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Moya O'Sullivan

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Moya O'Sullivan
Born
Moya O'Sullivan MacArthur

8 June 1926
Melbourne, Australia
Died16 January 2018 (aged 91)
Bondi Junction, Australia
OccupationActress
Years activec.1950-2012
Known forNeighbours

Moya O'Sullivan Macarthur (8 June 1926 – 16 January 2018)[1] was an Australian-born actress who worked both locally and briefly in the United Kingdom. She was best known for her long-running role as the popular character Marlene Kratz in the soap opera Neighbours between 1994 and 1997.[2] Alex Fletcher from Digital Spy made Marlene their "DS Icon" on 7 January 2011, calling her a legendary and special character.[3] Fletcher also stated that "Marlene, played by the delightful Moya O'Sullivan, was a crucial cog in the Golden Age of Neighbours in the '90s."[3]

Early life and career

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O'Sullivan was born to Eugene and Nancy O'Sullivan (née Morgan) and had an older brother, Peter. Having graduated from school, she was tutored in drama classes under Dorothy Hemingway and started her career as a stage performer in the 1950s with the Mosman Theatre Company.[4]

Radio, theatre, teleplays and telemovies

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She trained in radio under Rosalind Kennerdale, and through her gained agent John Cover, the husband of actress Queenie Ashton, who had a company, Central Casting. O'Sullivan appeared in numerous radio productions, such as Dr. Paul, When a Girl Marries, Blue Hills and Life with Dexter.[4]

With the advent of television, she became a familiar face in televised plays, as well as featuring in commercial adverts. She made her debut in 1960 in the ABC production Farewell, Farewell Eugene, and appeared in The Slaughter of St Teresas Day, occasionally popping up in made-for-TV films.

Career in United Kingdom

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By the mid-1960s, O'Sullivan had decided to try her luck in the United Kingdom, where she featured in radio, television and on the West End stage circuit. Notable roles were in James Patrick Donleavy's production A Singular Man, and A Harp in the South for BBC Television. She returned to Australia in 1965, where she featured in the theatrical production Inadmissible Evidence.

Television roles

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O'Sullivan was a staple on the small screen in soap operas and serials in Australia, beginning in 1961 with the daytime soap opera The Story of Peter Gray. Her early roles included playing several parts in Homicide and Division 4. A prominent role was her three-month stint in the serial Number 96 as Phyllis Pratt in the 1970s.

She subsequently appeared in Sons and Daughters as Aileen Keegan, and had several roles in A Country Practice throughout the 1980s.

She continued acting throughout the 2000s, including Home & Away in 2002, and several guest appearances in All Saints from 2001 and 2008. O'Sullivan never had any other long-standing roles; she was a well-recognized feature player as a prominent guest artist of many a television series spanning over 60 years, later portraying hapless old grannies.

In 2005, she reprised the role of Marlene Kratz, along with many ex-cast members, for an episode commemorating the Neighbours 20th anniversary in a reunion special.[5]

O'Sullivan also became popular via memorable guesting appearances in Cop Shop as Lorna Close (later O'Reilly), mother to Valerie Close-Johnson and mother-in-law to Jeffrey Johnson,[6] and in Hey Dad..! as Grandma Lois Kelly,[7] and later in The Adventures of Skippy as Thelma Woods in the 2000s. She had previously appeared in the earlier 1960s original series in television's younger days as Mrs Mason.[8]

Her final part was in Tricky Business in 2012.

