Briony Behets
Encyclopedia
Briony Behets is a British-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s.
in London, studying there for two years. After completing the course she travelled to the United States as part of a student exchange project, working there as a nightclub dancer.
(1972), and decided to stay in the country when production ceased on the series after 13 episodes.
Behets subsequently enjoyed several high-profile television roles in Australia. She was an original cast member of adult soap opera Number 96
in 1972 but her character was written out of the serial after only a few months. She was subsequently a member of the original cast of another adult soap The Box starting 1974, and her role in that series lasted 14 months. After leaving The Box she appeared for a short stint in Bellbird before taking an on-going role in school-based teen soap Class of '75.
Behets was also a longtime weather presenter on ATV-10
Melbourne's news bulletins during the mid 1970s. She also acted in television guest starring roles in Australian and US drama series, including Homicide, Matlock Police
, Bluey
, and Chopper Squad
in the 1970s. In women's prison soap opera Prisoner
in 1979 she portrayed Susan Rice, the unbalanced wife of a popular celebrity.
Film roles included the co-lead with Judy Morris
in The Trespassers
(1976) for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Award, Raw Deal (1977), Inside Looking Out (1977), Long Weekend (1978).
Later TV guest roles include A Country Practice
, The Flying Doctors
and Murder, She Wrote
in the 1980s. Later soap roles included appearances in Possession
as the mother of a spoiled child actor, in Neighbours
as the mother of regular character Jane Harris, and in E Street
as the mother of Lisa Bennett. She acted in feature film Cassandra in 1986.
Starting 1990, she was a regular lead in the Granada Television
soap Families
. Into the 2000s, she continued acting in Australian television series and miniseries. In the 2000s she also guest starred in some US drama series such as JAG
. She returned to Neighbours
in July 2008, in another role as a romantic interest for Harold Bishop
. Her latest role saw her as a regular on The Saddle Club
series 3 as Mrs. Reg #2.
Early life
Behets' father worked as a civil engineer, it took him around the world and as a result much of Behets' childhood was spent in Germany, Africa and Sierra Leone before returning to England. At age 17 she was accepted into the Guildhall School of Music and DramaGuildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
in London, studying there for two years. After completing the course she travelled to the United States as part of a student exchange project, working there as a nightclub dancer.
Career
At age 19, she travelled to Australia to take a regular role in comedy series Birds in the BushBirds in the Bush
Birds in the Bush is an Australian/United Kingdom situation comedy series produced in 1972....
(1972), and decided to stay in the country when production ceased on the series after 13 episodes.
Behets subsequently enjoyed several high-profile television roles in Australia. She was an original cast member of adult soap opera Number 96
Number 96 (TV series)
Number 96 was a popular Australian soap opera set in a Sydney apartment block. Don Cash and Bill Harmon produced the series for Network Ten, which requested a Coronation Street-type serial, and specifically one that explored adult subjects...
in 1972 but her character was written out of the serial after only a few months. She was subsequently a member of the original cast of another adult soap The Box starting 1974, and her role in that series lasted 14 months. After leaving The Box she appeared for a short stint in Bellbird before taking an on-going role in school-based teen soap Class of '75.
Behets was also a longtime weather presenter on ATV-10
ATV-10
ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network Ten - one of the three major Australian commercial television networks.-History:...
Melbourne's news bulletins during the mid 1970s. She also acted in television guest starring roles in Australian and US drama series, including Homicide, Matlock Police
Matlock Police
Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....
, Bluey
Bluey
Bluey is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network in 1976.The series was another crime TV series from Crawford Productions, but was different from previous series - Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police - in that it focused on a single detective rather than...
, and Chopper Squad
Chopper Squad
Chopper Squad is an Australian television series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the 0-10 Network .The series was based around the work of a helicopter rescue team operating on Dee Why beach in Sydney...
in the 1970s. In women's prison soap opera Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
in 1979 she portrayed Susan Rice, the unbalanced wife of a popular celebrity.
Film roles included the co-lead with Judy Morris
Judy Morris
Judy Morris is an Australian actress, film director and screenwriter, well known for the variety of roles she played in 54 different television shows and films, but most recently for co-writing a musical epic about the life of penguins in Antarctica which became Happy Feet, Australia's largest...
in The Trespassers
The Trespassers
The Trespassers is a 1976 film directed by John Duigan. It stars Judy Morris and Briony Behets.-Cast:*Judy Morris as Dee*Briony Behets as Penny*John Derum as Richard*Hugh Keays-Byrne as Frank*Peter Carmody as Ted...
(1976) for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Award, Raw Deal (1977), Inside Looking Out (1977), Long Weekend (1978).
Later TV guest roles include A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
, The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia....
and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
in the 1980s. Later soap roles included appearances in Possession
Possession (TV series)
Possession is an Australian television series screened in 1985 and made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Nine Network. It was the brainchild of the television producer, Reg Watson....
as the mother of a spoiled child actor, in Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
as the mother of regular character Jane Harris, and in E Street
E Street
E Street is an Australian television soap opera created by Forrest Redlich and produced by the Ten Network from 1989 to 1993.Whereas Neighbours is set in a middle-class suburb, Home and Away in a seaside town, and Richmond Hill a semi-rural ordinary community, E Street was set in a tough inner-city...
as the mother of Lisa Bennett. She acted in feature film Cassandra in 1986.
Starting 1990, she was a regular lead in the Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
soap Families
Families (TV series)
Families was a daytime soap opera produced by Granada Television and created by Kay Mellor. It followed two families; the Thompsons, based in Cheshire, England , and the Stevens, living in Sydney, Australia....
. Into the 2000s, she continued acting in Australian television series and miniseries. In the 2000s she also guest starred in some US drama series such as JAG
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
. She returned to Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
in July 2008, in another role as a romantic interest for Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Smith. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 January 1987. Smith was offered a role by Neighbours creator and executive producer Reg Watson...
. Her latest role saw her as a regular on The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club is a children's television series based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant and is an Australia/Canada co-production. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three teenage girls in training to compete in equestrian competitions at the fictional...
series 3 as Mrs. Reg #2.