Betty Bobbitt

Betty Ann Bobbitt (7 February 1939 – 30 November 2020) was an American-born Australian actress, director, singer, and playwright, with a career that spanned over 60 years, encompassing theatre, television, and film.

Bobbitt was best known for her small screen role in TV series Prisoner (known as Prisoner: Cell Block H in the UK and North America, and Caged Woman in Canada) as lesbian mother figure Judy Bryant from 1980 to 1985, through 430 episodes.

Early life

Bobbitt was born on 7 February 1939 in Manhattan, New York, to nurse Elizabeth Bobbitt (née Sprout) and Hubert Bobbitt, a steel mill worker and grew up in Norristown, a suburb of Philadelphia. She attended a Catholic school and Norristown High School.

Career

Early career When Bobbitt moved to Los Angeles, at the age of 18, to appear in a theatre production of Auntie Mame, she was approached by an Australian television producer who asked her if she "wanted to come to Australia and be funny".

Theatre Bobbitt appeared in many theatre productions with the Melbourne Theatre Company. She also teamed up with future Prisoner stars Anne Phelan and Colette Mann in a 1970s stage show called The Glitter Girls who performed 1940s songs. Notable theatre included Martin Cripps' Cruel and Tender and Jean Cocteau of The Human Voice

Television Bobbitt was a fixture on Australian television from the mid-1960s with guest roles in serials including Matlock Police, Homicide, Cop Shop, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, All Saints, Marshall Law, and Blue Heelers.

She became best known for her role in Prisoner for her portrayal of lesbian character Judy Bryant, a series regular. She first appeared in the show in February 1980. After it started to gain a cult status in the US, billed as Prisoner: Cell Block H, an American actress was suggested by producers as a nod to local audiences. Her character was intended only for a short-term 13-episode appearance, but she became immensely popular, and was retained in the series. Bobbitt continued in the role until May 1985, making her the show's second-longest serving actor in the main cast, at 429 episodes, second only to Elspeth Ballantyne as officer Meg Jackson/Morris, an original who appeared at the series' inception.

In the series, the character of Judy was convicted of smuggling drugs so she could be with her lesbian lover Sharon Gilmore in the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre, whilst inside and out of prison she was raped, survived a murder attempt, broke out on two occasions and discovered she had a long lost daughter. Bobbitt was the second major star actress to portray a lesbian character in the series after Carol Burns, who played original character Franky Doyle.

During her time in Prisoner, Bobbitt performed with fellow cast members Jane Clifton and Colette Mann in a three-woman troupe named "The Mini Busettes" in the 1980s. They performed around Australia in RSL and similar clubs.

After Prisoner, Bobbitt continued in theatre roles and made guest appearances in television and film. In 2004, Bobbitt she made a brief uncredited appearance in the American television remake of the Stephen King classic, Salem's Lot.

In 2019, Bobbitt appeared in a guest role in TV series Neighbours, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Prisoner. She featured alongside fellow stars Jane Clifton, Jentah Sobott and Jenny Lovell, who arrive in Erinsborough to attend Sheila's Bookclub. Her appearance reunited her with other former Prisoner co-stars who had gone on to star in the series – Colette Mann, who played regular Sheila Canning and Jackie Woodburne, who has long played Susan Kennedy.

Film On film, she had cameo roles appearing opposite Paul Hogan, in several of the Crocodile Dundee series including Crocodile Dundee II (1988), Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (a.k.a. Crocodile Dundee III) (2001) and the direct-to-video The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee (2020). She also appeared in the 2010 thriller, Torn.

Publication In 2011, Bobbitt self-published her book "From the Outside" , which documents her life and career playing the role of Judy Bryant on Prisoner.

Personal life and death Bobbitt was married to Australian artist, Robin Hill in 1963, with whom she had a son, Christopher Hill, who was born in the UK. In 1966 the couple were divorced. She also had a second son, Ollie Bobbitt Hill. Her partner was artist Mig Dann.

Bobbitt died in Melbourne on 30 November 2020, aged 81, five days after suffering a stroke.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 The Clinic Wilma Feature film 1988 Crocodile Dundee II Tourist (Meg) Feature film 1992 Survive the Savage Sea Mrs. Haines Television film 1997 Doing Time for Patsy Cline Connie Feature film 2001 Crocodile Dundee III American Lady Feature film 2003 The Cadet The Addict Short film 2010 Torn Daniel's Mother 2020 The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee Betty Feature film mockumentary

Television Year Title Role Notes 1966,1975–1976 Homicide Vicki Franklin, Blossom, Customs Officer 3 episodes 1974 Stopover Cashier TV movie 1975 Matlock Police Mrs. Nelson, Valerie Praitt 2 episodes 1978, 1979 Cop Shop Helen Walsh, Peggy Morgan 4 episodes 1980–1985 Prisoner Judy Bryant Seasons 2–7, 429 episodes (main role) 1981 Prisoner in Concert Judy Bryant TV special 1984 Special Squad Daisy Episode: "Until Death" 1986 A Country Practice Ellen Dainty 2 episodes 1991 The Flying Doctors Jo Magee Episode: "Johnno Be Good" 1992 Frankie's House Surgeon Miniseries 1998–1999 All Saints Olivia McCreadie 2 episodes 1989 Edens Lost Mabel TV miniseries, 1 episode 2000 The Games Betty, Media Liaison Episode: "The End" 2002 Marshall Law Wanda Episode: "The Samovar" 2000 Blue Heelers Madge Harcourt 2 episodes 2004 Salem's Lot Uncredited Miniseries 2019 Neighbours Erica King Season 35, episode 8048

Stage

As actor Year Title Role Notes 1962 Outrageous Fortune Guest artist Arrow Theatre, Melbourne 1974 Hansel and Gretel Wilhelmina the Wicked Witch Doncaster Shopping Centre, Melbourne 1975 The Shoemaker and the Elves Monash University, Melbourne 1977 Desire Under the Elms Abbie Putnam Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1977 Ring Round the Moon Isabelle's Mother Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 The Human Voice Solo performer Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1978 The Beaux' Stratagem Countrywoman Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 Electra Chorus Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Dockdaisy Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1979 Gentlemen Only Algy Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation 1979 Errol Flynn's Great Big Adventure Book for Boys Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1979; 1980 Cinderella Queen Mother Melbourne Athenaeum, Victorian regional tour, Northland Shopping Centre Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1980 Jack and the Beanstalk Victorian regional tour 1980 Goldilocks Victorian regional tour 1980 Red Riding Hood Victorian regional tour 1980 Alice in Wonderland Queen of Hearts Victorian regional tour 1980 The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Victorian regional tour 1980; 1981 Catch a Rising Star Melbourne Theatre Restaurant 1984 Pack of Lies Helen Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1987–1988; 1990 Nunsense Reverend Mother Australian tour with Victorian Arts Council 1992 Humorists Read the Humorists Melbourne Athenaeum for MICF 1992 Peroxide Police Auditorium, Melbourne with High Fidelity Theatre for MICF 1994 Steaming Mrs Meadow Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Regal Theatre, Perth, Monash University, Melbourne with Gary Penny Productions 1999 Born Yesterday Mrs Hodges Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2005 Cruel and Tender Housekeeper Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2008 Gala Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2009 Rockabye Esme Sumner Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2019 A Normal Child Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne

As director Year Title Role Notes 1987–1988; 1990 Nunsense Director Australian tour with Victorian Arts Council 1991 Dream Kitchen Director La Mama, Melbourne