Wendy Hughes

Wendy Hughes (29 July 19528 March 2014) was an Australian actress known for her work in theatre, film and television. Her career spanned more than 40 years and established her reputation as one of Australia's finest and most prolific actors. In her later career she acted in Happy New Year along with stars Peter Falk and Charles Durning. In 1993 she played Dr. Carol Blythe, M. E. in Homicide: Life on the Street. In the late 1990s, she starred in State Coroner and Paradise Road.

Early life Born in Melbourne to English parents, her father was born in Lancashire, but had relocated to Australia at the outbreak of World War II, where he served in the RAAF. He met her mother in London shortly after the war ended and they moved to Melbourne. Her father worked as a plasterer, and Wendy was raised in the suburb of Alphington. but, during her teenage years, she turned her focus to acting. She received a scholarship to attend National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) Continuing to hone her skills with the Melbourne Theatre Company, she had her first film role in Petersen (1974).

Hughes's first internationally known role was the character Patricia in Lonely Hearts (1982). That role began a decades-long collaboration with the Dutch-Australian director Paul Cox.

Hughes made her American debut in 1987 in John G. Avildsen's film Happy New Year, opposite Peter Falk and Charles Durning. In 1989, she starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in The Heist, a TV movie made by HBO.

Stage appearances by Hughes during this time included as Mrs. Robinson in the 2001 Melbourne version of The Graduate, Martha in a 2007 staging of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by the Melbourne Theatre Company, the character of Honor in Honour in 2010, and Henry Higgins's mother in Pygmalion (2012).

Her last TV appearance was in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

Awards She was nominated for Australian Film Institute acting awards six times, and won the Best Lead actress award in 1983 for her performance in Careful, He Might Hear You.

Personal life and death Hughes married actor Sean Scully at the age of 21, after meeting on a touring production of Leonard Gershe's play Butterflies are Free in 1971. They divorced in 1973, but remained friends.

Hughes died of cancer on 8 March 2014, aged 61. Actor Bryan Brown announced her death to an audience attending the play Travelling North in Sydney that afternoon, asking the audience to join him in a standing ovation in tribute to the late actress.

Filmography

Film

Television Year Title Role Type 1967–1972 Homicide Barbara Carlisle / Jan Smith / Rosalind Eyre / Helen Raynor / Darlene Sadler / Julie Smith 6 episodes 1968 Hunter Sue Gallagher 1 episode 1971 The Group Guest role: Laura Bent 1 episode 1971–1976 Matlock Police Jill Perry / Joanna / Fran Carmody / Patti Anderson 5 episodes 1972 A Time For Love 1974 A Touch of Reverence Miniseries, 3 episodes 1974 Eye of the Spiral (aka The Spiral Bureau) TV film 1974 The Cherry Orchard Teleplay 1974 Essington TV film 1975 Behind the Legend Season 3, episode 10: 'Christopher Brennan' 1975 Number 96 Vanessa Harrison 1 episode 1975 The Company Men Jill Freeman 3 episodes 1976 Rush Emma 1 episode 1976 Is There Anybody There? Marianne Dickinson TV film 1976 The Outsiders Susan Mayfield 1 episode 1976 The Alternative Melanie Hilton TV film 1976 Power Without Glory Mary West Miniseries, 12 episodes 1978 A Woman in the House TV film 1978 Puzzle Claudine Cunningham TV film 1980 Cop Shop Marian McCall 1 episode 1980 Australian Theatre Festival: Coralie Landsdowne Says No Coralie Landsdowne Teleplay 1980 Lucinda Brayford Lucinda Brayford Miniseries, 4 episodes 1983 Return to Eden Jilly Stewart Miniseries, 3 episodes 1984 Sunday Australian Movies Presenter Anthology series 1984 Five Mile Creek Arabella 1 episode 1985 I Can't Get Started Margaret TV film 1985 Remember Me Jenny TV film 1985 Promises to Keep Uncredited TV film 1987 Amerika Marion Andrews Miniseries, 7 episodes 1989 The Heist Sheila TV film 1990 Donor Dr. Farrell TV film 1991 Sukeban deka: Gyakushu-hen Additional voices Video game 1991 A Woman Named Jackie Janet Lee Bouvier Miniseries, 3 episodes 1993 Homicide: Life on the Street Dr. Carol Blythe, M.E. 5 episodes 1993 Star Trek: The Next Generation Lieutenant Commander Nella Daren Episode 19: 'Lessons' 1994 Blue Seed Additional voices Animated TV series 1994–1996 Banjo Paterson's The Man From Snowy River (aka Snowy River: The McGregor Saga) Kathleen O'Neil/McGregor 52 episodes 1995 Golden Boy: Sasurai no o-benkyo yaro Employee C (voice) TV series 1996 State Coroner State Coroner Kate Ferrari TV pilot 1997–1998 State Coroner State Coroner Kate Ferrari TV series, 28 episodes 2005 MDA Gabrielle Bromley TV film series, 4 episodes 2006 Two Twisted Barber's Wife TV film series, episode 5: 'Von Stauffenberg's Stamp 2007 A Wire Through the Heart Narrator Documentary 2007 Constructing Australia Narrator Documentary series, 3 episodes 2007 The Fabric of a Dream: The Fletcher Jones Story Narrator TV documentary 2007 City Homicide Victoria Semple 1 episode 2007 The Bridge Narrator Documentary 2008 The Saddle ClubLouise Lomax (as Wendy Hughs) 1 episode 2009 All Saints Annalise Lang 1 episode 2009 Darwin's Brave New World Narrator 3 episodes 2012 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Adele Freeman 1 episode

