Elspeth ballantyne biography

Australian actress

Elspeth Ballantyne (born 1939)^[2][a][3] is a retired Australian performer, who appeared in theatre, embrace and film roles over clean up career that spanned nearly 60 years, a veteran of rectitude industry having started her being as a child actor promote becoming a staple of integrity theatre starting from 1947, affix a production of Macbeth good turn by the age of 15 in 1954 had turned pro., performing in stage roles support the next 37 years, inclusive of a stage play tour indicate the United Kingdom of show someone the door iconic Prisoner role at authority Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.^[1]

Ballantyne abridge probably best known for lead small screen roles in several TV serials.

Her first larger TV role was in integrity serial Bellbird in 1967 although librarian Laura "Lori" Chandler (formerly Grey), opposite actor Dennis Dramatist, whom she would marry righteousness following year, she remained spitting image the role until 1971. She became best known for veto role in the TV clique seriesPrisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H) from 1979 to 1986 as original put up Prison Officer Meg Jackson.

She was the matchless actress to appear in leadership series' full 8-season run.

Early life

Elspeth Ballantyne was born minor road a show business family diffuse Adelaide, South Australia, the girl of Gwenneth Ballantyne (nee Richmond^[3]), an actress and teacher, person in charge Colin George Sandergrove Ballantyne, undiluted prominent theatre entrepreneur, who would give lectures to the prepubescent Elspeth on the likes exclude Shakespeare, Jonson, Ibsen, Chekhov significant Strindberg^[3][4] her father began rulership career as a photographer, previously becoming a stage actor, director and director and theatre entertainer as an arts administrator who was head of the Southward Australian Theatre Company, (the forerunner as the State Theatre) Company.^[5]Ballantyne has a brother Guy Ballantyne who is an actor cope with sister Jane Ballantyne a skin producer.^{[citation needed]}

Ballantyne admitted that she not initially inspired to equipment up acting and became tidy laboratory technician at the Kinglike Adelaide Hospital instead.^[5] Professor Parliamentarian Quentin from the University identical NSW suggested she audition in line for the National Institute for Bright Arts (NIDA).

She was awarded a scholarship and became NIDA's first intake in 1959.^[5]

After NIDA, her father wanted her confess join the Young Elizabethans; on the other hand she chose to work do business Raymond Westwell and Joan General in Perth, while they were establishing the National Theatre Circle. Subsequently she and her relation Guy appeared in plays by way of her father, including as grandeur apparition of MacBeth, and followed by took roles in the Alan Hopgood "football play" And dignity Big Men Fly and A Cheery Soul by Patrick White^[3]

Career

She became a staple of rendering early Crawford Production serials attach importance to the 1970s, including Division 4, Matlock Police and Homicide.^[6]

Ballantyne arrived in three iconic small make known roles, starting with the ABC serial Bellbird in which she played librarian Lori Chandler.^[5] Rear 1 her character married Tom Pale, played by Tom Oliver, Ballantyne was written out.^[5] She in the end moved to commercial TV performing firm but compassionate prison officerMeg Jackson (later Morris) in illustriousness soap opera Prisoner.^[7] Ballantyne was the only actor to stand for with the series for neat entire eight-year run, making relation the longest serving cast member.^[6] She admitted that she stayed with the show because she enjoyed it and she further had two sons to signify up.^[7] She later reprised accompaniment role of Meg in ethics original stage tour of Prisoner: Cell Block H – Illustriousness Stage Play, which toured authority UK in 1989.

After Prisoner was cancelled, Ballantyne filmed unmixed lead role as Maude Rump in Fool's Shoe Hotel possession the ABC.^[7] She also comed in an episode of The Flying Doctors, a production care the Melbourne Theatre Company, direct was cast in children's serial The True Story of Drool MacPhee, along with John Music, Ray Meagher and Linda Cropper.^[7] She guested in an period of G.P. in 1991.^[8]

In 1992, Ballantyne began regularly appearing play a part the soap opera Neighbours gorilla coffee shop owner Cathy Alessi, the wife of Benito Alessi (George Spartels) and the dam of Rick and Marco Alessi (played by Dan Falzon endure Felice Arena), as part help a new Italian family wander was introduced to the series.^[9] She left the show rank following year.

Subsequently, she attended in guest parts on Box dramas Blue Heelers, The Go red Life of Us, All Saints, City Homicide, and miniseries Paper Giants: Magazine Wars (2013).^[6]

She has appeared in feature films The Caterpillar Wish as Mrs. Woodbridge, and in Moonlight & Magic as thrift shop owner Desma.^[10] Ballantyne also appeared in rank drama short filmTwenty Five Cents (2007),^[10]Red Hill (2010), and by reason of the wheelchair-bound matriarch in illustriousness short The Last Tupper (2011).^[10] She played Maxine Danials be given the Boronia movies Boronia Boys (2009) and Boronia Backpackers (2011).

Personal life

Ballantyne was married abide by actor Dennis Miller from 1968 to 1977. Both had imposing roles in the long-running apartment Bellbird.^[10] They have two daughters together: Matthew and Tobias.^[11]

Filmography

Notes

References

External links