Diana McLean

Diana McLean
Born (1941-12-05) 5 December 1941 (age 83)
Occupation(s)Actress, voice artist
Years active1969–present
Known forThe Young Doctors

Diana McLean is an Australian stage and television actress and voice over artist, best known for her role as Sister Vivienne Jeffries in TV soap opera The Young Doctors in 618 episodes from 1978 and 1981.

Acting career

Television and film

McLean made guest appearances in the comedy series Good Morning Mr Doubleday (1969),[1] the classic Australian police series Division 4 (1970)[2] and Boney (1973).[3] She also appeared in a recurring role as Dorothy Dunlop in the Australian series Number 96.[4]

In 1975, she appeared as Helen McGuire in nine episodes of the miniseries Ben Hall.[5] She then starred in a regular role as Sister Vivienne Jeffries (from 1978 until 1982) in the series The Young Doctors.[6][7] In 1981, she also starred in both the miniseries Winner Take All, and the Ozploitation film, Early Frost.[8][9]

In 1999, McLean played the part of Bess O'Brien in Neighbours for 10 episodes.[6] She made further guest appearances in various TV series, and featured in several short films. Most recently, she has appeared in The End (2020) as Iris and North Shore (2023) as Marjorie Abbott.

Theatre

McLean's work in the theatre has included The Cold Child in 2006 and Love & Money in 2007.[10][11] In 2014, she reprised her role of Vera in 4000 Miles, for which she was nominated for the "Best Actress in a Leading Role in an Independent Production" Sydney Theatre Award in 2013.[12][13] She toured Australia in 2017 and 2018, playing Florence Foster Jenkins in the stage comedy Glorious.[14] She also appeared in the play Air in 2018.[15]

Other work

In 2010, she attended a book launch[16] by screen writer, director and producer Alan Coleman. His autobiography, "One Door Shuts" was launched at the Hotel Bondi, Sydney on 10 January 2010.

In 2014, McLean explained her voice techniques in a video called The Other Side of the Glass.[17]

In 2018, she appeared on the Australian programme The Daily Edition to discuss her career.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1973 Waiting ...for Lucas Short film
1982 Early Frost Val Meadows Feature film
1998 Paperback Hero Harmony Feature film
2009 A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne Brenda Wood TV movie
2011 The Happenstance Attendant Short film
2013 Stew Grandmother Short film
2014 The Other Side of the Glass Herself Film documentary
2016 Banana Boy Doreen Short film
2016 French Girls Narrator Short film
2017 Chapter One: Book Club Boss Lady Short film
2023 The Choice to Love Short film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1969 Good Morning, Mr. Doubleday Debbie TV series, 1 episode
1970 Division 4 Colleen Rankin TV series, 1 episode
1973 Boney Jessica Menzies TV series, 1 episode
1973 Number 96 Dorothy Dunlop TV series, 11 episodes
1975 Ben Hall Helen McGuire (new Walsh) TV series, 9 episodes
1978–1981 The Young Doctors Sister Vivienne Jeffries TV series, 618 episodes
1982 Winner Take All Margaret Coleman TV miniseries, 10 episodes
1997 Murder Call Adele Andriette TV series, 1 episode
1997 The Adventures of Sam Voice over character Animated TV series, 2 episodes
1998; 2001 Water Rats Elizabeth Cartland / Trish TV series, 2 episodes
1999 Neighbours Bess O'Brien TV series, 10 episodes
2002 All Saints Mary Willard TV series, 1 episode
2013 Wonderland Celebrant TV series, 1 episode
2015 How Not to Behave Ensemble cast TV series, 1 episode
2020 The End Iris TV series, 8 episodes
2023– North Shore Marjorie Abbott TV series, 3 episodes

Television (as self)

Year Title Role Type
1996 40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now Herself TV special
2001 BackBerner Herself TV series
2016 Studio 10 Guest (with The Young Doctors cast: Chris King, Judy McBurney, Karen Petersen & Tim Page) TV series, 1 episode
2017; 2018 The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1981 A Bedfull of Foreigners Helga Philby Marian Street Theatre, Sydney
2002 Bench Dolly Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney
2004 Howard the Arselicker Seymour Centre, Sydney with 24HRRR
2006 The Cold Child (Das Kalte Kind) Mummy Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
2006 The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek Gin Chance Lock Up, Sydney with Alchemy Theatre Company
2007 Love & Money Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney
2008 Colder Robyn Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company & Pussycatomoko
2010 Three Sisters Wharf Theatre, Sydney with Cry Havoc & ATYP
2011 Julius Caesar New Theatre, Sydney
2013; 2014 4000 Miles Vera Joseph Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with ATYP
2014 Other Desert Cities Silda Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2016 4000 Miles Vera Joseph Australian regional tour with ATYP
2017–18 Glorious Florence Foster Jenkins Australian national tour with HIT Productions
2018 Air Mabel The Old 505 Theatre, Sydney
2018 The Humans  Momo Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney with Red Line Productions

[19]

References

  1. ^ "Good Morning Mr Doubleday". www.classicaustraliantv.com. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Division 4 episodes". www.classicaustraliantv.com. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Boney episodes". www.classicaustraliantv.com. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Number 96 on ASO - Australia's audio and visual heritage online". aso.gov.au. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  5. ^ Webmaster. "Ben Hall | Nostalgia Central". Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b O'Hanlon, Paul (17 June 2016). "The Young Doctors: laughter medicine of yesteryear". Australian Times. Blue Sky Publications. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  7. ^ The Young Doctors, archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 15 August 2019
  8. ^ "Early Frost (1982) | movie | videospace". www.videospace.fi. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. ^ Early Frost (1982) Trailer, retrieved 16 October 2019[dead YouTube link]
  10. ^ Rose, Colin (17 July 2006). "The Cold Child". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  11. ^ Dunne, Stephen (26 September 2007). "Slow unravelling of imperfect lives". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  12. ^ "2013—Nominations and Winners". Sydney Theatre Awards. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  13. ^ Gioia, Michael (20 December 2013). "Tim Minchin, Tony Sheldon, Cate Blanchett and More Among 2013 Sydney Theatre Award Nominees". Playbill. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  14. ^ Blake, Elissa (30 August 2017). "How Diana McLean sings as amusingly as Florence Foster Jenkins in Glorious". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  15. ^ Simmonds, Diana (24 June 2018). "Air". Stage Noise. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  16. ^ Alan Coleman Book Launch Part 2 of 3 filmed by Doug Moody., archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 7 October 2019
  17. ^ DIANA McLEAN - The other side of the glass, archived from the original on 22 December 2021, retrieved 15 August 2019
  18. ^ Diana McLean's Latest Project, retrieved 14 August 2019
  19. ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/227053