Lorraine Bayly obit

Beloved Aussie TV icon Lorraine Bayly dies age 89

A beloved figure on Australian TV screens has died aged 89. 

She was not on the list.

Beloved Australian actress Lorraine Bayly AM has died aged 89.

The Sullivans star’s death was confirmed to 2GB on Saturday by her close friend and journalist Craig Bennett on behalf of her family.

Bayly died in a Sydney care home on Saturday morning.

She was best known for her role as Grace Sullivan in The Sullivans, which ran from 1976 to 1983, as well as her time as a presenter on popular children’s show Playschool and a guest role on Neighbours.

After leaving The Sullivans, Bayly took a starring role in Carson’s Law that was written specifically for her, playing solicitor Jennifer Carson.

She won Silver Logies for most popular actress for both The Sullivans and Carson’s Law.

In an emotional post to social media, Mr Bennett said Bayly was a “showbiz legend, a bona fide star of stage and screen, a triple Logie winning TV treasure and beautiful friend to many”, noting she had only retired 10 years ago.

He said her love of the arts had been strong from a young age. As a child in Narrandera, she would cloak herself in the curtains and sing and dance around, before training more formally at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre in the 1950s.

Despite an illustrious television career, Mr Bennett said Bayly’s “big love” was the stage, where she starred in more than 50 plays and musicals.

Bayly turned 89 last month, and had been enjoying her retirement by spending time with her nephew Brad, his wife Janelle and their children on the family’s macadamia farm at Maclean Ridge.

She never slowed down though, Mr Bennett said, using all of her years to their full potential.

“Every decade Lorraine would learn something new, from playing tennis to the saxophone, to ballroom dancing,” he said.

“Vale to a most kind, remarkable and beautiful person.

“After years of gruelling health issues, she’s now free and off onto her next wild adventure. Big block of chocolate in hand! LB was a self confessed chocoholic!”

Actress

To My One and Only

Short

Doris

2015

 

Locks of Love (2014)

Locks of Love

6.9

Doris

2014

 

Miranda Otto, Craig McLachlan, and Peter O'Brien in Through My Eyes (2004)

Through My Eyes

7.6

TV Mini Series

Avis

2004

2 episodes

 

Pizza (2000)

Pizza

7.4

TV Series

The Fairy

2001

1 episode

 

Michael Craig and Denise Roberts in G.P. (1989)

G.P.

7.5

TV Series

Pat Stoppard

1995

1 episode

 

Neighbours (1985)

Neighbours

5.7

TV Series

Faye Hudson

1991–1992

58 episodes

 

John Wood in Rafferty's Rules (1987)

Rafferty's Rules

7.3

TV Series

Gwen Forster

1988–1990

2 episodes

 

Penny Cook, Lorrae Desmond, Grant Dodwell, Shane Porteous, Syd Heylen, Anne Tenney, Brian Wenzel, and Shane Withington in A Country Practice (1981)

A Country Practice

6.8

TV Series

Jean Richmond

1989

2 episodes

 

Home Brew

TV Movie

Edna Eustace

1989

 

Grim Pickings (1989)

Grim Pickings

7.6

TV Mini Series

Betsy Tender

1989

2 episodes

 

The Challenge (1986)

The Challenge

7.8

TV Mini Series

Eileen Bond

1986

6 episodes

 

Lorraine Bayly in Carson's Law (1983)

Carson's Law

8.2

TV Series

Jennifer Carson

1983–1984

184 episodes

 

1915 (1982)

1915

7.2

TV Mini Series

Helen Gilchrist

1982

4 episodes

 

The Man from Snowy River (1982)

The Man from Snowy River

7.2

Rosemary Hume

1982

 

Lorraine Bayly, Paul Cronin, Susan Hannaford, Andrew McFarlane, Richard Morgan, and Steven Tandy in The Sullivans (1976)

The Sullivans

6.9

TV Series

Grace Sullivan

1976–1980

594 episodes

 

Fatty Finn (1980)

Fatty Finn

6.6

Maggie McGrath

1980

 

Case for the Defence (1978)

Case for the Defence

6.4

TV Series

Sister Barrett

1978

1 episode

 

Play School (1966)

Play School

7.5

TV Series

1976

1 episode

 

Ride a Wild Pony (1975)

Ride a Wild Pony

6.1

Mrs. Ellison

1975

 

Grigor Taylor in Silent Number (1974)

Silent Number

5.8

TV Series

Jackson

1974

1 episode

 

Spyforce (1971)

Spyforce

6.7

TV Series

Julia Carpenter

1971

1 episode

 

Homicide (1964)

Homicide

7.7

TV Series

Audrey ShepherdMargaret StevensJennifer Tracy ...

