Ena Mary Harwood (née Fitzallen, 1913 – 21 July 1993) was an Australian television and radio personality.[1]
Ena Harwood | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ena Mary Fitzallen 1913 |
| Died | 21 July 1993 (aged 80) Sydney |
| Occupation(s) | Television and radio personality, actress |
| Television | Beauty and the Beast, The Mike Walsh Show, Carson's Law |
| Spouse(s) | Horace Barclay Harwood (m. 1942, d. 1960) |
| Children | 3 (including Andrew) |
She was best known for being one of the longest serving "beauties" on Beauty and the Beast and for her appearances on The Mike Walsh Show.[1][2]
Career
editHarwood had ambitions of becoming an actress during her younger years, and took private acting lessons in London with Cicely Berry.[3] Returning to Australia she had minor roles in the Independent Theatre stage productions of Rhinoceros and Period of Adjustment.[3] She was chosen by Doris Fitton to star in the production of God's Red Earth which had originally been written as a radio play by Coral Lansbury.[3]
In the 1960s, Harwood become a fan of the Seven Network's daytime talk show Beauty and the Beast, hosted by her friend Eric Baume.[3] After she told Baume of her desire to be on the program, he arranged for Harwood to meet with the producer.[3] Harwood subsequently became one of the longest serving, (second only to Pat Firman) "beauties" of all the various incarnations of the show hosted by various "beasts" including Baume and subsequently Stuart Wagstaff and John Laws.[2]
From 1975, she anchored "The Female Forum" segment on The Mike Walsh Show on the Nine Network for five years.[1][2]
As an actress, she appeared on two episodes of Carson's Law in 1984.[1] That same year, she was part of the Seven Hills Productions radio program Ask The Girls hosted by Bernard King, which followed a similar format to Beauty and the Beast.[4]
In August 1990, Harwood had a small role in an episode of Home and Away.[5]
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964; 1966–1968 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular Panellist – Herself | TV series |
| 1966–1968; 1969 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular Paneliist – Herself | TV series |
| 1970; 1980 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular Panellist – Herself | TV series |
| 1975–1979 | The Mike Walsh Show | Regular – Herself | TV series |
| 1980; 1982–1983 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular Pannellist – Herself | TV series |
| 1982–1983 | Beauty and the Beast | Regular Panellist – Herself | TV series |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Guest role: Mrs. Preston | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Home and Away | Guest role: Woman | TV series, 1 episode |
Personal life and death
editOn 10 November 1942, she married Horace Barclay Harwood at St Mark's Church of England in Darling Point.[6] They had three children, including Andrew Harwood.
Harwood's husband died suddenly at their residence in Bellevue Hill on 27 October 1960.[7]
Harwood suffered asthma throughout her life, and in 1969 suffered a particularly severe asthma attack prompting her son Andrew to rush her to hospital.[8] Specialists told her that she would have only survived another four hours without seeking medical attention.[8] Andrew too suffered from asthma throughout his life and died after a severe asthma attack in 2008.[9]
Harwood died at the age of 80 on 21 July 1993.[10]
After her death, her son Andrew Harwood was charged with social security fraud, accused of cashing $27,400 worth of his mother's pension cheques for a period of three years after her death.[11]
He was suspended from his evening radio program on 2UE during the investigation but was later cleared of any wrongdoing when the magistrate at St James Local Court dismissed the fraud charge after the Director of Public Prosecutions failed to offer any evidence.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Atterton, Margot; Veitch, Alan (1984). The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz. Sunshine Books. p. 101. ISBN 0867770570.
- ^ a b c Wright, Louisa (14 June 1982). "It's beastly being a Beauty but Ena still loves it". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 23. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Shelley, Garry (27 March 1972). "Ena Harwood – she's a little beauty". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 15. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Morris, Chris (5 August 1984). "Around the dial – radio". The Sun-Herald. p. 91. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Carlsson, Ola (2000). "Episode 609; Australian air date: 23rd August 1990". Back to the Bay. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
Woman (Ena Harwood): Elderly moviegoer accosted by Sally and Fiona
- ^ "MARRIAGES: Harwood-Fitzallen". The Mercury. 12 December 1942. p. 9. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "HARWOOD, Horace Barclay (Death notice)". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 October 1960. p. 36. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ a b Marshall, Valda (5 October 1966). "Valda Marshall talks on TV". The Sun-Herald. p. 87. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
Just in case you're wondering why ATN-7's Beauty and the Beast panelist Ena Harwood has been off screen, she's recovering from a touch-and-go battle for life...
- ^ Cuming, Angela (10 February 2008). "Quiz show host Harwood dead". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "HARWOOD, Ena Mary". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 July 1993. p. 152. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ a b Dean, Anabel (3 September 1996). "Radio host cleared of cashing dead mother's pension cheques". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2. Retrieved 3 February 2023.