Pat McDonald (actress)
Pat McDonald | |
|---|---|
 Pat McDonald (right) with Bunney Brooke in Number 96 | |
| Born | Patricia Ethell McDonald 1 August 1921 Elwood, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 10 March 1990 (aged 68) Sydney, New South Wales , Australia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1928-1938 (amateur)[1]–1939-1989 (professional) |
| Known for | |
| Partner | Bunney Brooke |
| Awards | Gold Logie + 3 Logie Awards |
Patricia Ethel McDonald (1 August 1921[2] – 10 March 1990) early known professionally as Miss Patricia McDonald, and subsequently as Pat McDonald was an Australian Gold Logie winning actress of radio, stage and screen, primarily in small screen, her performance career spanned some 60 years in the industry.
McDonald was active in the industry as a child since 1928, and worked early in her career in England. having appeared in a few early Australian films, and featured in numerous theatre roles for many years. In her latter years she appeared primarily in radio and TV in soap opera's and became best known locally for her role in serial Number 96 as the malapropism speaking stickybeak, pensioner Dorrie Evans, appearing opposite co-star vaudevillian and early star Ron Shand as her hen-pecked husband Herb. "Dorrie and Herb", were essentially comic characters.
McDonald post-96 she found prominence with the TV soap opera Sons and Daughters as former madam Aunty Fiona Thompson, whom she based on Auntie Mame.
Early life
[edit]McDonald was born in Elwood, Victoria, Australia in 1921 and was the daughter of a wealthy Sydney family. Her father, Arthur Stephen McDonald, was an electric radio engineer and public servant, and her mother was milliner Edith Roseina Ethell.[3] Her grandfather, bootmaker John McDonald, was born in Victoria, and married Eliza Mary Stevenson.[4]
McDonald trod the boards in an amateur capacity at an early age, and was a child performer on stage from the age of 7; singing, dancing, modelling and playing piano.[1]
Early professional career
[edit]McDonald started her professional career in 1939, having just turned 18, like many performers of the era, she set sail for England to appear in film parts, but with the outbreak of the Second World War, she soon travelled back to Australia[1]
Prominent in theatre, radio and screen, at the age of eighteen she appeared in the 1939 Australian film Seven Little Australians based on the novel by children's literary author Ethel Turner and the war film Wings of Destiny. In 1940, she moved to theatre roles. She also did modelling and catwalk appearance's [5]
Her role's in theatre started to become prominent in the 1940s with productions like '"The Housemaster", even though. she would later primarily concentrate on radio and then television, she remained active in the theatre genre her entire life including a stage version of Steel Magnolias.
TV series: Number 96 and Sons and Daughters
[edit]McDonald was best-known for two long-running soap opera roles. She was cast by David Sale as comical malaproping gossip Dorrie Evans in the popular serial Number 96 in 1972, after she had previously appeared in a similar production written by Sale, McDonald was only aged in her early 50's when she started in the role, and he had envisioned the character of "Dorrie" to be played by a much older lady, however stated she fitted the role perfectly, she reprised the role for the feature film version.[6]
She subsequently played Aunty Fiona Thompson in Sons and Daughters between 1981 and 1987. She was featured in both shows throughout their entire run, about five and a half years in each case.
Awards
[edit]McDonald won four Logie awards, including the 1974 Gold Logie, for her work on Number 96. McDonald's role in Number 96 won her several Logie Awards as Best Actress, including the Gold Logie for Australia's most popular female personality in 1974. After
Later appearances and roles
[edit]McDonald featured in a regular role in the short lived situation comedy "The Tea Ladies"
One of McDonald's final TV appearances was at the Logie Awards on 17 March 1989, when she took part in a production number called "Golden Girls", which celebrated female Gold Logie winners of years past. She performed the song with Lorrae Desmond, Hazel Phillips, Jeanne Little, Denise Drysdale and her Sons and Daughters co-star Rowena Wallace.[5] Later in 1989 McDonald appeared in an episode of the hit British TV series In Sickness and in Health in which she played Raeline's mother. The episode aired in the UK in October 1989.
