Ruth Cracknell

Screen Cracknell appeared in many TV serial productions, and made-for-TV films. One of her first roles was Reflections in Dark Glasses, a one-off drama broadcast in 1960. She was a hostess of children television series Play School in the mid to late 1960s. She also played Martha in the 1973 award-winning ABC-TV dramatisation of Ethel Turner's Australian children's classic Seven Little Australians. In the 1980s she guest starred in A Country Practice.

Cracknell is best known for her role in the ABC television series Mother and Son. Written by Geoffrey Atherden, who previously had written for The Aunty Jack Show, the series was based on the writer's own family experience. Mother and Son first screened on 16 January 1984; it continued for six seasons for over a decade and is often repeated. Cracknell played an elderly woman, Maggie Beare, who was slowly becoming senile. She was cared for by her long-suffering younger son Arthur (Garry McDonald), to whom she was often indifferent but on whom she was also dependent and whom she often cynically played off against her self-centred older son Robert (Henri Szeps) and daughter-in-law Liz (played by Judy Morris).

Cracknell appeared in film productions including opposite Chips Rafferty in the 1958 classic Smiley Gets a Gun, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978), the 1983 The Night the Prowler (1978), and The Dismissal (1983) as Margaret Whitlam. Later in 1996, she starred with Toni Collette in Lilian's Story as Sydney eccentric Beatrice Miles.

Theatre companies Cracknell acted for most of the major Australian theatre companies, especially the Sydney Theatre Company. She performed many different roles; Elaine in David Williamson's Emerald City (1987), Grandma Kurnitz in Lost in Yonkers (1992), and Shafer's Lettice and Lovage.

Her best-known role was in the stage production of The Importance of Being Earnest as Lady Bracknell. The production was so popular that it was an "ongoing" stage production from 1988 to 1992 and was televised by the ABC. She was also Patron of the Australian Theatre for Young People.

Personal life and memoirs Cracknell married Eric Phillips in 1957 and they had three children. Phillips was an engineer.

Honours and awards In the 1980 Australia Day Honours, Cracknell was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), "in recognition of service to the performing arts".

She received honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney (1985) and the Queensland University of Technology (1995).

In 1995, Cracknell received a lifetime achievement award at the Glugs Theatrical Awards in Sydney.

In 1998, the National Trust of Australia named her one of "100 National Living Treasures". In 2001, Cracknell received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. 2001 Herself JC Williamson Award

Logie Awards In 2001, Cracknell was awarded the TV Week Logie Hall of Fame for her services to Australian television. Her appearance at the ceremony was the last in public before her death. She was the first (and for 15 years, the only) woman to be inducted.

(wins only)

Filmography Film Year Title Role Type 1958 Smiley Gets a Gun Mrs. Gaspen Feature film 1960 Reflections in Dark Glasses Psychiatrist TV film 1969 That Lady from Peking Fortune Teller Feature film (released 1975) 1976 The Singer and the Dancer Mrs. Bilson Film short 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Mrs. Heather Newby Feature film 1978 The Night the Prowler Doris Bannister Feature film 1982 The Best of Friends Iris Feature film 1982 Island Trader Victoria TV film 1983 Molly Mrs. Reach Feature film 1988 Emerald City Elaine Ross Feature film 1989 Kokoda Crescent Alice Feature film 1989 Kakadu Man Narrator Film documentary 1993 Tale of a Lampshade Narrator Film short 1994 Spider and Rose Rose Dougherty Feature film 1996 Lilian's Story Lilian Singer Feature film 1997 Joey Sylvia Feature film 2004 The Scree Narrator (voice) Film short

