Monica Maughan

Monica Maughan (née Wood; 15 September 1933 – 8 January 2010 ) was an Australian actor. Among many roles in a 52-year career in theatre, film, radio, ballet & television, she portrayed Pat O'Connell on the television series Prisoner. She had 5 brothers and sisters, including historian Elizabeth Wood-Ellem and minister H. D'Arcy Wood.

The family moved to Sydney in 1937 – Monica was three-and-a-half and spoke only Tongan – and shortly afterwards to Melbourne, where her father became principal of Methodist Ladies' College (MLC)

While studying part-time, Maughan worked as a secretary at St Ives Hospital in Melbourne. In 1960, she returned to MLC to teach speech.

Acting career

Theatre Maughan launched her professional career with the Union Theatre Repertory Company (UTRC) in 1957 playing Capulet in Jean Anouilh's romantic comedy Ring Round the Moon at Union Theatre, Parkville. Her first lead role came that same year in Beauty and the Beast.

The UTRC, Australia's first professional theatre company, became the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) in 1968. It is believed that Maughan appeared in more plays for the company than any other actor. She also directed 2 plays for the MTC. Coincidentally, Maughan was three months pregnant at the end of the play's run.

Maughan worked with almost every major theatre company in Australia,

In 1999, Maughan created the role of Suzanne Beckett in Justin Fleming's Burnt Piano at Belvoir Company B, and demonstrated a command of classical piano played live in each performance.

Maughan extended her repertoire to include non-dancing roles with the Australian Ballet, namely Doreen's mother in The Sentimental Bloke (2002) and Effie's mother in La Sylphide (2005). She did not live to play the title role in Belvoir Company B's Gwen in Purgatory in 2010, a part written for her by Tommy Murphy and directed by Neil Armfield.

Television Maughan had roles in Hector Crawford's dramas, including Homicide, Matlock Police She was also secretary Jean Ford in the first year of The Box, from 1974 to 1975

Film Maughan's approximately twenty feature films include A City's Child (1971), Her second marriage, in January 1968, was to Melbourne solicitor Rowland Ball.

Maughan was coy about her age and many sources gave her year of birth as 1938. When celebrating 50 years of professional acting in 2007, Maughan said she was "20 or 21" in 1954 and admitted she "always lied about my age".

Maughan died 8 January 2010, aged 76, from cancer, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

Filmography

Film

Television YearTitleRoleType 1962 Consider Your Verdict Elizabeth Carter 1 episode1964 First Night Rita 1 episode Story Parade Sister Theophilus 1 episode 1965 Thursday Theatre 1 episode 1967–1973 Homicide Mrs. Hunter / Helen Johnston / Irene West 3 episodes 1968 Salome Herodias Teleplay 1973–1975 Matlock Police Louise Morgan / Ruth McBride / Mrs. Lane 3 episodes 1974 This Love Affair Episode 2: "Tilting at Windmills" 1974–1975 The Box Jean Ford 137 episodes 1977 Young Ramsay Shirley Watt 1 episode1978 Glenview High Mrs. Wills 1 episode Loss of Innocence Mother Miniseries, 4 episodes 1978–1984 Cop Shop Iris Baker / Jane Sutton / Mrs. Eileen Courtnay / Thelma Latimer 9 episodes 1979 Skyways Mrs. Jones 1 episode 1979–1980 Prisoner Pat O'Connell 40 episodes1980 Lawson's Mates Mrs. Spicer 1 episode All The Green Years Mrs. Reeves Miniseries, 6 episodes 1981 The Patchwork Hero Aunt Victoria Miniseries, 6 episodes 1983 Carson's Law Matron 2 episodes 1984 Special Squad Mrs. Trane Episode 8: "The Würzburg Link" 1985 The Flying Doctors Jean Hennessy Miniseries, 3 episodes 1986 The Gillies Report Various characters 6 episodes 1989 The Flying Doctors Bea Kelly 1 episode 1989; 1994 A Country Practice Bea Murray 2 episodes1990 The Importance Of Being Earnest Miss Prism Teleplay Come in Spinner Mrs. Scott Miniseries, 2 episodes 1990–1991 Col'n Carpenter Dawn Carpenter 7 episodes 1992 Boys from the Bush Alice 1 episode 1993 Seven Deadly Sins Lorna TV film series, episode 3: "Sloth"1994 A Country Practice Peg Reynolds 1 episode The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Monica McHugh 13 episodes 1996; 1998 The Genie From Down Under Miss Mossop 13 episodes1998 Close Up – Shoot Out at St Anthony's 1 episode Small Tales & True Heather Formica / Joan 2 episodes 1998; 2002 Blue Heelers Berly Toogood / Doris Little 2 episodes1999 Noah's Ark Rachel Miniseries, 2 episodes Pig's Breakfast 2002 Flipside 1 episode MDA Justice Hoffman 2 episodes 2004 Stories from the Golf Irma 1 episode 2006 Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King Woman in Street Miniseries, 1 episode 2007 The Librarians Irma 1 episode

