Colleen Clifford
Encyclopedia
Eileen Margaret better known as Colleen Clifford, was a British-born Australian musician, stage, film and television actress. In a career spanning nearly seven decades, she was one of the most popular actresses in both British and Australian theatre and the last-surviving member of Sydney's "grand dames
".
She was also an early radio and television performer for the BBC during the 1930s hosting cabaret
and variety shows, and during the Second World War, in news broadcasting and war concerts
. Clifford was, at one time, featured on a 15 minute radio show showcasing her singing and musical performances. She later did radio plays for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. In her later years, she was a highly recognizable character actor
with appearances in several films and television series during the 1970s and 80s.
during her childhood. She studied as a pianist at the Brussels Conservatoire, received a scholarship at the Royal Academy
and was active in British theatre as a London stage performer for almost thirty years before emigrating to Perth, Australia
in 1954. She continued her theatrical career there and, in 1959, she made her first television appearance performing on the variety show Spotlight. It was first-ever television program to be broadcast in Western Australia. She founded the Perth Theatre Guild and Drama School and the next spent fifteen years helping develop and train talent for the theatre. She staged six successful musicals using entirely local talent and without importing professional actors. These included stage productions of Annie Get Your Gun
(1959), starring Leone Martin Smith in the title role, Oklahoma
(1961) and South Pacific
(1962) at His Majesty's Theatre, Perth.
Clifford moved to Sydney in 1969 where she regularly performed at the Old Tote Theatre. Although she remained in the theatre, she also began taking on television and film roles. Clifford made her television acting debut as a guest star on the soap opera Dynasty and The Godfathers
in 1971. While touring in New Zealand
in 1972, Clifford fell ill and was unable to perform for the first few shows. Being under a "no play, no pay" policy with the theatre company, meaning payment would be withheld from an actor during an illness, she was forced to remain in her Wellington apartment with no means of support. Clifford was then in her late-70s and, with rent money and doctor bills piling up, Michael Craig
, Honour Blackman and other members of the company raised enough money to financially support Clifford until she was well enough to rejoin the cast.
In 1978, she guest starred on Case for the Defence. A year later, she appeared on the cult series Prisoner: Cell Block H in a brief but memorable role as Edie Wharton
, an elderly woman imprisoned for vagrancy
. That same year, she made another guest appearance on The Young Doctors
.
She took a three-year absence to return to the theatre full-time but, in 1981, began playing a recurring role as Miss Bird on A Country Practice
. She also appeared in the television miniseries 1915 (1982) and the historical drama film Careful, He Might Hear You
(1983). She spent the next decade starring in a variety of supporting roles in film and television. These included appearances on Mother and Son
and Five Mile Creek
, Where the Green Ants Dream
(1984), The Coca-Cola Kid
(1985), Double Sculls (1986), The Year My Voice Broke
(1987) and Barracuda
(1988). In 1990, the 92-year-old Clifford starred in the latest version of her one-woman show A Nightingale Still At It in Berkeley Square
. She was awarded the John Campbell Fellowship for her contribution to theatre two years later.
She returned to A Country Practice playing Freda Spinner in 1990 and Mrs. Grainger in 1993; that same year, she starred in Frauds
(1993) and This Won't Hurt a Bit (1993) marking her final film and television roles. Clifford died in Sydney on 7 April 1996, at the age of 97.
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
".
She was also an early radio and television performer for the BBC during the 1930s hosting cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
and variety shows, and during the Second World War, in news broadcasting and war concerts
Concert Party (entertainment)
A concert party, also called a Pierrot troupe, is the collective name for a group of entertainers, or Pierrots, popular in Britain during the first half of the 20th century. The variety show given by a Pierrot troupe was called a Pierrot show...
. Clifford was, at one time, featured on a 15 minute radio show showcasing her singing and musical performances. She later did radio plays for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. In her later years, she was a highly recognizable character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
with appearances in several films and television series during the 1970s and 80s.
Career
Born in Taunton, Somerset, Colleen Clifford lived in England and New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
during her childhood. She studied as a pianist at the Brussels Conservatoire, received a scholarship at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and was active in British theatre as a London stage performer for almost thirty years before emigrating to Perth, Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1954. She continued her theatrical career there and, in 1959, she made her first television appearance performing on the variety show Spotlight. It was first-ever television program to be broadcast in Western Australia. She founded the Perth Theatre Guild and Drama School and the next spent fifteen years helping develop and train talent for the theatre. She staged six successful musicals using entirely local talent and without importing professional actors. These included stage productions of Annie Get Your Gun
Annie Get Your Gun (musical)
Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
(1959), starring Leone Martin Smith in the title role, Oklahoma
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
(1961) and South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
(1962) at His Majesty's Theatre, Perth.