Personal life
[edit]McDonald was married in 1941 to Captain Peter Ian Alexander Hendry, a doctor in the Australian Army who then was taken Prisoner of War and interred at Changi.[7]
She had a daughter in 1941, Rosemary Patricia.[8]
During the 1970s she was involved in a live-in relationship with Number 96 co-star Bunney Brooke. The two actors openly appeared in magazine articles about the suburban Sydney home (eastern end of Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga) they shared, and they freely discussed their international summer holidays together in press articles, although the true nature of the relationship was not explicitly stated.[9]
McDonald died of cancer of the pancreas after a lengthy illness at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney,[10] on 10 March 1990, aged 68. Her partner, actor and casting agent Bunney Brooke, died ten years later.
Awards
[edit]| Institution | Award | Work |
| Logie Awards | Gold Logie | Number 96 |
| Logie Awards | Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress x 3 | Number 96 |
Filmography
[edit]Movies
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Gaston en Leo in Hong Kong | Zuster Olivia | |
| 1974 | Number 96 | Dorrie Evans | Feature film based on TV series |
| 1940 | Wings of Destiny (billed as Patricia McDonald) | Marion Jamieson | |
| 1939 | Seven Little Australians | Esther |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Episode | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! | As self | Feature film documentary (Archive Footage) | |
| 1989 | In Sickness and in Health | #4.7 | Railene's Mother | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The 29th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself with Rowena Wallace, Denise Drysdale, Lorrae Desmond, Hazel Phillips & Jeanne Little sing "Golden Girls". | TV special | |
| 1988 | TV A.M. | Herself | TV series UK, 1 episode | |
| 1986 | Kids 21st Birthday Channel Ten Telethon | Guest - Herself with Number 96 cast: Johnny Lockwood, Bettina Welch, Elizabeth Kirkby, Vicki Raymond, Sheila Kennelly, Wendy Blacklock, Harry Michaels, Chard Hayward, Frances Hargreaves & Abigail taped appearance. | TV special | |
| 1984 | The 1984 Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself - Audience member | TV Special | |
| 1983 | The Body Corporate | Lady Tustrain | TV movie | |
| 1982 | The Mike Walsh Show | Herself with Joe Hasham, Ron Shand & Chard Hayward | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1982–1987 | Channel 7 Perth Telethon | Herself | TV special | |
| 1982–1987 | Sons and Daughters | Regular cast | Fiona Thompson | TV series |
| 1983 | The Body Corporate | Lady Tustrain | TV movie | |
| 1982–1987 | Sons and Daughters | Regular cast | Fiona Thompson | TV series |
| 1981 | A Country Practice | Alternatives (Parts 1 & 2) | Lily Bauer | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1979; 1980 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1978 | Glenview High | The Siren | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978; 1979 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself with Maggie Kirkpatrick | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1978 | The Tea Ladies | Regular role | TV series | |
| 1978; 1978 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1977 | Number 96: The Final Episode | Herself with Ron Shand & Bunney Brooke | TV special | |
| 1977 | Telethon '77 | Guest - Herself | TV special | |
| 1976 | Number 96: And They Said It Wouldn’t Last | Herself with Bunney Brooke & Ron Shand | TV special | |
| 1973 | Sunday Magazine | Herself - Guest (Number 96 Celebration: 300th episode) with Abigail, Ron Shand, Gordon McDougall & Johnny Lockwood | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1972–1977 | Number 96 | Regular cast | Dorrie Evans | TV series |
| 1971 | Dynasty | The Coorabungle Deposit | Guest role: Selma | ABC TV Series, 1 episode |
| 1971 | Homicide | The Terrible Stranger | Guest role: Mrs. Davis | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1970 | Division 4 | Running Sheet | Guest role: Betty Gregson | TV series, 2 episodes |
