Wendy Playfair
Born (1926-08-28) 28 August 1926
OccupationActress
Years activeRadio (c 1940s), theatre 1949–1960, television and film 1960-2013
Known forPrisoner as Minnie Donovan
FamilyThomas Playfair
Thomas Alfred John Playfair (uncle)
Judy Playfair (cousin)
Kip Williams (grandson)
AwardsMacquarie Radio Award

Wendy Playfair (born 28 August 1926)[1] is an Australian radio, television and film character actress, best known for her roles in television serials.[2]

Playfair started her career in radio serials, but became best known for her brief stint in TV serial Prisoner as inmate Minnie Donovan.[3] Other important roles were in the television series Home and Away and the film Accidents Happen starring Geena Davis.[3]

Family

Playfair was born in Woollahra, Sydney, New South Wales to Edmund Strathmore Creer (Strath) Playfair (1894–1965) and Kathleen Ryrie (Babs) née Campbell (1899–1989).[4] She was the third of four sisters.[5] The Playfair family were well-to-do, socially prominent[6] and in the meat trade.[7] She married James Williams at All Saints Anglican Church on 6 July 1951.[8] She is a direct descendant of the famous Sydney butcher, politician and philanthropist Thomas Playfair, and the niece of politician Thomas Alfred John Playfair. Playfair is the cousin of Olympic silver medalist Judy Playfair and the grandmother of Kip Williams, who is the current Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company.[9]

Career

Playfair started her career in radio where she worked for the ABC and consistently in morning serials for Grace Gibson, as well as in many radio plays. Playfair received the radio Macquarie Award. Prior to television she had also appeared in a few stage roles, but was best known as a radio performer[10]

She has been a staple on the small screen in character roles since 1960, when she appeared in the TV adaptation of a production of the play The Slaughter of St Theresa's Day.[11]

Playfair has primarily appeared in cameo roles, with guesting roles in series starting from the late 1960s until 2013 such as Homicide, Hunter, The Young Doctors, Return to Eden, Spirited, Rake and Packed to the Rafters

However she has had several parts as different characters in serials A Country Practice (three roles), Home and Away (two roles) and All Saints (two roles).

She also has had parts in telemovies and films including Ride a Wild Pony, the only Walt Disney film ever produced in Australia, and a pivotal role in the film Accidents Happen opposite Geena Davis in 2009.[3]

In 2022 Playfair gave a rare interview with the podcast series Talking Prisoner.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1971Three to GoMother (Segment "Judy")Feature film
1975Ride a Wild PonyMrs. QuayleFeature film
1993Terra NulliusRole unknownShort film
2009Accidents Happen[3]Mrs. SmolenskyFeature film Australia/UK
2010The TreeAunt HarrietFeature film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1960 The Slaughter of St. Teresa's Day Wilma Cartwright Teleplay
1962 The Funnel Web Irene Charlton TV movie
1965 The Affair Role unknown ABC Teleplay
1967 Divorce Court Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1967; 1968 Homicide Guest role: Ann Radford TV series, 1 episode
1968 Hunter Guest role: Mrs. West TV series, 1 episode
1968 Homicide Guest role: Jennifer Chandler TV series, 1 episode
1973 Matlock Police Guest role: Ethel Parker TV series, 1 episode
1974 The Evil Touch Guest role TV series US/Australia, 1 episode
1974 Things That Go Bump in the Night Guest role: Audrey TV series, 1 episode
1977 Say You Want Me Role unknown TV movie
1978 Bit Part Emma TV movie
1978 Shimmering Light Gwen Stuart ABC TV movie
1978 Father Dear Father in Australia Guest role: Mrs. Town TV series, 1 episode
1979 Glenview High Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1979 The Wonderful World of Disney Mrs. Quayle TV series US/Australia, 2 episodes
1980 The Young Doctors Guest role: Mrs. Steele TV series, 1 episode
1981 Bellamy Guest role: Milly TV series, 1 episode
1982-1992 A Country Practice Guest roles: Lillian Palmer/Gwen Bowman/Val Jackson TV series, 5 episodes
1983 Carson's Law Guest role: Nola Douglas TV series, 1 episode
1983-1984 Prisoner Recurring role: Minnie Donovan TV series, 33 episodes
1984 Mother and Son Guest role ABC TV series, 1 episode
1984 Special Squad Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1985 Fortress Old Woman TV movie
1986 Return To Eden Recurring role: Rena McMaster TV series, 8 episodes
1987 Willing and Abel Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1988 Swap Shop Regular role ABC TV series, 1 episode
1990 Rafferty's Rules Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1994 Cody: Bad Love Mrs. Unwin TV movie
1997 Big Sky Guest role: Mrs. Toohey TV series, 1 episode
2000; 2003 All Saints Guest role: Gloria Mayberry TV series, 1 episode
2002 Don't Blame The Koalas Guest role: Mrs. Smythe (Voice) ABC TV series, 1 episode
2003 All Saints Guest role: Hannah 'Bubba' Rosen TV series, 1 episode
2005-2009 Home and Away Guest roles: Audrey Long/Mrs. Grey TV series, 3 episodes
2010 Spirited Guest role: Geisela Mackenzie TV series, 1 episode
2010 Rake Guest role: Elspeth ABC TV series, 1 episode
2011 Laid Guest role: Old Lady ABC TV series, 1 episode
2013 Packed to the Rafters Guest role: Moira Beckett TV series, 1 episode
2022 Talking Prisoner[12] Guest - Herself Podcast, 1 episode

References

  1. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 August 1926. p. 10. Retrieved 27 June 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  2. Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. pp. 70–72.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Accidents Happen".
  4. Playfair Family Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  5. "MANY FAMILY PARTIES YESTERDAY". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 December 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 27 June 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Sydney's Talking About—". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 December 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 27 June 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Playfair estate to family". The Canberra Times. 26 October 1966. p. 13. Retrieved 27 June 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "They're Set Their Wedding Dates". The Sunday Herald. Sydney. 27 May 1951. p. 18. Retrieved 27 June 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  9. Family Matters by Evan Williams Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  10. "Wendy Playfair". AusStage.
  11. Vagg, Stephen (19 October 2020). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays – The Slaughter of St Teresa's Day". Filmink.
  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOczgQYLg5E


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