1967–1971

4 episodes

 

The Link Men (1970)

The Link Men

TV Series

1970

1 episode

 

The Rovers (1969)

The Rovers

8.1

TV Series

Virginia Shaw

1970

1 episode

 

Division 4 (1969)

Division 4

8.3

TV Series

Linda SzaboJenny Noble

1969

2 episodes

 

Hunter (1967)

Hunter

8.5

TV Series

Karen SavageSharon ReidDiana Mannering

1967–1968

4 episodes

 

The Interpretaris (1966)

The Interpretaris

TV Mini Series

Vera Balovna

1966

6 episodes

 

Jack Allan, Gordon Glenwright, Sean Scully, and Jacki Weaver in Be Our Guest (1966)

Be Our Guest

TV Series

Lorraine

1966

 

Self

Sunday Night (2009)

Sunday Night

4.7

TV Series

Self - Interviewee

2018

1 episode

 

The Jewel of the Mountains (2015)

The Jewel of the Mountains

TV Movie

Self - Narrator

2015

 

When the Queen Came to Town (2014)

When the Queen Came to Town

Self - Story teller

2014

 

Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (2009)

Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation

7.5

TV Series

Self

2011

1 episode

 

20 to 1 (2005)

20 to 1

5.7

TV Series

Self - Actress

2006–2010

7 episodes

 

Gary Day, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, and Norman Yemm in Homicide... 30 Years On (1994)

Homicide... 30 Years On

8.4

TV Movie

Self

1994

 

New Faces

TV Series

Self - Judge

1992–1993

 

Michael Parkinson in Parkinson in Australia (1979)

Parkinson in Australia

6.4

TV Series

Self

1983

2 episodes

 

Mike Willesee and Pro Hart in This Is Your Life (1975)

This Is Your Life

6.5

TV Series

Self

1979

1 episode

 

Sammy Awards 1979

TV Special

Self - Compere

1979

 

Play School (1966)

Play School

7.5

TV Series

Self

1966–1979

157 episodes

 

Muhammad Ali and Bert Newton in The 21st Annual TV Week Logie Awards (1979)

The 21st Annual TV Week Logie Awards

TV Special

Self - Silver Logie Winner

1979

 

Capriccio!

TV Series

Self

1978–1980

 

The 11th Annual TV Week Logie Awards (1969)

The 20th Annual TV Week Logie Awards

TV Special

Self - Silver Logie Winner

1978

 

Mike Walsh and Marcia Hines in Sammy Awards 1977 (1977)

Sammy Awards 1977

TV Special

Self

1977

 

Play School (1964)

Play School

7.0

TV Series

Self - Presenter (as Lorraine Bailey)

1972

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Walt Disney in The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.3

TV Series

James' Wife (archive footage)

1979

2 episodes

Stage

 

Year     Production       Role     Venue / company        Ref.

1954    The Desert Song                     Rockdale Town Hall with Australian Light Opera Company

1958    Variations on Similar Themes             Cammeray Children's Library, Theatre Institute, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1958–1960      The Man          Ruth    Theatre Institute, Sydney, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney          

1959    The Drunkard  The Child        Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1960    Miss Lonelyhearts       Lead role        

1961    The Buffalo Skinner   The Mother    

1962    Fairytales of New York           All female roles          

1963    The Season at Sarsaparilla      Judy Pogson    Theatre Royal, Sydney with J. C. Williamson's / Elizabethan Theatre Trust      

The Tiger / The Typists           Stage manager Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1963–1964      Mary, Mary     Tiffany Richards         Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide & New Zealand tour with J. C. Williamson's   

1964    The Rehearsal Lead role         Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

Cages: Snow Angel / Epiphany          Stage manager

1965    Invitation to a March             

Chase Me Comrade     Nancy Rimmington     Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's          

1966    The Shadow of a Gunman                  Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1968    The Rimers of Eldritch                      

1968–1969      An Enemy of the People                    

1969    The Daughter-in-Law Lead role        

Come Laughing Home           Lead role        

1970    We Bombed in New Haven    Lead role         Monash University, Playhouse, Canberra with Ensemble Theatre, Sydney         

Three Months Gone    Anna   Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1971    Who Killed Santa Claus?                    Phillip Theatre, Sydney with J. C. Williamson's        

1973    Suddenly at Home      Sheila Wallis   Comedy Theatre Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's 

Queen of the Rebels    Lead role         Marian St Theatre, Sydney    

1974    Who's Who     Lead role         Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Theatre 62, Adelaide     

1975    The Male of the Species                     Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with J. C. Williamson's 

1976    Status Quo Vadis         Mrs Elgin        Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1980–1981      The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Mona Stangley            Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with Cooke Hayden Price      

1984–1985      Play Memory               Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1985    Same Time, Next Year            Doris   Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1987    The Gingerbread Lady            Evy Meara       Universal Theatre Theatre Royal, Hobart, Ensemble Theatre           

1989–1990      Lipstick Dreams                      Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, Monash University, Melbourne, Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane       

1991    Another Time  Belle    Marian St Theatre, Sydney    

1991    Gaslight           Mrs Manningham        Australian tour with Theatre of Comedy       

1992    Dear Liar         Mrs Patrick Campbell Monash University, Geelong Arts Centre with Malcolm C Cooke & Associates  

1994    Mixed Emotions                      Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

1995    The Last Yankee                    

1996    Rough Justice  Prosecutor Margaret Casely   

1997    Death of a Salesman   Linda Loman   Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre, Sydney         

1998    Blinded by the Sun                

1999    The Shoe-Horn Sonata            Sheila 

2000    Travelling North                     University of Sydney with Ensemble Theatre, Sydney         

2001    The Oldest Profession Vera     Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

The Chalk Garden                   Glen St Theatre, Sydney with The Actors' Forum     

2002    Brighton Beach Memoirs                    Sydney with The Actors' Forum        

2003    Birthrights       Margaret          Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney           

2007    Rabbit Hole     Nat      Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra     

2010    Calendar Girls Jessie   Lyric Theatre, Brisbane Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne      

2012    When Dad Married Fury        Judy     Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Sydney  

2015    The Shoe-Horn Sonata            Sheila  Ensemble Theatre, Sydney    

2015–2016      The Sound of Music    Frau Schmidt   Australian national tour