Stage Year Title Role Notes 1967 The Choephori (The Libation Bearers) Chorus Member UNSW, Sydney with NIDA 1968 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Monash University, Melbourne with Melbourne Youth Theatre 1969 Spurt of Blood Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA 1969 Antigone Ismene NIDA Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1969 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Big Mumma UNSW, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre 1970 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hippolyta UNSW, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre & AETT 1970 Blood Wedding Old Woman / Young Servant Girl UNSW, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre 1970 Hedda Gabler Berte NIDA Theatre, Sydney 1971 Butterflies are Free Jill Tanner Australian national tour with Harry M. Miller 1971; 1972 Patate Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Arts Theatre, Adelaide with MTC 1972 Tonight at 8.30: Shadow Play / Red Peppers / Family Album Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1972 Danton's Death Madame Catherine Duplessis 1972 A Touch of the Poet Sarah, the daughter 1972 The Tavern 1972; 1973 The Cherry Orchard Anya Australian tour with MTC 1972; 1973 An Ideal Husband Miss Mabel Chiltern Australian national tour with MTC 1972; 1973 Tom Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1973 Mother Courage Katerin Princess Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1973 The Plough and the Stars Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1973 Batman's Beach-Head Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1973 Paying the Piper 1980 She'll Be Right Voice Over Artist Parramatta Correctional Centre with Pros and Cons Playhouse 1981 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Margaret Sydney Opera House with STC 1983 Present Laughter Liz Theatre Royal Sydney with STC 1990 Li'l Abner Choreographer Monash University, Melbourne with Peninsula Light Operatic Society 1999–2000 Happy Days - The Arena Mega Musical Marion Cunningham Australian national tour 2000 Oedipus Jocasta Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 2001 The Graduate Mrs Robinson Theatre Royal Sydney with The Really Useful Company 2002 Sweet Bird of Youth Alexandra del Lago Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2003 The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Stevie Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2004 Amigos Hilary NSW, VIC & ACT tour with STC & MTC 2006 The Clean House Lane Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2007; 2013 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Martha 2009 Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners Playhouse, Perth with Onward Production 2010 All About My Mother Huma Rojo MTC 2010, 2013 Honour Honour Sydney Opera House with STC 2012 Pygmalion Mrs Higgins Sydney Theatre with STC 2012 Face to Face Jenny's Aunt