| Man From Lightning Ridge | Ruby Slater | TV series | ||
| 1970 | The Long Arm | Only a Wave Away | Guest role: Miss Bacon | TV series, 1 episode 18: "Only A Wave Away" |
Theatre productions
[edit]Theatre credits are referenced by AusStage
| Name of Production | Year | Role (where known) | Playwright | Presenting Company | Theatre | Genre | Worldwide Premiere/Country of Origin | Number of Productions | Event identifier |
| Quiet Wedding | 1940 | Esther McCracken | David N. Martin Pty. Ltd. | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Comedy - Spoken Word (3 part) | No/British Production (debut 1938) | 14370 | ||
| Love on the Dole | 1940 | Ronald Gow based on novel by Walter Greenwood | David N. Martin Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Drama - spoken word | No | 15263 | ||
| Tony Draws a Horse | 1940 | Lesley Storm | David N. Martin Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Comedy - spoken word theatre | No/British (premiere at the Criterion Theatre, London 1939) | 14634 | ||
| Housemaster | 1941 | Ian Hay | David N. Martin Pty Ltd uin association with Minerva Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Theatre spoken word Comedy-Drama- | No/British (debut the Apollo Theatre, London 1936 | 15266 | ||
| Of Mice and Men | 1940 | John Steinbeck | David N Martin Pty Ltd. | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Drama theatre spoken word | No | 14347 | ||
| Banana Ridge | 1940 | Ben Travers | J.C Williamson Theatres | Theatre Royal, Sydney | Comedy/Farce | No | 16746 | ||
| Boy Meets Girl | 1944 | Samuel Spewack | Whitehall Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | theatre - spoken world | No | 12154 | ||
| Pygmalion | 1944 | George Bernard Shaw | Whitehall Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Romantic/Drama - traditional theatre spoken word | No | 14368 | ||
| Three's a Family | 1944 | [Henry Ephron]] | Whitehall Productions | Minerva Theatre, Sydney | Family comedy | No | 14611 | ||
| While the Sun Shines | 1944 | Terence Rattigan | Whitehall Production's Pty Ltd. | Minerva Theatre | Theatre Spoken Word/Comedy | No | 14701 | ||
| A Soldier for Christmas | 1945 | Reginald Beckwith | Whitehall Productions Pty Ltd. | Minerva Theatre | Theatre Spoken Word/Comedy | No | 14425 | ||
| Let 'er Go and While the Sun Shines | 1945 | Terence Rattigan | Various | Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne | Comedy//Vaudeville /Theatre spoke word | No | 123233 | ||
| Get a Load of This | 1945 | Various | Tivoli Theatre | Music theatre Revue/Vaudeville | No | 123234 | |||
| Soldiers Wife | 1945 | Ross Franken | Whitehall Productions Pty. Ltd. | Minerva Theatre | Theatre Spoken Word/Comedy | No | 14491 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "On This Day December 26: Pat McDonald aka Dorrie Evans".
- ^ "Births". The Argus. 3 August 1921. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- ^ Goot, Murray. "Arthur Stephen McDonald (1891–1955)". McDonald, Arthur Stephen (1891–1955). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Goot, Murray. "Arthur Stephen McDonald (1891–1955)". McDonald, Arthur Stephen (1891–1955). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ a b "Pat McDonald".
- ^ Giles, Nigel "Number 96: Australia Most Infamous Address"
- ^ "In The Theatres". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 May 1941. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17745563
- ^ Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1-86403-191-3 p 46
- ^ "Actress Pat, 'the ultimate professional', dies at 58 (sic)". Canberra Times. 11 March 1990. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- Australian film actresses
- Deaths from cancer in New South Wales
- Gold Logie winners
- 1921 births
- 1990 deaths
- Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Australia
- Australian lesbian actresses
- Actresses from Melbourne
- Australian stage actresses
- 20th-century Australian actresses
- Australian soap opera actresses
- 20th-century Australian LGBTQ people
- People from Elwood, Victoria