Death

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O'Sullivan died aged 91 in Bondi Junction, Australia on 16 January 2018.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1960 Thunder on Sycamore Street TV film
1960 Farewell, Farewell, Eugene TV film
1965 Never Mention Murder Theatre Sister Feature film
1969 Color Me Dead Maid Feature film
1974 The Champion TV movie
1977 Say You Want Me Julie's Mother TV film
1977 Going Home TV film
1982 The Best of Friends Mrs. Malone Feature film
1983 Great Expectations Voice Animated TV movie
1983 David Copperfield Voice Animated TV movie
1983 Outbreak of Hostilities Lillian Starling TV movie
1983 Midnite Spares Caravan Lady Feature film
1984 A Tale of Two Cities Voice Animated TV movie
1986 Playing Beatie Bow Granny Feature film
1987 Danger Down Under (aka ”Harris Down Under”) Ethel TV movie
1987 Olive Saleslady TV movie
1988 Hiawatha Voice Animated TV movie
1988 Alice in Wonderland Duchess / Queen of Hearts (voice) Animated TV movie
1989 The Saint in Australia (aka ”Fear In Fun Park”) Madge TV film
1992 The Time Game Mrs. Brown TV film
1992 Garbo Freda Feature film
1999 Two Hands Mrs Fletcher Feature film
2008 The View from Greenhaven Tottie Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1961 The Story of Peter Grey Anna Vail TV series
1963 Jonah Pompy TV series, 1 episode "Ship Of Fame"
1963 Drama 61-67 Miss Wilson TV series UK, 1 episode
1964 Story Parade Miss Shelly TV series, 1 episode
1964 ITV Play of the Week Grace Martin TV series UK, 1 episode
1964 The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre Theatre Sister TV series UK, 1 episode
1965 Hugh and I Herself TV series UK
1965 Undermind Edith Bishop TV series UK, 1 episode
1965-75 Homicide Mrs. Watson / Lillian / Rose Murphy / Gwen / Vivienne Sekora / Ruth Gold TV series, 6 episodes
1966 Australian Playhouse TV series, 2 episodes
1967 You Can't See Round Corners Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1967 Love and War She TV series, 1 episode
1968 Hunter Miss Corey TV series, 1 episode
1969-74 Division 4 Eileen Vickers TV series, 6 episodes
1970 Skippy Mrs. Mason TV series, 1 episode
1970 Delta Margaret TV series, 1 episode
1971; 1973 The Comedy Game TV series, 2 episodes
1971 Dead Men Running TV miniseries, 1 episode
1971-72 Matlock Police Sarah McKenzie / Nora / Elsie Cummings TV series, 3 episodes
1972 A Nice Day at the Office TV series, 1 episode
1972 Birds In The Bush Hotel Receptionist TV series, 1 episode
1972 Behind the Legend TV series, 1 episode
1975 Certain Women TV series, 1 episode
1975 Number 96 Phyllis Pratt TV series, 6 episodes
1977 The Young Doctors Eadie Brooks TV series, 5 episodes
1977 Hotel Story TV series, 1 episode
1978-81 Cop Shop Lorna Close/O'Reilly TV series, 96 episodes
1979 Ride on Stranger Ada Jones TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1979 A Place in the World TV miniseries, 1 episode
1981 Daily at Dawn TV series, 1 episode
1982 Jonah TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1982 Sons and Daughters Aileen Keegan TV series, 11 episodes
1983-93 A Country Practice Daphne Marshall / Gwen Jones / Kath Thompson TV series, 6 episodes
1984 Kingswood Country Errol's Mum TV series, 1 episode
1985 Flight into Hell TV miniseries
1986 Whose Baby? Amelia Williams TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987-91 Hey Dad..! Grandma Lois Kelly TV series, 7 episodes
1988 Richmond Hill Beatrice White TV series, 10 episodes
1989 Rafferty's Rules TV series, 1 episode
1989 Bodysurfer Mrs. Mortimer TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1992 The Main Event Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992-93 The New Adventures of Skippy Thelma Woods TV series, 39 episodes
1993 G.P. Myra Drummond TV series, 1 episode
1994–97; 2005 Neighbours Marlene Kratz TV series, 393 episodes
1995 Neighbours: A 10th Anniversary Celebration Marlene Kratz (archive footage) TV special
1998 House Gang Shopkeeper TV series, 1 episode
2000 Water Rats Denise Ford TV series, 1 episode
2001 Flat Chat Herself TV series, 1 episode
2001-2008 All Saints Grace Belden / Jean Blight / Margaret Milligan TV series, 4 episodes
2001 Outriders Mrs. Churchill TV series, 4 episodes
2001 Home & Away Gladys Adams TV series, 1 episode
2002 Blue Heelers Grannie Gibson TV series, 1 episode
2002 Don't Blame the Koalas P & C Lady TV series, 1 episode
2012 Tricky Business Lorraine Webb TV series, 1 episode "Skyrockets In Flight"

References

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  1. ^ a b "Notices". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  2. ^ Herbison, Jason (9–22 August 1997). "Marlene's moving out!". Inside Soap (81): 38.
  3. ^ a b Fletcher, Alex (7 January 2011). "DS Icon: Marlene from 'Neighbours'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Moya O'Sullivan, actor whose career reached from Skippy to the West End". 21 March 2018.
  5. ^ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  6. ^ "Thursday TV". The Age. 15 June 1978. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  7. ^ Oliver, Robin (13 May 1990). "From the page to stage". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  8. ^ Beck, Ken; Clark, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of TV Pets: A Complete History of Television's Greatest Animal Stars. Thomas Nelson. ISBN 978-1-55853-981-5.
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