Joan Sydney
Encyclopedia
Joan Sydney is a British actress best known for her work on Australian television, with more than 40 years experience mainly in the genres of soap operas
and television serials
, but also appearing in mini-series and theatre
productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Talking Heads" and "Dirty Dusters", and the comedy serial Thank God You're Here
.
She remains best known for her first prominent TV role as Margaret "Maggie" Sloan, the matron and patriarch of the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, in A Country Practice
from 1983 to 1990. In 1989 Sydney won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress
for her performance as Sloan.
Sydney reprised the role in 1994 when the series was relaunched on Network Ten
, before going on to play Mary Patchett in E Street
and appearing in Something in the Air, Mother and Son
, and All Saints
.
Since 2002, she has played the recurring role of Valda Sheergold in Neighbours
. From 2007 until 2008, she was a regular cast member on the show.
.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
and television serials
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
, but also appearing in mini-series and theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
productions, including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Talking Heads" and "Dirty Dusters", and the comedy serial Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here
Thank God You're Here is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on Network Ten on 5 April 2006, and aired for the first three seasons with Seven for the fourth season...
.
She remains best known for her first prominent TV role as Margaret "Maggie" Sloan, the matron and patriarch of the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, in 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,...
from 1983 to 1990. In 1989 Sydney won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress
Logie Award for Most Popular Actress
The Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress is an award in the annual Australian Logie Awards.-2010s:2011The Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress is an award in the annual Australian Logie Awards.-2010s:2011...
for her performance as Sloan.
Sydney reprised the role in 1994 when the series was relaunched on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, before going on to play Mary Patchett 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...
and appearing in Something in the Air, 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 All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
.
Since 2002, she has played the recurring role of Valda Sheergold 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...
. From 2007 until 2008, she was a regular cast member on the show.
Personal life
Sydney's son is Tony Braxton-Smith, CEO of Great Southern Rail (GSR)Great Southern Railway (Australia)
Great Southern Railway , owned by Serco Asia Pacific, is a tourism business and rail transport operator in Australia.GSR operates interstate passenger trains aimed at the tourist market:* The Indian Pacific...
.