Beth Buchanan


Beth Christine Buchanan is an Australian actress. She is best known for the television roles of in sitcom Hey Dad!, Gemma Ramsay in Neighbours, in the early 1990s, and Susan Croydon in Blue Heelers from 1994. She is also a long-standing member of the Ranters Theatre company.

Early life

Buchanan was born in Sydney, the daughter of musician Tony Buchanan and teacher Jo Buchanan. She is the youngest of three children; her brother Miles and sister Simone are also actors.

Career

Buchanan's television work includes appearances in Secret Valley, Runaway Island, Island Trader, Pirates Island, A Country Practice, Home and Away, Stingers, Hey Dad and The Brittas Empire. Her longest running part, between 1994 and 2006, was the recurring role of Susan Croydon, the daughter of Tom Croydon, in the popular series Blue Heelers. Major storylines included becoming a school teacher; attempting to take the blame when drugs were planted in her and Tom's home; and losing her baby as a result of a hit-and-run targeted at her father. Buchanan played Rita Heywood in both series of ABC1's journalism-orientated comedy Lowdown.
Film roles have included Newsfront, Flute Man, A Good Thing Going, Fortress – based on the Faraday School kidnapping – The Rogue Stallion, and The King. Buchanan also played the title character in Peter Long's short "A Telephone Call for Genevieve Snow". Adapted from the story by Carmel Bird, it won the Silver Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2000.

Personal life

Buchanan has three sons with her partner, playwright Raimondo Cortese. She is currently completing a master of social work at RMIT.