Diana Perryman

Diana Perryman (9 November 1924 – 10 January 1979) credited also as Diane Perryman, was an Australian actress, who appeared on stage, and in film and television.

Early life Perryman was born in Melbourne in 1924 to father, Melbourne-born musical comedy actor and radio station 2KY personality William Harland-Perryman (with notable credits from 1919 to 1938), and mother, Adelaide-born actress, singer and showgirl Dorothy Eileen Duval (with credits from 1923 to 1932). Her parents were married in 1923, the year before she was born.

Her first acting credit was as a child, on stage in a crowd scene role in White Horse Inn in 1936, alongside her parents and her two year old sister Jill.

Perryman studied acting alongside Maggie Dence, Leonard Teale and Ruth Cracknell.

Career Perryman was notable for her roles in early television soap operas and appeared in miniseries and made-for-tv movies, She appeared for 156 episodes in the tv series Autumn Affair with Muriel Steinbeck and Queenie Ashton. She was also a regular in tv soap The Story of Peter Grey.

Perryman also appeared in numerous theatre productions and radio plays throughout her career, including turning in an Erik Award-winning performance in stage play Two for the Seesaw in 1960.

Personal life Perryman's younger sister is stage and screen actress and singer Jill Perryman. Through her sister, she has a nephew, Tod Johnston who is an actor, musician and media personality; and a niece, Trudy Dunn who is an actress. Trudy's daughter McKenzie Dunn is also an actress.

Diana's husband, Dr. Kenneth Whiteley was a senior lecturer in wool technology at the UNSW and a huge fan of the theatre. Together with sister Jill's dancer/choreographer husband, Kevan Johnston, he urged Perryman to collaborate with her sister, which prompted her to switch to revue.

Perryman was posthumously awarded an MBE in 1979.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1959 Shell Presents Inez TV movie series, season 1, episode 2: Other People's Houses 1960 The Scent of Fear Joan Bridey TV movie 1961 Corinth House Madge Donnythorpe TV movie 1961 The Big Client Eleanor Comely TV movie 1964 I Have Been Here Before Sally Pratt TV movie 1968 Tosca Tosca TV movie 1972 Yeoman of the Guard TV movie 1975 I'm Here, Darlings! TV movie

Television Year Title Role Type 1958–1959 Autumn Affair Julie TV series, season 1, 156 episodes 1961 The Story of Peter Gray Jane Marner TV series, season 1, 156 episodes 1964 The Purple Jacaranda Darcy Crawford TV miniseries, 7 episodes 1967 You Can't See 'Round Corners TV series, season 1, 3 episodes 1970 The Link Men TV series, season 1, 2 episodes 1972 Catwalk Mrs. Wheeler TV series, season 1, episode 7: "Dear Desperate" 1973 Boney Mrs. White TV series, season 2, episode 7: "Boney Hunts a Murderess" 1973 Serpent in the Rainbow Mrs Quigg TV miniseries, 4 episodes 1974 This Love Affair Kath TV series, season 1, episode 8: "One of My Silly Dreams" 1973; 1975 Certain Women Alice TV series, 2 episodes 1975 Behind the Legend Mrs. Plummer TV series, season 3, episode 9: "Annette Kellerman" 1975 Shannon's Mob Mrs. Pellini TV series, season 1, episode 2: "Nothing Else to Lose" 1976 The Outsiders Marilyn TV series, season 1, episode 1: "Drop Out" 1979 Glenview High Shirley Mason TV series, season 1, episode 30: "Daughter of Darkness"

Radio

Theatre Year Title Role Venue / Co. 1936 The White Horse Inn Northern Queensland tour (together with father Bill Perryman, mother Dorothy Duval and sister Jill Perryman) 1946 Invisible Circus Iris Mitchell Independent Theatre, Sydney 1946 Twelfth Night Independent Theatre, Sydney 1946 Soldier's Wife Minerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions 1947 Pirandello The Daughter Independent Theatre, Sydney 1947 Awake My Love Linda Manners Independent Theatre, Sydney 1948 They Walk Alone Bess Stanforth Independent Theatre, Sydney 1948 Mourning Becomes Electra Lavinia Independent Theatre, Sydney 1949 Love Me Sailor Ella National Canvas Theatre, Sydney 1949 Salome Salome Independent Theatre, Sydney 1950 Dream Girl Minerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions 1950 Dark of the Moon Independent Theatre, Sydney 1949; 1950 Bonaventure Sarat Carn Theatre Royal Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's 1955 Independent Theatre Twenty-Fifth Birthday Celebration Independent Theatre, Sydney 1955 Winter Journey Georgie Elgin Independent Theatre, Sydney 1956; 1957 The Reluctant Debutante Mabel Crosswaite Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's 1957 The Big Knife Independent Theatre, Sydney 1958 Titus Andronicus Independent Theatre, Sydney 1960 Two for the Seesaw Gittel Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's Won 1960 Best Actress Erik Award 1960 The Way of the World Millamant Independent Theatre, Sydney 1961 Phaedra Phaedra Independent Theatre, Sydney 1962 Shadow of Heroes Independent Theatre, Sydney 1963 Flaming Youth Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney 1963 Do You Mind! Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney (with sister Jill Perryman) 1964 Heartbreak House UNSW with Old Tote Theatre Company 1965 A Severed Head Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with J. C. Williamson's 1969 You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney with Harry M. Miller 1976 Equus Hester Saloman Seymour Centre, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company 1977 The Father Laura UNSW Parade Theatre, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company

Awards & honours Year Title Award Category Result 1960 Two for the Seesaw Erik Award Best Actress 1979 Diana Perryman MBE