Lorraine Bayly

Lorraine Bayly AM
Lorraine Bayly in 2012, at the premiere of Annie (musical)
Born	Lorraine Daphne Bayly (1937-01-16) 16 January 1937 Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
Occupations	Film television and theatre actress presenter pianist singer dancer theatre founder director stage manager writer
Years active	1954–2018[1]
Known for	The Man From Snowy River as Rosemary Hume The Sullivans as Grace Sullivan Carson's Law as Jennifer Carson Neighbours as Faye Hudson Play School as Herself; as Presenter

Lorraine Daphne Bayly AM (born 16 January 1937) is an Australian retired actress of film, television and theatre, narrator, presenter, singer, dancer, pianist and theatre director, stage manager and writer.^[1]

Bayly has been a performer since she was a child, and became a professional actress in 1954,^[1] having started as a theatre performer. She is perhaps best known to small screen audiences for her soap opera roles, especially in the World War II period-piece drama The Sullivans as matriarch Grace Sullivan, as well as roles in legal drama Carson's Law as Jennifer Carson and briefly in serial Neighbours as Faye Hudson, the sister of patriarch Doug Willis played by Terence Donovan.^[2]

She is well-known also for having been a presenter of children's television series Play School as an original presenter in 1966 until 1978.^[3]

Bayly was born in Narrandera, New South Wales. Her first performance was at age 3, playing tambourine with the Salvation Army.^[4][5] From ages 5–9, she wrote, directed and starred in plays in the local jail; her father being a policeman, amateur magician and ventriloquist.^[6]

From ages 9–10, Bayly had her own ventriloquist act which 35 years later she performed on The Parkinson Show in 1983, using host Michael Parkinson as her dummy.^[7]

At age 11–12, she played classical piano Saturday afternoons live on Radio 2UE.^[6]

Bayly was a founder with Hayes Gordon of the Ensemble Theatre at Kirribilli, in Sydney. She has appeared in professional theatre since 1954, playing Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Sheila in John Misto's The Shoe-Horn Sonata, Mrs Patrick Campbell in Dear Liar, Margaret in Rough Justice and Bella in Gaslight.

Other credits include Chase Me Comrade with Stanley Baxter, Arthur Miller's The Last Yankee, D. H. Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law, David Williamson's Travelling North, Birthrights and The Male of the Species with Edward Woodward.

In 2010 Bayly starred in the well known play Calendar Girls and more recently in David Williamson's When Dad Married Fury and The Sound of Music.^[1]

Bayly's many television credits include 1982 ABC miniseries 1915 and 1986 miniseries The Challenge, based on Australia's win in America's Cup, playing Eileen Bond. 1989 series Grim Pickings (SAFC) as Betsy Tander and as Lindy Chamberlain's mother Avis Murchison in Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story, alongside Miranda Otto. She was also a popular presenter and original cast member on the children's television show Play School from 1966 to 1978.

Bayly is perhaps best known to television audiences for her portrayal in the drama series The Sullivans (1976–1979), in the maternal role of Grace Sullivan, dealing with life for an ordinary Australian family during the Second World War.

From 1982 to 1984, Bayly played the lead role in another period television drama Carson's Law, as progressive lawyer Jennifer Carson, set in 1920s Melbourne. The episodes revolved around the cases taken on by Carson and the various personal intrigues of her family. The series also starred Kevin Miles as Jennifer's father-in-law Godfrey Carson and Gregg Caves, as Billy Carson. The series was written specifically for Bayly.

From 1991 to 1992, Bayly appeared in long-running soap opera Neighbours as Faye Hudson. Faye was a "busybody" who moved in with her brother Doug Willis (Terence Donovan) and his extended family.^[2]

Bayly's film credits include Fatty Finn (AFI nominated), Ride a Wild Pony (aka Born to Run) for Disney and The Man From Snowy River, alongside acting legend Kirk Douglas.

In 2019 Bayly retired from acting, due to numerous health issues.^[8]

Bayly was made a Member of the Order of Australia by The Queen in the Australia Day Honours List 2001.

She has won 10 awards from 14 nominations including three Silver Logies in 1978, 1979 and 1983 for Most Popular Actress in The Sullivans and Carson's Law respectively. She was also named in "Australian Variety's 100 Entertainers of the Century" in 2006.

Source^[1]

• Lorraine Bayly at IMDb
• Interview at stevedow.com.au