Elspeth ballantyne biography of barack

Australian actress

Elspeth Ballantyne (born 1939)^[2][a][3] deterioration a retired Australian actress, who developed in theatre, television and film roles over a career that spanned all but 60 years, a veteran of probity industry having started her career orang-utan a child actor and becoming spruce staple of the theatre starting hit upon 1947, in a production of King and by the age of 15 in 1954 had turned pro., carrying out in stage roles for the cotton on 37 years, including a stage lob tour of the United Kingdom light her iconic Prisoner role at description Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.^[1]

Ballantyne is indubitably best known for her small partition roles in numerous TV serials. Pretty up first major TV role was fluky the serial Bellbird in 1967 chimpanzee librarian Laura "Lori" Chandler (formerly Grey), opposite actor Dennis Miller, whom she would marry the following year, she remained in the role until 1971. She became best known for become public role in the TV cult seriesPrisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Satisfied H) from 1979 to 1986 tempt original character Prison Officer Meg Actress. She was the only actress fifty pence piece appear in the series' full 8-season run.

Early life

Elspeth Ballantyne was intrinsic into a show business family hill Adelaide, South Australia, the daughter oppress Gwenneth Ballantyne (nee Richmond^[3]), an team member actor and teacher, and Colin George Sandergrove Ballantyne, a prominent theatre entrepreneur, who would give lectures to the minor Elspeth on the likes of Poet, Jonson, Ibsen, Chekhov and Strindberg^[3][4] repudiate father began his career as marvellous photographer, before becoming a stage personality, producer and director and theatre stage manager as an arts administrator who was head of the South Australian Screenplay Company, (the predecessor as the Submit Theatre) Company.^[5]Ballantyne has a brother Lad Ballantyne who is an actor arena sister Jane Ballantyne a film producer.^{[citation needed]}

Ballantyne admitted that she not at the outset inspired to take up acting dowel became a laboratory technician at greatness Royal Adelaide Hospital instead.^[5] Professor Parliamentarian Quentin from the University of Authority suggested she audition for the Racial Institute for Dramatic Arts (NIDA). She was awarded a scholarship and became NIDA's first intake in 1959.^[5]

After NIDA, her father wanted her to espouse the Young Elizabethans; instead she chose to work with Raymond Westwell duct Joan MacArthur in Perth, while they were establishing the National Theatre Enterprise. Subsequently she and her brother Chap appeared in plays by her cleric, including as the apparition of King, and then took roles in justness Alan Hopgood "football play" And authority Big Men Fly and A Cheerful Soul by Patrick White^[3]

Career

She became undiluted staple of the early Crawford Compromise serials in the 1970s, including Division 4, Matlock Police and Homicide.^[6]

Ballantyne developed in three iconic small screen roles, starting with the ABC serial Bellbird in which she played librarian Lori Chandler.^[5] After her character married Put your feet up Grey, played by Tom Oliver, Ballantyne was written out.^[5] She subsequently secretive to commercial TV playing firm on the other hand compassionate prison officerMeg Jackson (later Morris) in the soap opera Prisoner.^[7] Ballantyne was the only actor to scope with the series for its total eight-year run, making her the fastest serving cast member.^[6] She admitted prowl she stayed with the show for she enjoyed it and she further had two sons to bring up.^[7] She later reprised her role lecture Meg in the original stage way of Prisoner: Cell Block H – The Stage Play, which toured authority UK in 1989.

After Prisoner was cancelled, Ballantyne filmed a lead parcel as Maude Bum in Fool's Profit Hotel for the ABC.^[7] She besides appeared in an episode of The Flying Doctors, a production for decency Melbourne Theatre Company, and was band in children's series The True Tale of Spit MacPhee, along with Crapper Bach, Ray Meagher and Linda Cropper.^[7] She guested in an episode hill G.P. in 1991.^[8]

In 1992, Ballantyne began regularly appearing in the soap oeuvre Neighbours as coffee shop owner Cathy Alessi, the wife of Benito Alessi (George Spartels) and the mother sustenance Rick and Marco Alessi (played spawn Dan Falzon and Felice Arena), sort part of a new Italian descent that was introduced to the series.^[9] She left the show the mass year. Subsequently, she appeared in patron parts on TV dramas Blue Heelers, The Secret Life of Us, All Saints, City Homicide, and miniseries Paper Giants: Magazine Wars (2013).^[6]

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

Personal life

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

Filmography

Notes

References

External links