatre Company at Stables Theatre (which later became the Belvoir Theatre Company). In 1990 Bell and Volska then founded Bell Shakespeare Company. She has also directed at Flinders, Theatre Nepean, QUT, Nimrod. [3]
Volska has appeared in many Australian television drama series, mostly in a guest role. Her first role was in 1965, where she had a small role in The Recruiting Officer . In 1973, Volska had a leading role in Behind the Legend , where she played Helena Rubenstein. She then appeared on A Country Practice from 1987 until 1991. In 2009, she had a recurring role in the final season of All Saints as Katerina Ajanovic. In 2010, Volska appeared in the telemovie Sisters of War playing the role of Sister Cordula.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Attendant | Feature film |
| 1974 | The Hotline | TV film | |
| 1977 | Say You Want Me | Magazine Journalist | TV film |
| 1977 | Cass | TV film | |
| 1978 | The Magic Arts | Herself | Documentary film short |
| 1980 | The Girl Who Met Simone de Beauvoir In Paris | Film short | |
| 1980 | Players in the Gallery | TV film series, 1 episode | |
| 1982 | A Most Attractive Man | Vija | TV film |
| 1986 | The Three Musketeers | Voice | Animated TV film |
| 1987 | The Everlasting Secret Family | Wife's Friend | Feature film |
| 1992 | Six Pack: Death Duties | Elsa | TV film series |
| 1996 | Fistful of Flies | Nanna | Feature film |
| 2010 | Sisters of War | Sister Cordula | TV film |
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | My Three Friends | Marie-Louise | Teleplay |
| 1963 | The Right Thing | Emma | Teleplay |
| 1965 | The Recruiting Officer | Sylvia | Teleplay |
| 1971 | Spyforce | The Countess | TV series, episode 11: "The Countess" |
| 1971-72 | The Godfathers | Maria Varga | TV series, 72 episodes |
| 1972 | Behind the Legend | Helena Rubenstein | TV series, episode "Helena Rubenstein" |
| 1973 | The 15th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself | TV special |
| 1973 | Division 4 | Viv Jackson | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | Ryan | Melina Jaconelli | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | Matlock Police | Helen | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | Hamlet | Teleplay | |
| 1979 | The Restless Years | Recurring role | TV series |
| 1980 | The Timeless Land | Sara | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | A Toast to Melba | Nellie Melba | Teleplay |
| 1981 | A Town Like Alice | Sally Wilson-Hayes | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1982 | Sara Dane | Madam Balvet | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1987; 1991 | A Country Practice | Olivia Harrison | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1988 | Rafferty's Rules | Frieda | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1991 | Boys from the Bush | Joan | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1991 | Embassy | Madame Lamotte | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1991 | A Country Practice | Annette Muir | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Good Morning Australia | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Midday | Guest (with John Bell) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Ernie and Denise | Guest (with John Bell) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Sale of the Century: The Arts | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1995 | G.P. | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1996 | Midday | Guest (with John Bell) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Heartbreak High | Aunty Magda | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Water Rats | Kath Lambert | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1998 | The Search For Treasure Island | Frau Keller | TV series, 9 episodes |
| 2000 | Murder Call | Gillian Pitman | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2001 | Burke's Backyard | Celebrity gardener (with John Bell & Lucy Bell) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2009 | All Saints | Katerina Ajanovic | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2013 | Dance Academy | Lady Charlton | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | A Place to Call Home | Leah | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2016 | John Bell: One Man Show | Herself | TV special |
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | We Can't Pay? We Won't Pay! | Director | Troupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1981 | Liquids | Director | Troupe Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1982 | Demolition Job | Director | Nimrod Downstairs |
| 1982 | Burn Victim | Writer | Nimrod Downstairs |
| 1982 | Flash Jim | Director | Nimrod Upstairs |
| 1983 | As You Like It | Director | Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 2001 | Don's Party | Director | Western Sydney University, Seymour Centre |
| 2004 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Director | Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Monash University, Whitehorse Centre, Frankston Arts Centre with Bell Shakespeare |
| 2006 | The Merchant of Venice | Director | Australian national tour with Bell Shakespeare |
| 2019 | Diplomacy | Director, Assistant | Ensemble Theatre |
Volska won a Best Single Performance by an Actress award at the 1973 Logie Awards for her role in Behind the Legend . [6]
Volska has been married to fellow Thespian John Bell since 1965. Their daughters are playwright Hilary Bell and actor Lucy Bell, who were both born in Stratford-upon-Avon.
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