Patricia "Pat" Elizabeth Thomson, (born London, England) 7 September 1940 - 18 April 1992), was an Australian television and film actor.

She was best known for her role as Shirley Hastings, the over-zealous, pretentious mother of Scott Hastings in the film Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann and produced by M&A Productions. The film is the first installment in The Red Curtain Trilogy, Luhrmann's trilogy of theatre-motif-related films; the follow-ups were Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...

, written and directed by Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann

Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...

Thomson died of cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 on 18 April 1992 in Sydney, Australia, missing the premiere of her last movie, Strictly Ballroom. In the same year she posthumously won the AFI

Australian Film Institute Awards

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...

award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Strictly Ballroom.

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