Carole Skinner

Biography

Early career Skinner began her acting career in 1966, and first rose to prominence as an established theatre performer. Her performance as Olive in a production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll for the Melbourne Theatre Company in 1977 was met with high regard.

She became well known for her screen roles, particularly in television, making her debut in 1971, when she made a guest appearance in the Australian series, Dynasty, (not related to the American series of the same title) before going on to play a regular in Lane End (a spin-off series to the serial, Bellbird), and further guest roles in Certain Women, The Evil Touch, Ryan, Behind the Legend, and The Young Doctors.

Television soap opera Prisoner, Sons and Daughters and Neighbours Skinner became best known locally and internationally for her six-month stint as Nola McKenzie in the Network 10 soap opera, Prisoner (known outside of Australia as Prisoner: Cell Block H), during its fifth season in 1983. She later admitted that it was her choice to leave the series after producers offered to extend her contract to continue playing Nola. The character was killed-off in one of the series most iconic scenes, when she was shot in the forehead with a zip gun. This was followed by guest roles in soap operas and drama series', including Sons and Daughters, as Doris Hudson, a house-keeper obsessed with her boss, in which she attempted to smother toddler Robert Palmer in the series' 1985 season cliffhanger episode, as Laura Dennison in Neighbours in 1986, and briefly appearances in The Flying Doctors and A Country Practice.

Miniseries and later roles She is also known for her role as Delie Stock in the miniseries, The Harp in the South, based on the novel by Ruth Park, and the sequel miniseries, Poor Man's Orange, also based on Park's second novel of the same name.

She continued to appear in high-profile drama series', including, two different roles in the Seven Network soap opera, Home and Away, as Mary O'Brien during the show's eighth season in 1995, and as Annie Matthews in the twelfth season in 1999, E Street, Minder (when episodes were filmed in Australia), Murder Call, All Saints, and McLeod's Daughters.

Film appearances Skinner is also a credited film actress, having appeared in several minor roles, including, her feature debut in the sex comedy, Alvin Purple, which spawned two sequels, and a short-lived television series. She continued with roles during the 1970s, in Eliza Frazer, co-starring with Susannah York and John Waters, and the critically acclaimed, My Brilliant Career, with Judy Davis and Sam Neill, before going on to appear in films, such as, Heatwave, Monkey Grip, Goodbye Paradise, The Umbrella Woman, Howling III, the second sequel to the classic 1981 film, and the 2001 blockbuster, Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidman.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1973 Maybe Tomorrow TV movie 1973 Alvin Purple Mother Superior Feature film 1974 Parent Teacher Interviews Parent Short film (segment: "A Stranger") 1976 Eliza Fraser Mrs. Shortland Feature film 1979 My Brilliant Career Mrs. McSwatt Feature film 1980 Going Home Molly TV movie 1982 Deadline Sybil TV movie 1982 Heatwave Mary Ford Feature film 1982 Monkey Grip Waitress Feature film 1982 The Mystery at Castle House Aunt Josephine Feature film 1982 A Most Attractive Man Frances Short film 1982 Goodbye Paradise Landlady Feature film 1983 The Weekly's War Nurse TV movie 1984 On the Loose Mrs. Jones Feature film 1985 After Hours Mother Short film 1987 The Umbrella Woman Mrs. Gibson Feature film 1987 Howling III: The Marsupials Yara Feature film 1991 Gotcha Wilma Short film 1993 Don't Touch Wood! Scott's Mum Film (developed by ANZ Bank and Small Business Victoria) 1994 Unacceptable Behaviour Angela Short film 1995 Napoleon The Cat Feature film 1996 Passion Short play 1996 Whipping Boy Sex Store Wife TV movie 1998 Never Tell Me Never Dusty TV movie 2001 Moulin Rouge! Landlady Feature film 2002 Hetty Hetty Short film 2008 The View from Greenhaven Bonny Feature film

Television Other Times Kid Stakes

Television (as self) Year Title Role Notes 1995 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode 1996 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode

