Sheila Florance
Encyclopedia
Sheila Florance was an Australian film and television actress.
After working in theatre in London and appearing on Australian television, Florance played small roles in several Australian films of the 1970s, including Mad Max
(1979). She won two Logie Award
s for her portrayal the elderly, Lizzie Birdsworth, in the television series Prisoner
.
She left the series in 1984, and continued to work sporadically in Australian films. Her final performance, as a woman dying of cancer in A Woman's Tale
(1991), was filmed while she was suffering from cancer herself. She won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
, a week before her death from cancer.
, Melbourne, Australia, her passion for theatre took her to London, where she worked for 16 years,; and eventually back to Melbourne. Florance was a frequent guest star in various television series during the 1960s and was a regular on the Bellbird series. In the 1970s, she began appearing in films, most notably Petersen
(1974), End Play (1975), The Devil's Playground (1976 film) (1976), and Mad Max
(1979). Division 4
In 1978, she joined the cast of the television series Prisoner
(known outside of Australia as Prisoner: Cell Block H), which was produced by The Reg Grundy Organisation
. As the recalcitrant, alcoholic, convicted murderer (discovered during the series to be innocent) Lizzie Birdsworth, Florance became one of the show's favourite performers. The writers initially devised the character as comic relief; however, with Florance's performance, the character was further developed and given more substantial dramatic storylines. Her popularity was such that she won two Logie Award
s as Australia's most popular television actress in 1981 and 1983. Florance left the show in 1984 and worked in such films as Nirvana Street Murder
(1990).
In a heated on air exchange with Grundy's senior Vice President Peter Pinne
on a live British television programme Open Air in 1989, Florance was highly critical of the production company and its treatment of the cast.
Her final film role was in Paul Cox
's A Woman's Tale
(1991). As a genteel, elderly woman, down on her luck, who reminisced with her nurse of better days, while dying of cancer, Florance gave a performance that was widely praised both within Australia, and internationally following the film's release. Florance herself was fighting cancer during the filming. She won the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
for her work, and seven days after receiving the award, died from the disease, in Melbourne.
In 2005, a biography, On The Inside, was published, written by her daughter-in-law Helen Martineau.
Her first husband died in action after D-Day
; and she subsequently married a pilot who had been badly wounded, John Balawaider, in 1946, whom she nursed throughout her life.
After working in theatre in London and appearing on Australian television, Florance played small roles in several Australian films of the 1970s, including Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979). She won two Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s for her portrayal the elderly, Lizzie Birdsworth, in the television 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...
.
She left the series in 1984, and continued to work sporadically in Australian films. Her final performance, as a woman dying of cancer in A Woman's Tale
A Woman's Tale
A Woman's Tale is a 1991 Australian film directed by Paul Cox. It stars Sheila Florance, Gosia Dobrowolska, Norman Kaye, Chris Haywood and Ernie Gray.Martha is an elderly woman living alone in her flat and dying of cancer...
(1991), was filmed while she was suffering from cancer herself. She won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is an award presented annually at the Australian Film Institute Awards. The award has been presented annually since 1971.-History:...
, a week before her death from cancer.
Career
Born in St KildaSt Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, Melbourne, Australia, her passion for theatre took her to London, where she worked for 16 years,; and eventually back to Melbourne. Florance was a frequent guest star in various television series during the 1960s and was a regular on the Bellbird series. In the 1970s, she began appearing in films, most notably Petersen
Petersen
Petersen is a common Scandinavian patronymic surname, meaning "son of Peter". There are other spellings. Petersen may refer to:* Ted Petersen, American football player* Adolf Dahm-Petersen, Norwegian voice specialist...
(1974), End Play (1975), The Devil's Playground (1976 film) (1976), and Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979). Division 4
In 1978, she joined the cast of the television 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...
(known outside of Australia as Prisoner: Cell Block H), which was produced by The Reg Grundy Organisation
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
. As the recalcitrant, alcoholic, convicted murderer (discovered during the series to be innocent) Lizzie Birdsworth, Florance became one of the show's favourite performers. The writers initially devised the character as comic relief; however, with Florance's performance, the character was further developed and given more substantial dramatic storylines. Her popularity was such that she won two Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s as Australia's most popular television actress in 1981 and 1983. Florance left the show in 1984 and worked in such films as Nirvana Street Murder
Nirvana Street Murder
Nirvana Street Murder is a 1990 Australian comedy film, written and directed by Aleksi Vellis, starring Mark Little, Ben Mendelsohn and Mary Coustas.-External links:*...
(1990).
In a heated on air exchange with Grundy's senior Vice President Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne
Peter Pinne is an Australian-born writer and composer.Pinne started working as a television executive for the Reg Grundy organisation. Firstly, as Head of Production from 1980, later rising to become a Senior Vice President of the company. During this period, he worked on numerous shows including...
on a live British television programme Open Air in 1989, Florance was highly critical of the production company and its treatment of the cast.
Her final film role was in Paul Cox
Paul Cox
Paulus Henriqus Benedictus "Paul" Cox is an award-winning Australian film director.Cox was born in Venlo, Limburg, the Netherlands, the son of Else , a native of Germany, and Wim Cox, a documentary film producer. Cox emigrated to Australia in 1965...
's A Woman's Tale
A Woman's Tale
A Woman's Tale is a 1991 Australian film directed by Paul Cox. It stars Sheila Florance, Gosia Dobrowolska, Norman Kaye, Chris Haywood and Ernie Gray.Martha is an elderly woman living alone in her flat and dying of cancer...
(1991). As a genteel, elderly woman, down on her luck, who reminisced with her nurse of better days, while dying of cancer, Florance gave a performance that was widely praised both within Australia, and internationally following the film's release. Florance herself was fighting cancer during the filming. She won the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is an award presented annually at the Australian Film Institute Awards. The award has been presented annually since 1971.-History:...
for her work, and seven days after receiving the award, died from the disease, in Melbourne.
In 2005, a biography, On The Inside, was published, written by her daughter-in-law Helen Martineau.
Personal life
Florance married Roger Oyston who died in 1944, with whom she had two daughters and two sons. She spent time in London during the Second World War, where she lost a baby daughter, killed in her arms during an air raid.Her first husband died in action after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
; and she subsequently married a pilot who had been badly wounded, John Balawaider, in 1946, whom she nursed throughout her life.