Anne Phelan


Anne Mary Phelan was an Australian actress of stage and screen who appeared in many theatre, television and film productions as well as radio and voice-over. Her television soap opera roles included Kate Ashwood in Bellbird, Myra Desmond in Prisoner and Monica Taylor in Something in the Air, for which she won the 2000 AFI Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama, having previously won the 1988 AFI Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries for Poor Man's Orange. She received the Equity Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. She was also an activist for humanitarian causes.

Early life

Phelan was raised in Fitzroy, Victoria. She was reported as saying that she had no formal study or qualifications for acting or singing, but instead had trained through 15 years work in amateur theatre. Aged 16, she became pregnant and gave her daughter up for adoption, seeing her again for the first time 50 years later.

Career

Phelan began her television career in 1968. She had an ongoing role as Kate Murray in the soap opera Bellbird in the early 1970s.
In the late 1970s, she played guest roles in Prisoner. She took the role of Officer Manson, appearing in one episode of the series in 1979. This character had the sole purpose of threatening to resign over the favourable treatment afforded to prisoner Barbara Davidson in episode 17. Later in 1979, Phelan reappeared in the series, this time playing the role of dopey prisoner Bernadette in a number of episodes.
She first appeared in Prisoner on a recurring basis as Myra Desmond between 1980 and 1983; Myra was then reintroduced to the series in early 1984 as a regular character and Phelan continued in the role for a further 18 months.
Phelan's other soap roles included Starting Out, Family and Friends and Something in the Air. She made guest starring appearances in many drama series, including The Flying Doctors and Blue Heelers. She was also a regular on Marshall Law and appeared in the ABC comedy Mother and Son playing the role of a social worker who befriends Maggie Beare.
She also made two guest appearances in Neighbours. The first, in 1997, was as the character of Claudia Harvey and the second, in 2004, was as Doreen "Peace Dove" Cassidy.
In 2007, Phelan appeared in episode 6 of The Librarians as a prisoner with the Prisoner theme song.
In 2012, Phelan joined the cast of comedy drama Winners & Losers in the ongoing role of Dot Gross. Winners & Losers marked her first regular role in 10 years. Prior to this, she had appeared in several theatre productions and made various television guest appearances.

Community work

Phelan was a public speaker and a recipient of Regional Arts Victoria's Don Mackay Award for Outstanding Achievement in Regional Touring.
From 2000, she was the patron of Positive Women, a support and advocacy group run by and for women living with HIV. She received the Oz Showbiz Cares / Equity Fights AIDS 2002 Activist of the Year Award for outstanding contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
She performed and sang with the Choir of Hard Knocks on Melbourne's streets in 2006, busking to raise money for a performance at the Melbourne Town Hall. She was a member of Actors For Refugees, a group of performers who volunteer their time and talent to tell the stories of Australia's refugees and asylum seekers. She was an ambassador for Alzheimer's Australia Vic, educators, advocates and spokespeople for those living with dementia, their families and friends and those who support them.

Death

Phelan died of natural causes on 27 October 2019. Some sources have stated her age as 71 and others as 75. She was privately cremated.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968The BattlersMa Tyrell
1972Matlock PoliceNurse/Policewoman Williams2 episodes
1973RyanBetty
1973, 1974HomicideWaitress/Valmai Dunn2 episodes
1973, 1974Division 4Mardi Campbell/Maria Ponti2 episodes
1973, 1974Matlock PoliceNancy Wells/WPC Winifred Drew/Molly3 episodes
1974–1977BellbirdKate AshwoodMain cast
1975Matlock PoliceEllen
1976The Sentimental BlokeMabel
1979SkywaysJoan HaileyEpisode: "We Can Face It Together"
1979PrisonerOfficer MansonEpisode: "Episode #1.17"
1980–1985PrisonerMyra DesmondMain cast
1981Holiday Island
1982A Country PracticeRita Parsons2 episodes
1982Sons and DaughtersTenant
1983Carson's Law
1983A Descant for GossipsMrs. Lalor
1983Starting OutMrs. De Soosa
1984Special Squad
1986The Fast LaneBethEpisode: "Following by Example"
1987The Harp in the SouthMumma Darcy
1987Poor Man's OrangeMumma Darcy
1988Mother and SonWilmaEpisode: "The Friend"
1988The BartonsMrs. FrawleyEpisode: "Beautiful Beetroot"
1988The Flying DoctorsRosie
1989G.P.Dulcie
1989Dearest EnemyMother
1989Inside RunningJustine
1989The Flying DoctorsLorraine
1990Family and FriendsDawn Rossi
1990SkitsMrs. Donovan
1991The Flying DoctorsBeryl Horden
1991KellyRosieEpisode: "The Bird Thieves"
1991Col'n CarpenterMrs Fuller
1992Late for SchoolMrs. Dicks
1992Boys from the BushBettyEpisode: "Dancing in the Dark"
1994Blue HeelersMrs. BradyEpisode: "Life After Death"
1994Law of the LandMrs. Bickerton/Gracie Morrison
1996–1998Blue HeelersJeannie O'DwyerRecurring role
1996The Man from Snowy RiverNell FramptonEpisode: "The Grand Duke"
1997Good Guys, Bad GuysMaisieEpisode: "Gone to the Dogs"
1997Simone de Beauvoir's BabiesPostie2 episodes
1997NeighboursClaudia Harvey
1999The Micallef ProgrammeMadame Pogg in 'Spiffington Manse'
2000ThunderstoneProprietress2 episodes
2000DogwomanJoan Jarvis
2000–2002Something in the AirMonica TaylorMain cast
2002Marshall LawEsther Hirsh Q.C.Main cast
2003Welcher & WelcherMrs. CohenEpisode: "Adam's Rib"
2004–2005NeighboursDoreen CassidyRecurring role
2007The LibrariansBig BerthaEpisode: "And Nothing But the Truth"
2010Sleuth 101PatEpisode: "A Tan to Die For"
2012–2015Winners & LosersDot GrossSemi-regular
2014Worst Year of My Life AgainAunt EthelEpisode: "Christmas"
2015Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts LaneMrs TuppensEpisode: "Dances with Wolves"

YearTitleRoleNotes
Something SpecialSolo singing
Frankie Howerd SpecialsComedy sketches
The Glitter SistersSinging group

Stage

Other work

;Radio and voice
;Theatre restaurant, live variety, revue
;Corporate

Honours