Television Year Title Role Type 1960-61 Ruth Cracknell Herself TV series 1962 The Patriots TV miniseries, 10 episodes 1963 Smugglers Beware TV series, 4 episodes 1964 Split Level Alison Teleplay 1965 The Mavis Bramston Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 1965 TV Spells Magic Guest - Herself with Max Meldrum, Ron Shand, Evie Hayes, Wendy Blacklock, David Copping, Kevin Miles, Gwen Plumb, Chips Rafferty & Keith Petersen TV special 1965 Moment of Truth Sister Kenny TV series, 1 episode 1966 Australian Playhouse Miss Peach TV series, 1 episode: "The Lace Counter" 1967 Nice 'n Juicy TV series, 1 episode 1967 Bellbird TV series 1967 I'm Alright Now Herself TV series, 1 episode 1968 Fiends of the Family Maggie Teleplay 1969 I've Married A Bachelor TV series, 1 episode 1969 Tilley Landed On Our Shore Tilley Teleplay 1969 Play School Presenter TV series, 4 episodes 1969 Sex and the Australian Male Herself TV special 1969 The Rovers The Postmistress TV series, 1 episode 1970 Dynasty Biddy TV series, 1 episode 1970 Chequerboard Jocasta TV series, 1 episode 1970 The Long Arm Mrs. Stevens TV series, 1 episode 1: "The Lion Was First To Know" 1971 Dead Men Running TV miniseries, 6 episodes 1971 Mrs Finnegan Mrs. Evans TV series, 1 episode 1971 John Bluthal Herself TV special 1972 Carry On Spike in Australia Herself TV special 1972 The Cousin from Fiji TV series, 1 episode 1972 Division 4 Mrs. Harris TV series, 1 episode 1972 A Big Country Herself TV series, 1 episode: "The Long Distance Search" 1972 The Survivor Teleplay 1972 The Man on the Ten Pound Note Teleplay 1973 Catch Kandy Gladys Evans TV series, 1 episode 1973 Boney Elizabeth Campbell TV series, 1 episode 1973 Seven Little Australians Martha TV miniseries, 10 episodes 1974 Mac and Merle TV pilot 1975 Ben Hall Ma Walsh TV series, 11 episodes 1975 The Last of the Australians TV series, 1 episode 1977 Sammy Awards Herself TV special 1977 Young Ramsay Hazel Barton TV series, episode 7: "The Mystery of the Bora Hills" 1978 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 1979 Golden Soak Prophesy TV miniseries, 6 episodes 1979 The Oracle TV series, 1 episode 1982 Spring & Fall Jessica Lambert TV series, Season 2 episode 2: "Perfect Company" 1983-94 Mother and Son Maggie Beare TV series, 42 episodes 1983 The Dismissal Margaret Whitlam TV miniseries, 3 episodes 1984 A Country Practice Maisie Davis TV series, 2 episodes 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself & Garry McDonald TV series, 1 episode 1985 1985 Australian Film Institute Awards Presenter TV special 1986 Face of Australia Herself TV special 1986 The Nights Belong to the Novelist: Elizabeth Jolley, Australian Writer Herself TV special 1986 Alice to Nowhere Mrs. Spencer TV miniseries, 2 episodes 1987 Butterfly Island TV series, 1 episode 1988 Women on Women Herself TV special 1989 Down to Earth Herself TV special 1989 The Maitland and the Morpeth String Quartet Narrator TV documentary 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 1990 The Importance Of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell Teleplay 1991 Til Ten Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 The World Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 The 7.30 Report Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 Photographers of Australia: Dupain, Sievers, Moore Narrator TV documentary 1992 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 Sydney Theatre Company 1978-1988 Herself Film documentary 1993 Tonight Live Guest TV series, 1 episode 1993-97 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 5 episodes 1993 World Series Debating Herself TV series, 1 episode 1993 Sydney Opera House Honours Television Gala Herself TV special 1993 Where Were You the Day President Kennedy Was Shot? Herself TV documentary 1994 60 Minutes Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 Hey Hey It's Saturday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994; 1995 Denton Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1994 Eleven A.M. Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994 Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 Midday with Derryn Hinch Herself (with Simon Bossell) TV series, 1 episode 1994 The Movie Show Herself TV series, 1 episode 1994 It's Ruth Herself TV special 1994 The People's Choice Awards Presenter TV special 1995 Creative Spirits Herself TV series, episode: Tall Tales But True - David Williamson 1995 Today Tonight Herself TV series, 2 episodes 1995; 1996 Review Guest Presenter TV series, 2 episodes 1995 Ten News Herself TV series, 2 episodes 1995 The Web Narrator TV series 1995; 1997 This Is Your Life Herself TV series, 2 episodes 1996 Sale of the Century Contestant TV series, 1 episode: "Logies Super Challenge" 1996-1998 Midday with Kerri-Anne Guest TV series, 3 episodes 1996 Sunday Afternoon Herself TV series, 1 episode 1996 The 7:30 Report Herself TV series, 1 episode 1997 The 1997 Annual TV Week Logie Awards Guest - Herself/Presenter TV Special 1997 Frontier Narrator TV series, 3 episodes 1997 Sunday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1997 60 Minutes Herself TV series, 1 episode 1997 McFeast: Portrait Of A Power Pussy Herself TV special 1997 The Making of Joey Herself TV special 1997 Monday to Friday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1997 Today Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode 1997 McFeast: Plastered and Legless Guest TV special 1998 Laws Guest TV series, 1 episode 1998 McFeast Guest TV series, 1 episode 1998 Australians Herself TV series, 1 episode 1998 Up Close and Personal Herself TV series 1998 Good News Week Guest TV series, 1 episode 2001 2001 TV Week Logie Awards Logie Hall of Fame Inductee TV special 2001 From Vaudeville to Video - A Salute to Australian Comedy Herself TV special 2002 Australian Story Herself TV series, 1 episode