Theatre

As actor YearTitleRoleTypeRef1954 The Front Page University of Melbourne Terror Australis Dancer Ned Kelly 1957 Ring Round the Moon Capulet University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company Speak of the Devil Beauty and the Beast Jane (Beauty) 1958 The Making of Moo Elizabeth Compton Lola Montez Gisela A Streetcar Named Desire Eunice Hotel Paradiso Violette The Knight of the Burning Pestle Mistress Merrythought Blood Wedding The Bride The Threepenny Opera Vixen Lysistrata Chorus of old women Hips and Haws: A Review Horizontal Girl 1958–1959 Look Back in Anger Allison Porter University of Melbourne, VIC country tour with Union Theatre Repertory Company 1959 Orpheus Descending University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company Venus Observed Perpetua 1960 Nothing Sacred Star Theatre, Melbourne with Aquarius Productions 1961 The Amorous Prawn Private Biddy O'Hara W.R.A.C. Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Adelaide with J. C. Williamson's 1963 Woman in a Dressing Gown Hilda, the neighbour Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with J. C. Williamson's 1965–1966 Any Wednesday Ellen / Dorothy (understudy) Apollo Theatre, London, Wyndham's Theatre, London 1967 A Delicate Balance Julia Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with Union Theatre Repertory Company The Right Honourable Gentleman Mrs Sarah Gray Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with Union Theatre Repertory Company Luv St Martins Theatre, Melbourne The Heiress Mrs Lavinia Penniman Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with Union Theatre Repertory Company A Cup of Tea with Mrs Groom La Mama, Melbourne Rhinoceros Daisy Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) Death of a Salesman The Woman A Flea in Her Ear Olympe Feraillon 1968 The Crucible Elizabeth Proctor The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Jean Brodie 1969 Loot Hotel in Amsterdam 1971 A Delicate Balance Three Months Gone Anna Bowers 1973 Old Times The Prisoner of Second Avenue Edna Paying the Piper Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1975 The Double Dealer Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC Wednesday the 31st La Mama, Melbourne with MTC Absurd Person Singular St Martins Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC The Revenger's Tragedy Gratiana 1975–1976 Kid Stakes Emma Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, VIC country tour, Canberra Theatre Centre with MTC 1976 Martello Towers St Martins Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 1977 Fifth Australian National Playwrights' Conference Canberra The Three Sisters Olga Sydney Opera House with Old Tote Theatre Company 1978 Makassar Reef Wendy Ostrov Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC Elegy for a Boy Musician Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC The Cherry Orchard Madame Ranevsky SGIO Theatre, Brisbane, with QTC Habeas Corpus Circus Style Performer 1980 Lock Up Your Daughters Monash University, Melbourne 1981 A Hard God Aggie Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA Bleedin' Butterflies May Sewell Playbox Theatre, Melbourne Farewell Brisbane Ladies Gert Anderson Theatre 62, Adelaide, Playbox Theatre, Melbourne, with STCSA Cat on a Hot Tin Roof STC 1982 A Whip Round for Percy Grainger The Son Playbox Theatre, Melbourne Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Tyrone St Martins Youth Arts Centre, Melbourne, with Playbox Theatre Company Sea Drift Freda Richards Playbox Theatre, Melbourne 1983 Gulls Mollie / Mrs Dwyer Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC Summer Xenia Playbox Theatre, Melbourne 1984 The Kid Kid St Martins Theatre, Melbourne, with Playbox Theatre Company Loot Fay Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 1985 Other Places: One for the Road / Victoria Station / A Kind of Alaska Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC Trumpets and Raspberries Rosa Beradi Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1986 She Stoops to Conquer Mrs Hardcastle Blithe Spirit Madame Arcati 1987 Salonika Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC Away Townsville Civic Hall with New Moon Theatre Company 1988 The Popular Mechanicals Tom Snout, tinker Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Adelaide with MTC 1988–1992 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Prism Australian tour with MTC 1989 The Secret House Cath Anthill Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1991 Racing Demon Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC Uncle Vanya Marina, the old nurse Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC Morning Sacrifice Miss Margaret Sole 1992 When She Danced Mary Desti 1994 Angels in America Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz / Hannah Porter Pitt / Ethel Rosenberg / The Angel Asiatica Playhouse, Melbourne, Playhouse, Adelaide, with MTC 1995 Flame of Freedom – Australia Remembers Brisbane Entertainment Centre 1996 My Father's Father Ilse Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC A Cheery Soul Mrs Hibble / Mr Furze Playhouse, Melbourne, with MTC The Last Yankee Karen Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC Memorial to George Fairfax AM Hon LLD St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne Competitive Tenderness Merle / Roy Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1996–1997 The Sunday Roast La Mama, Melbourne, Castlemaine 1998 Tear From a Glass Eye Irene Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, with Playbox Theatre Company The Piccadilly Bushman Grace Bourne 1999 Burnt Piano Suzanne Beckett Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, with Company B Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens Melbourne Athenaeum 2001 The Rain Dancers Nan Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2002 Ballet Blokes Dancer State Theatre, Melbourne with The Australian Ballet Great Expectations Camilla Pocket / Mrs Coiler Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House with MTC The Sentimental Bloke Doreen's mother The Australian Ballet 2003 Inheritance Dibs Hamilton Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House with MTC Les Liaisons Dangereuses Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2005 Ivanov Avadotia Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne La Sylphide Effie's mother The Australian Ballet 2007 Toy Symphony Mrs Walkham Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, with Company B 2008 Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot Maureen Playhouse, Melbourne, with MTC Gala Southbank Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC

As director YearTitleRoleType 1985 The Celebrated Director Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1986 Some Night in Julia Creek Director Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC

Radio YearTitleRoleTypeRef Sightseeing Lorna ABC Radio

Awards YearWorkAwardCategoryResult 1968 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Erik Awards Acting Melbourne Theatre Awards Best Actress 1982 Gulls Green Room Awards Best Supporting Actress 1985 The Flying Doctors Television Society of Australia Penguin Certificate of Special Recognition for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries Commendation 1987 Blithe Spirit Green Room Awards Best Supporting Actress 2008 The Toy Symphony Critics Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress