Moya O'Sullivan


Moya O'Sullivan Macarthur was an Australian television actress best known for her long-running role between 1994 and 1997 of popular character Marlene Kratz in the soap opera Neighbours.
Alex Fletcher from Digital Spy made Marlene their "DS Icon" on 7 January 2011, calling her a legendary and special character. Fletcher also stated that: "Marlene, played by the delightful Moya O'Sullivan, was a crucial cog in the Golden Age of Neighbours in the '90s."

Early career

O'Sullivan started her career as a stage performer in the 1950s. With the advent of television she became a familiar face in televised plays, as well as featuring in commercial adverts, before briefly working in England. After then returning to Australia, she became known as a feature player in roles in television serials and soap operas, occasionally popping up in made for TV films, starting with her small screen role in The Story of Peter Grey.

Television roles

O'Sullivan's early roles included playing several parts in 1960s series Homicide and Division 4, Number 96 as Phyllis Pratt in the 70s, Sons and Daughters as Aileen Keegan, and several roles in A Country Practice throughout the 1980s. She continued appearing in roles throughout the 2000s including Home and Away in 2002, several guest appearances in All Saints from 2001 and 2008. O'Sullivan never had any other long-standing roles. She was a well-recognized feature player as a prominent guest artist of many a television series spanning over 60 years, of later portraying hapless old grannies.
In 2005, she reprised the role of Marlene, along with many ex-cast members, for an episode commemorating the Neighbours 20th anniversary reunion special.
She also became popular in memorable guesting appearances in Cop Shop as Lorna Johnson, and Hey Dad..! as Grandma Lois Kelly, and later in The Adventures of Skippy as Thelma Woods in the 2000s. She had previously appeared in the earlier 1960s original series in television's younger days as Mrs Mason.
Her final part was in Tricky Business in 2012.

Death

Moya O'Sullivan, died aged 91 in Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia on 16 January 2018.

Filmography