Clifford moved to Sydney in 1969 where she regularly performed at the Old Tote Theatre. Although she remained in the theatre, she also began taking on television and film roles. Clifford made her television acting debut as a guest star on the soap opera Dynasty and The Godfathers
The Godfathers
The Godfathers are an alternative rock band from London, England.-Career:The Godfathers were formed by Peter and Chris Coyne from the ashes of The Sid Presley Experience in 1985. After independent single releases produced by Vic Maile, and collected on their debut album, Hit By Hit, they signed to...
in 1971. While touring in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1972, Clifford fell ill and was unable to perform for the first few shows. Being under a "no play, no pay" policy with the theatre company, meaning payment would be withheld from an actor during an illness, she was forced to remain in her Wellington apartment with no means of support. Clifford was then in her late-70s and, with rent money and doctor bills piling up, Michael Craig
Michael Craig (actor)
Michael Craig is a British actor, known for his work in film and television in both the United Kingdom and Australia. Craig was born in Poona, Maharashtra, British India, the son of Donald Gregson, a captain in the 3rd Indian Cavalry. He came to England with his family when aged three, and went to...
, Honour Blackman and other members of the company raised enough money to financially support Clifford until she was well enough to rejoin the cast.
In 1978, she guest starred on Case for the Defence. A year later, she appeared on the cult series Prisoner: Cell Block H in a brief but memorable role as Edie Wharton
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
, an elderly woman imprisoned for vagrancy
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
. That same year, she made another guest appearance on The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
.
She took a three-year absence to return to the theatre full-time but, in 1981, began playing a recurring role as Miss Bird on 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,...
. She also appeared in the television miniseries 1915 (1982) and the historical drama film Careful, He Might Hear You
Careful, He Might Hear You
Careful, He Might Hear You is a 1983 Australian drama film. It is based on the novel of the same name by Australian-American author Sumner Locke Elliott....
(1983). She spent the next decade starring in a variety of supporting roles in film and television. These included appearances on Mother and Son
Mother and Son
Mother and Son is a Logie Award-winning Australian television sitcom produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 16 January 1984 until 21 March 1994. The show stars Ruth Cracknell, Garry McDonald, Henri Szeps and Judy Morris...
and Five Mile Creek
Five Mile Creek
Five Mile Creek is an Australian western series. The series starred Liz Burch, Louise Caire Clark, Rod Mullinar, Jay Kerr, Michael Caton, Peter Carroll, Gus Mercurio, Martin Lewis, Priscilla Weems and a young Nicole Kidman...
, Where the Green Ants Dream
Where the Green Ants Dream
Where the Green Ants Dream is a 1984 film by German film director Werner Herzog. It was Herzog's first film in English although also dubbed into German. Based partly on the Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd case and making use of professional actors as well as Aboriginal activists who were involved in...
(1984), The Coca-Cola Kid
The Coca-Cola Kid
The Coca Cola Kid is a romantic comedy Australian film, released in 1985. It was directed by Dušan Makavejev and starred Eric Roberts and Greta Scacchi. The film is based on short stories in The Americans, Baby, and The Electrical Experience by Frank Moorhouse, who wrote the screenplay...
(1985), Double Sculls (1986), The Year My Voice Broke
The Year My Voice Broke
The Year My Voice Broke is a 1987 coming of age story by director John Duigan, starring Noah Taylor, Loene Carmen, and Ben Mendelsohn. Set in 1962 in the rural Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it was the first in a projected trilogy of films centred around the experiences of an awkward...
(1987) and Barracuda
Barracuda
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species could reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width...
(1988). In 1990, the 92-year-old Clifford starred in the latest version of her one-woman show A Nightingale Still At It in Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square
Berkeley Square is a town square in the West End of London, England, in the City of Westminster. It was originally laid out in the mid 18th century by architect William Kent...
. She was awarded the John Campbell Fellowship for her contribution to theatre two years later.
She returned to A Country Practice playing Freda Spinner in 1990 and Mrs. Grainger in 1993; that same year, she starred in Frauds
Frauds (film)
Frauds is a 1993 Australian black comedy film starring pop star Phil Collins. It was entered into the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:The film is a story of the ways in which insurance investigator Roland Copping interferes in and manipulates the lives of others with outrageous games and gimmicks...
(1993) and This Won't Hurt a Bit (1993) marking her final film and television roles. Clifford died in Sydney on 7 April 1996, at the age of 97.
Further reading
- Amadio, Nadine. "Never To Old." The Bulletin. 112.5725–5733 (1990): 90–91.
- Blackman, Barbara. "Colleen Clifford interviewed by Barbara Blackman". National Library of Australia, 1985.
- Blundell, Graeme. Australian Theatre: Backstage with Graeme Blundell. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-19-553767-X
- Deveson, Anne. Coming of Age: Twenty-One Interviews About Growing Older. Newham, Victoria: Scribe Publications, 1994. ISBN 0-908011-28-8