Judith McGrath
Encyclopedia
Judith McGrath is an Australian actress. She spent many of her formative years training at Brisbane Arts Theatre
and was a company member of Twelfth Night Theatre
under theatre director, Joan Whalley
.
McGrath is probably best known to international audiences for her early performances on Australian television as fair-minded but sarcastic Deputy Governor Colleen "Po Face" Powell in the cult series Prisoner
. Initially appearing on-and-off for the first two years on the show, Powell was developed into a major character in 1981 and McGrath continued the role in that way before leaving the series permanently in 1984.
After this she appeared in guest roles in 1985 episodes of Neighbours
and The Flying Doctors
.
She was a regular cast member on A Country Practice
as Bernice Hudson from 1992 until 1993. She also appeared in one series of the Australian children's television show Round The Twist
as Matron Gribble.
She played the role of Yvonne "Von" Ryan on TV medical drama, All Saints
, having been with the series since its debut in 1998. She is the only original cast member to stay with the series until it concluded at the end of 2009.
Brisbane Arts Theatre
The Brisbane Arts Theatre is the oldest surviving community theatre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It has existed for nearly seventy-five years. It once received funding from the Queensland state government. This ceased under the Goss Labor government. Since then it has operated without any...
and was a company member of Twelfth Night Theatre
Twelfth Night Theatre
thumb|250px|Twelfth Night TheatreThe Twelfth Night Theatre is an established Australian entertainment venue located in Bowen Hills, in Brisbane, Queensland. Australian actors such as Rowena Wallace, Sigrid Thornton, Judith McGrath, Jon English, June Salter, Penny Downie, Carol Burns, Kate Wilson,...
under theatre director, Joan Whalley
Joan Whalley
Joan Whalley, OAM, was the artistic director of Twelfth Night Theatre in Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 1960–1976....
.
McGrath is probably best known to international audiences for her early performances on Australian television as fair-minded but sarcastic Deputy Governor Colleen "Po Face" Powell in the cult series 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...
. Initially appearing on-and-off for the first two years on the show, Powell was developed into a major character in 1981 and McGrath continued the role in that way before leaving the series permanently in 1984.
After this she appeared in guest roles in 1985 episodes of 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...
and 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....
.
She was a regular cast member 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,...
as Bernice Hudson from 1992 until 1993. She also appeared in one series of the Australian children's television show Round The Twist
Round the Twist
Round the Twist is a Logie Award-winning Australian children's television series about three children and their widowed father who live in a lighthouse and become involved in many magical adventures....
as Matron Gribble.
She played the role of Yvonne "Von" Ryan on TV medical drama, 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...
, having been with the series since its debut in 1998. She is the only original cast member to stay with the series until it concluded at the end of 2009.