Theatre Year Title Role Type 1966 Mother Courage and Her Children New Theatre, Sydney 1968 Sam, The Highest Jumper of Them All, or the London Comedy New Theatre, Sydney 1968 This Old Man Comes Rolling Home UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1968 America Hurrah New Theatre, Sydney 1968 The Rimers of Eldritch Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1969 Triple Passion British Fashion University of Sydney 1969 The Serpent New Theatre, Sydney 1970 Let’s Get a Divorce Concierge / Madame de Valfontaine / First Waitress National Theatre, Launceston, Devonport Town Hall, Theatre Royal, Hobart 1971 The Recruiting Officer Southern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong 1971 A Streetcar Named Desire Southern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong 1971 Doctor Faustus Southern Highlands Festival Theatre, Mittagong 1971 Duke of Edinburgh Assassinated or The Vindication of Henry Parkes Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1971 After Magritte Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1971 The Removalists Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1972 Listen Closely Independent Theatre Sydney 1972 Housey Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1972 The Last Supper Show Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1972 Bigotry V.C. Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1973 Jumpers Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1973 Long Day's Journey Into Night Union Hall, Adelaide, St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with South Australian Theatre Company 1973; 1974 The Comedy of Errors Arts Theatre, Adelaide, Arts Theatre, Adelaide with South Australian Theatre Company for Adelaide Festival 1974 The Bride of Gospel Place Arts Theatre, Adelaide with South Australian Theatre Company for Adelaide Festival 1974; 1975 The Three Cuckolds Playhouse, Adelaide with South Australian Theatre Company 1974; 1975; 1977 The Department Myra Playhouse, Adelaide, Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, UNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Playhouse, Perth with National Theatre & South Australian Theatre Company 1975 Chez Nous UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1976; 1977 Going Home Molly St Martins Youth Arts Centre with MTC, Greenroom Theatre, Perth with National Theatre 1976 Old Flames VCA with MTC 1976 Other Times Olive Leech Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1976; 1977 Kid Stakes Olive Leech Theatre Royal, Sydney, Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1977; 1978; 1979 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Olive Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC, Playhouse, Adelaide 1977 The Doll Trilogy Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1977 Absent Friends Diana Playhouse, Perth with National Theatre 1977 Yesterday's News Journalist Greenroom Theatre, Perth 1977 Otherwise Engaged Beth Playhouse, Perth with National Theatre 1977 Double Edge Helen Playhouse, Perth 1977 A Happy and Holy Occasion Playhouse, Adelaide with South Australian Theatre Company 1978 Curse of the Starving Class Ella Nimrod Street Theatre, Sydney 1979 You Never Can Tell Mrs Clandon SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre 1979 The Golden Oldies Robbie / Nora Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust 1980 The Adventures of a Bear Called Paddington Mrs Bird Regent Theatre, Sydney 1981 Roses in Due Season Lil Marriott / Sally Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1981 On Our Selection Mother SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre 1981 The Cocky of Bungaree Diamond Lil Clark Island, Sydney with Nimrod Theatre Company for Sydney Festival 1981 The Suicide Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1982 The Struggle of the Naga Tribe Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1983 Morning's at Seven Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1983 The Kid Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1984 The Golden Oldies Seymour Centre, Sydney 1985 The Removalists Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney 1987 Shepherd on the Rocks Lily Thripp / Pink Lady / Sonia Slitzkin / Tilda Strutt Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1987 The Merry Wives of Windsor Albert Park Amphitheatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre for Warana Festival 1987 Away Gwen Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1987; 1988; 1989 A Month of Sundays Marian Street Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival, Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA, Cremorne Theatre Brisbane with Queensland Theatre & Northside Theatre Company 1988 Dinkum Assorted Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC & STC 1988 The 16th Australian National Playwrights' Conference NIDA Parade Theatre 1989 Romeo and Juliet Sydney Opera House with STC 1989 All My Sons Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1989; 1990 How the Other Half Loves Glen Street Theatre, Sydney, Laycock Street Theatre, Gosford, University of Sydney, Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane, Gold Coast Arts Centre with Peter and Ellen Williams 1991 A Hard God UNE 1991 Sailor Beware! Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1992; 1994 A Cheery Soul Miss Docker Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre Adelaide for Adelaide Festival 1993; 1995; 1996 Barmaids Lion Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA Bridge Theatre, Sydney with New England Theatre Company, Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company, Sorlies Restaurant, Sydney & Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga with Theatre South 1994 Diving for Pearls Newcastle Civic Theatre with Hunter Valley Theatre Company 1994 Waiting Rooms Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1994 Love Seen in Laundromat Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1994 Barefoot Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1995 The Floating World Subiaco Theatre Centre, Perth, Playhouse, Adelaide, Glen Street Theatre, Sydney with STCSA & Black Swan Theatre Company 1996 Night on Bald Mountain Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney 1998 Henry IV Mistress Quickly / Bullcalf Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Monash University, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with Bell Shakespeare 2000 The Marriage of Figaro Sydney Opera House 2001 The Oldest Profession Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2001 King Ubu Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney 2003 Black Milk Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney with Splinter Theatre Company 2004 Our Lady of Sligo Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney 2006 Breathing Corpses Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney 2007 Parramatta Girls Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney 2007 The Estimator Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre