Colleen Clifford

Colleen Clifford (born as Irene Margaret Blackford; 17 November 1898 – 7 April 1996), was a British-born performer, who worked in her native England as well as New Zealand and, later in her career, Australia. As an actress she worked in all facets of the industry: radio, stage, television and film.

She was also a theatre founder, director and producer, coloratura soprano, dancer, comedian and classical pianist who was a specialist in voice production, drama and music. She worked variously as a commercial advertiser, spokeswoman and charity worker and released her own memoirs. She trained many Australian actors such as Judy Nunn, Paula Duncan and Melissa George.

Clifford started her career in her native United Kingdom where she was an early radio and television performer for the British Broadcasting Corporation during the 1930s and 1940s hosting cabaret and variety shows, and appearing in West End theatre and during the Second World War, becoming a feature of news broadcasting and war concerts. Clifford was, at one time, featured on a 15-minute radio show showcasing her singing and musical performances. She emigrated to Australia in 1954, and from 1955 became a highly recognisable character actress of stage, television and films, from the early 1970s in soap operas, series, mini-series, telemovies and theatrical features, often portraying eccentric elderly women. She was a grand dame and matriarch of the arts and entertainment industry. She appeared in her last role at 93 years of age and as such, alongside Olga Dickie and Queenie Ashton was one of the oldest working actors in Australia, although on a small scale with guest appearances and cameos rather than major long-term roles. she died aged 97.

Biography Early life and career in England Born in Taunton, Somerset, England as Irene Margaret Blackford to an English-born mother and George Taunton Constable Clifford, a Major in the British army, who served in his regiment worldwide including France and Belgium, at which time Clifford was raised by an aunt in London. She had two brothers. Her paternal grandfather from Somerset also served in the army as a Major and was a recipient of the VC, her paternal youngest uncle, Ned was killed in the Boer War.

Having moved from Perth to Sydney and remaining appearing in theatre roles, she began appearing in plays for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and taking on regular television and film roles.

She returned to the theatre in 1990, at the age of 92, in the latest version of her one-woman show A Nightingale Still at It in Berkeley Square. She was awarded the John Campbell Fellowship for her contribution to theatre two years later.

Television roles Clifford became a highly recognisable actress in her latter years, appearing in everything from soap opera, miniseries, telemovies, and films. She made her television acting debut in 1971 as a guest star in the series Dynasty (not related to the American production) and The Godfathers in 1971.

In 1978, she guest-starred in the legal drama Case for the Defence. A year later, she appeared in the popular series Prisoner (also known as Prisoner: Cell Block H) in a brief but memorable role as Edie Wharton, an elderly woman imprisoned for vagrancy. That same year, she made another guest appearance on another soap opera the Nine Network series The Young Doctors. She took a three-year absence to return to the theatre full-time but, then in 1981, began playing the guest role of Miss Bird on A Country Practice. She appeared in supporting roles including the sitcom Mother and Son and Five Mile Creek throughout the 1980s.

She returned to the serial A Country Practice between 1990 and 1993, playing two different roles: Freda Spinner and Mrs. Grainger.

Films She started to feature in small roles in films from the 1980s onwards, firstly the historical drama film Careful, He Might Hear You (1983). She spent the next decade starring in a variety of supporting roles in film. These included Where the Green Ants Dream (1984), The Coca-Cola Kid (1985), Double Sculls (1986), The Year My Voice Broke (1987) and Barracuda (1988).

She starred in films This Won't Hurt a Bit and Frauds (both 1993).

Later life, death and legacy Clifford suffered a heart attack in 1995, and was fitted with a pacemaker. She died in Sydney on 7 April 1996, at the age of 97.

After her death, the Sydney theatre-lovers group The Glugs named one of their awards after her, the Colleen Clifford Memorial Award Outstanding Performance in a Musical or Special Comedy Satire. The inaugural 1997 award was won by Angela Toohey and Paul Goddard for their roles in Cabaret.

Filmography Clifford had a long career in England, particularly in theatre before emigrating to Australia in 1954; the following documents her Australian credits only, where Clifford had a successful career in television and films as an actress and also appeared in theatre, as well as was a theatre director and teacher in Australia. She made her stage debut in 1955 and her screen debut in 1959 in TV series Spotlight, the first production in Western Australia, and her final film appearance in 1993.

Film Year Title Role Type 1983 Careful, He Might Hear You Ettie Feature film 1984 Where the Green Ants Dream Miss Strehlow Feature film 1985 The Coca-Cola Kid Mrs. Haversham Feature film 1987 The Year My Voice Broke Gran Olson Feature film 1992 Frauds Mrs. Waterson Feature film 1993 Shotgun Wedding Voice Feature film 1993 This Won't Hurt a Bit Lady Smith Feature film

Television Year Title Role Type 1959 Spotlight Guest performer TV series 1970 Dynasty Guest role: Mrs. Palmer TV series, 1 episode 1971 The Godfathers Guest role: Miss Lovelace TV series, 2 episodes 1975 Behind the Legend Guest role: Mrs. Aeneas Gunn TV series, 1 episode 1978 Case for the Defence Guest role: Catriona Smith TV series, 1 episode 1979 Prisoner Recurring role: Edie Wharton TV series, 6 episodes 1979 The Young Doctors Guest role: Agnes Brewer TV series 1981–1993 A Country Practice Guest roles: Miss Bird / Freda Spinner / Miss. Bird / Mrs. Grainger TV series, 18 episodes 1982 1915 Guest role: Mrs. Stinson TV miniseries, 1 episode 1984 Mother And Son Guest role: Old Lady TV series, 1 episode 1984 Five Mile Creek Guest role: Mrs. Watkins TV series, 1 episode 1984 Sweet and Sour Guest role: Mrs. Green TV series, 1 episode 1985 Double Sculls Mrs. Fenwick TV film 1987 Olive Mrs. Lawson TV film 1987–1988 Rafferty's Rules Recurring guest role: Mrs. Murdoch TV series, 2 episodes 1988 Barracuda Mrs. Hennessey TV film 1989 In Melbourne Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994 TVTV Guest (with The Young Doctors cast) TV series, 1 episode