Wendy Playfair (born 28 August 1926)[1] is an Australian radio, television and film character actress, best known for her roles in television serials.[2]
Wendy Playfair | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 August 1926 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | Radio (c 1940s), theatre 1949–1960, television and film 1960-2013 |
| Known for | Prisoner as Minnie Donovan |
| Family | Thomas Playfair Thomas Alfred John Playfair (uncle) Judy Playfair (cousin) Kip Williams (grandson) |
| Awards | Macquarie Radio Award |
Playfair started her career in radio serials, but became best known for her brief stint in TV serial Prisoner as inmate Minnie Donovan.[3] Other important roles were in the television series Home and Away and the film Accidents Happen starring Geena Davis.[3]
Family
editPlayfair was born in Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales to Edmund Strathmore Creer (Strath) Playfair (1894–1965) and Kathleen Ryrie (Babs) née Campbell (1899–1989).[4] She was the third of four sisters, the youngest marrying Sir John Atwill.[5] The Playfair family were well-to-do, socially prominent[6] and in the meat trade.[7] She married James Williams at All Saints Anglican Church on 6 July 1951.[8] She is a direct descendant of the famous Sydney butcher, politician and philanthropist Thomas Playfair, and the niece of politician Thomas Alfred John Playfair. Playfair is the cousin of Olympic silver medalist Judy Playfair, aunt of Skye Leckie, grandmother of Kip Williams who was the Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company (2016-24) and life long friend of Pam Hornibrook and Ruth Triggs.[9]
Career
editPlayfair started her career in radio where she worked for the ABC and consistently in morning serials for Grace Gibson, as well as in many radio plays. Playfair received the radio Macquarie Award. Prior to television she had also appeared in a few stage roles, but was best known as a radio performer[10]
She has been a staple on the small screen in character roles since 1960, when she appeared in the TV adaptation of a production of the play The Slaughter of St Theresa's Day.[11]
Playfair has primarily appeared in cameo roles, with guesting roles in series starting from the late 1960s until 2013 such as Homicide, Hunter, The Young Doctors, Return to Eden, Spirited, Rake and Packed to the Rafters
However she has had several parts as different characters in serials A Country Practice (three roles), Home and Away (two roles) and All Saints (two roles).
She also has had parts in telemovies and films including Ride a Wild Pony, the only Walt Disney film ever produced in Australia, and a pivotal role in the film Accidents Happen opposite Geena Davis in 2009.[3]
In 2022 Playfair gave a rare interview with the podcast series Talking Prisoner.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Three to Go | Mother (Segment "Judy") | Feature film |
| 1975 | Ride a Wild Pony | Mrs. Quayle | Feature film |
| 1993 | Terra Nullius | Role unknown | Short film |
| 2009 | Accidents Happen[3] | Mrs. Smolensky | Feature film Australia/UK |
| 2010 | The Tree | Aunt Harriet | Feature film |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | The Slaughter of St. Teresa's Day | Wilma Cartwright | Teleplay |
| 1962 | The Funnel Web | Irene Charlton | TV movie |
| 1965 | The Affair | ABC Teleplay | |
| 1967 | Divorce Court | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1967; 1968 | Homicide | Ann Radford / Jennifer Chandler | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1968 | Hunter | Mrs. West | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | Matlock Police | Ethel Parker | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | The Evil Touch | TV series US/Australia, 1 episode | |
| 1974 | Things That Go Bump in the Night | Audrey | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1977 | Say You Want Me | TV movie | |
| 1978 | Bit Part | Emma | TV movie |
| 1978 | Shimmering Light | Gwen Stuart | TV movie |
| 1978 | Father Dear Father in Australia | Mrs. Town | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1979 | Glenview High | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1979 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Mrs. Quayle | TV series US/Australia, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Young Doctors | Mrs. Steele | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981 | Bellamy | Milly | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1982–1992 | A Country Practice | Lillian Palmer / Gwen Bowman / Val Jackson | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1983 | Carson's Law | Nola Douglas | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1983–1984 | Prisoner | Minnie Donovan | TV series, 33 episodes |
| 1984 | Mother and Son | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1984 | Special Squad | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1985 | Fortress | Old Woman | TV movie |
| 1986 | Return To Eden | Rena McMaster | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1987 | Willing and Abel | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1988 | Swap Shop | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1990 | Rafferty's Rules | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1994 | Cody: Bad Love | Mrs. Unwin | TV movie |
| 1997 | Big Sky | Mrs. Toohey | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2000; 2003 | All Saints | Gloria Mayberry / Hannah 'Bubba' Rosen | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Don't Blame The Koalas | Mrs. Smythe (voice) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2005–2009 | Home and Away | Audrey Long / Mrs. Grey | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Spirited | Geisela Mackenzie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | Rake | Elspeth | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2011 | Laid | Old Lady | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2013 | Packed to the Rafters | Moira Beckett | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2022 | Talking Prisoner[12] | Guest | Podcast, 1 episode |
References
edit- ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 August 1926. p. 10. Retrieved 27 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. pp. 70–72.
- ^ a b c d "Accidents Happen". 28 April 2010.
- ^ Playfair Family Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "MANY FAMILY PARTIES YESTERDAY". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 December 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 27 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Sydney's Talking About—". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 December 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 27 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Playfair estate to family". The Canberra Times. 26 October 1966. p. 13. Retrieved 27 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "They're Set Their Wedding Dates". The Sunday Herald. Sydney. 27 May 1951. p. 18. Retrieved 27 June 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Family Matters by Evan Williams Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- ^ "Wendy Playfair". AusStage.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (19 October 2020). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays – The Slaughter of St Teresa's Day". Filmink.
- ^ "Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 43 Interview with Wendy Playfair Inmate Minnie Donovan". YouTube. 9 June 2022.
External links
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