Lorraine Daphne BaylyAM (born 16 January 1937) is an Australian 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]
Early life
Bayly was born in Narrandera, New South Wales. Her first performance was at age 3, playing tambourine with the Salvation Army.[4][5] At ages 5–9, she wrote, directed and starred in plays in the local jail; her father being a policeman, amateur magician and ventriloquist.[6]
At age 9–10, she 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]
Career
Theatre
Bayly was a founder witth Hayes Gordon of the Ensemble Theatre at Kirribilli. She has appeared in professional theatre since 1954, her roles including Chase Me Comrade with Stanley Baxter, playing Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller's The Last Yankee, Sheila in John Misto's Shoehorn Sonata, Mrs Patrick Campbell in Dear Liar, Margaret in Rough Justice, D H Lawrence's The Daughter-in-Law, David Williamson's Travelling North and Birthrights, Bella in Gaslight 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]
Television
listed among Lorraine Bayly's many television credits: The miniseries 1915 (ABC), The Challenge playing Eileen Bond, in Grim Pickings (SAFC) as Betsy Tander and as Lindy Chamberlain's mother Avis Murchison in Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story. 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), as the motherly Grace Sullivan dealing with life for an ordinary Australian family during the Second World War.
From 1982 to 1984, Bayly played the lead role of 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 Jennifer 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 Carson's Law was written specifically for Bayly.
From 1991 to 1992, Bayly appeared in serial Neighbours as Faye Hudson. Faye was a "busybody" who moved in with her brother Doug WillisTerence Donovan and his family.[2]
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.
