Kate Sheil is an Australian stage and television actress, whose roles include prison officer Janet Conway in the cult television series Prisoner, a role lasting six months in 1981 and 1982. In 1972 she had been a regular cast member of situation comedy series Birds in the Bush.

Kate Sheil
Born
Australia
Other namesKate Sheel
Katie Sheil
Occupation(s)Stage and television actor
Years active1971–2005

Other credits include: Cop Shop, Homicide, Sons and Daughters, A Country Practice, Water Rats and All Saints. She had a small role in feature film Puberty Blues (1981) as a school teacher.

Biography

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Sheil first appeared in the 1971 television movie What for Mariane? During the next two years, she appeared on the television series Ryan, Boney, Matlock Police and Birds in the Bush. She also had several appearances on Homicide from 1971 to 1976.

In 1975, she made her film debut in Ayten Kuyululu's The Golden Cage with Ilhan Kuyululu and Sait Memisoflu. She portrayed Sarah, a young teenager who befriends two newly arrived Turkish immigrants Murat (Ilhan Kuyululu) and Ayhen (Sait Memisoflu). Falling in love with one of them, she eventually leaves him after he demands that she convert to Islam. She is eventually located by the man who proposes to her, however, she refuses despite her being pregnant. Sheil was the only Australian cast in the film.[1]

During 1976, Sheil had a supporting role in the television movie Me & Mr Thorne as well as the television series Alvin Purple and Shannon's Mob. Later that year, she also starred with Tom Oliver and Gerard Maguire in David Williamson's A Handful of Friends at the Russell Street Theatre in Melbourne.[2] She also played a supporting role in The Singer and the Dancer the following year.

In 1980, she appeared on the television series Timelapse, Bellamy and in the television movie Air Hawk before being cast as school teacher Mrs. Velland in the 1981 film Puberty Blues. She also had a guest stint in Prisoner as Janet Conway, a former Wentworth inmate turned prison officer; a storyline which reunited her with Gerard Maguire from Me & Mr Thorne, and saw the two characters in a romantic subplot. After appearing on Sons and Daughters in 1984, she again took a break from acting until the late 1980s appearing in the television mini-series Emma: Queen of the South Seas and Joe Wilson during 1988. After appearing in the 1990 film Weekend with Kate, she also made occasional television appearances in the television movie Heroes II: The Return and, during the late 1990s, guest starred on A Country Practice, Children's Hospital and Water Rats.

Between 2001 and 2005, she played a recurring character, Victoria Carlton, in the soap opera All Saints.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Type
1975 The Golden Cage Sarah Feature film
1977 The Singer and the Dancer Yong Mrs. Bilson Film short
1981 Puberty Blues Mrs. Velland Feature film
1990 Weekend with Kate Phoebe Feature film
1997 Blackrock Doctor Feature film

Television

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Year Film Role Type
1971–1976 Homicide Guest roles: Elly Sullivan / Chris Clark / Kay Marshall (as Katie Sheil) TV series, 3 episodes
1971 What For Marianne? Lead role: Marianne Malden (as Katie Sheil) TV movie
1972 Birds in the Bush Regular role: Friday TV series, 13 episodes
1973 Matlock Police Guest role: Lorraine Hughes TV series, 1 episode
1973 Boney Guest role: Gloria Lacey TV series, 1 episode
1973 Ryan Guest role: Ellen Cornell TV series, 1 episode
1974 Stopover Recurring role: Kay Marshall (as Katie Sheil) TV movie
1976 Alvin Purple Guest role: Sally TV series, 1 episode 12: "London Derriere"
1976 Me & Mr. Thorne Recurring role: Shelley Gordon TV movie
1978–1981 Cop Shop Guest roles: Tracey Powell / Karen Rush / Shawnee Lowe / Helen Radcliffe TV series, 5 episodes
1980 Timelapse Regular role: Angela Parker TV series
1981 Bellamy Guest role: Kath TV series, 1 episode 11: "A Matter of Upbringing"
1981 Airhawk Wendy TV movie / TV pilot
1981–1982 Prisoner Recurring role: Janet Conway TV series, 43 episodes
1984 Sons and Daughters Recurring role: Kathleen Elliott TV series, 8 episodes
1986 Butterfly Island Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1987 Willing and Abel Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1988 Joe Wilson Guest role: Mrs. Black TV miniseries, 1 episode
1988 Emma: Queen of the South Seas Recurring role: Gwen Purdam TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1989 Rafferty's Rules Guest role: Joy Finlayson TV series, 1 episode
1991 Heroes II: The Return Recurring role: Roma's Mother TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1991 A Country Practice Guest role: Dr. Wendy Gale TV series, 1 episode
1993 A Country Practice Guest role: Sonia Newton TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Home and Away Guest role: Magistrate TV series, 1 episode
1994 G.P. Guest role: Yvonne Freith TV series, 1 episode
1997 Heartbreak High Guest role: Matron TV series, 1 episode
1998 Children's Hospital Guest role: Maureen TV series, 1 episode
1999 Water Rats Guest role: Coroner TV series, 1 episode
2001–2005 All Saints Recurring role: Victoria Carlton (as Katie Sheil) TV series, 14 episodes

References

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  1. ^ Reade, Eric. History and Heartburn: The Saga of Australian Film, 1896–1978. Rutherford, New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1979. (pp. 171, 174) ISBN 0-8386-3082-0
  2. ^ Williamson, David and Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt. Australian Playwrights: David Williamson. Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V., 1988. ISBN 90-5183-029-7
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