Patricia Kennedy (actress)

For the socialite, see Patricia Kennedy Lawford.

Patricia Kennedy
OBE
Kennedy in 1944
Born
Patricia Carmel Stewart Kennedy

(1916-03-17)17 March 1916
Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia
Died10 December 2012(2012-12-10) (aged 96)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
EducationTeacher
OccupationActress
Years active1943-?

Patricia Carmel Stewart Kennedy OBE (17 March 1916 – 10 December 2012) was an Australian actress with a long career in theatre, radio, film and television. According to one writer she was "sometimes called the first lady of Melbourne radio and theatre."[1]

Early life

Kennedy was born in Queenscliff, Victoria on 17 March (St Patrick's Day), 1916[2] (however, other sources list her year of birth as 1917.)[3] She was raised, and remained, a practising Catholic.[4]

Kennedy moved to Hawthorn in 1925 to undertake her schooling at the Presentation Convent, Windsor, after which, she enrolled at Maie Hoban's School of Drama in East Melbourne.[3]

She trained as a school teacher before winning the Colac Amateur Festival around 1938, which sparked a passion for acting. She started her stage career in 1943.[5]

Career

Theatre

Kennedy was noted for her range, spanning from high drama to comedy. She was mainly based in Melbourne, and had a strong association with the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC), but she also performed in England with the Bristol Old Vic Company's 1969–1970 season.[6]

She appeared in plays such as Jay Presson Allen's adaptation of Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968),[7] Ibsen's Ghosts (1969: Mrs Alving), Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well, The Man Who Shot the Albatross (1972),[6] and Some of My Best Friends are Women (1976).[8]

Her portrayal of Mary in the South Australian Theatre Company's Melbourne production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night was described as "the best female performance on the Melbourne stage in 1973", and that production is considered one of the landmark productions in Australian theatre, largely due to Patricia Kennedy's involvement.[9]

Plays written for Kennedy included the single-hander The Rain by Daniel Keene.[4] She appeared alongside Zoe Caldwell in the MTC's production of Euripides' Medea, the first production at the Arts Centre Melbourne's Playhouse Theatre in 1984.[10]

From 1991 to 1992, Kennedy appeared in a one-woman stage adaptation of Elizabeth Jolley's novel The Newspaper of Claremont Street, staged by the Playbox Theatre Company at a number of venues in Victoria.[11]

Kennedy was still active with the MTC well into her 80s.[12]

Radio

Kennedy was one of the leading radio actors in Melbourne. Her radio career began when she was discovered by 3UZ drama director Walter Pym at a Sunday night play reading in Melbourne.[13] After winning a best female actress award for her role in the 3DB series Are You an Actor?, she started securing roles in ABC radio plays.[13]

During World War 2, Kennedy was hired as an ABC announcer, alongside Dorothy Crawford and Mary Ward.[13]

In 1946, Kennedy shared the title role in Crawford Productions' radio drama Melba with singer Glenda Raymond (who later became Hector Crawford's wife).[14] She played Miss Crump on the long-running ABC radio program The Village Glee Club (1942–1971).[15] She also played the title role in Jane Eyre for Lux Radio Theatre, Barbara Brandon in The Rev Matthew[13] and appeared in episodes of Caltex Theatre.[16]

Film and television

Kennedy's early television credits included Emergency, Consider Your Verdict and Homicide as well as a number of various tv plays.[17] She went on to appear in Prisoner, Young Ramsay, The Sullivans, The Weekly's War, Five Mile Creek, Return to Eden, The Flying Doctors, G.P. and A Country Practice.[17]

Kennedy played the regular role of Emily Muldoon in early 1980s series Holiday Island. She also appeared in 1984 television movie Kindred Spirits and 1986 miniseries Land of Hope.[17]

Film appearances included The Getting of Wisdom (1977), My Brilliant Career (1979), Country Life (1994) and Road to Nhill (1997).[17]

Kennedy was a drama consultant for the 1982 miniseries Sara Dane.[17]

Other endeavours

During the 1940s, Kennedy was a member of Actors' Equity of Australia, and was one of the witnesses to the 1949 Victorian Royal Commission Inquiring into the Origins, Aims, Objects and Funds of the Communist Party in Victoria and Other Related Matters where there was possible irregular voting that may have involved Equity and the Communist Party of Australia.[18]

From 1972 to 1973, Kennedy worked as a consultant to the Australia Council for the Arts.[6]

Kennedy was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1982 New Year Honours, for service to the performing arts.[19]

Personal life and death

Kennedy remained single, very private and very independent. Even in her 80s, although she owned a house in Melbourne, she preferred to live alone in a hut without electricity, on the edge of a state forest near Bega in southern New South Wales. This was 5–6 hours drive by road from Melbourne, where she would travel for theatre commitments.

In the 1990s, Kennedy was involved in founding the Four Winds Festival in Bermagui.[20]

Kennedy died on 10 December 2012, aged 96.[2] A private funeral was held on 19 December.[21]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1972 The Office Picnic Mrs Rourke Feature film
1977 The Getting of Wisdom Miss Chapman Feature film
1979 My Brilliant Career Aunt Gussie Feature film
1985 Departure Sylvia Swift Feature film
1994 Country Life (an adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya) Maud Dickens Feature film
1997 Road to Nhill Jean Feature film[22]

Television

Year Title Role Type
1958 Killer in Close-Up Mrs Rattenbury TV play
The Public Prosecutor Teresia TV play
The Governess Ethel Fry TV play
Wild Life and Christmas Belles TV play
1959 Emergency Miss Marshall 1 episode
Black Chiffon Alicia TV play
Black Limelight Mary Harrington TV play
The House by the Stable Pride TV play
1961 Waters of the Moon Helen Lancaster TV play
Traveller Without Luggage The Maid TV play
The Rivals TV play
1962 Murder in the Cathedral TV play
Marriage Lines Virginia Pilgrim TV play
1962–1963 Consider Your Verdict Margaret Kingsley 2 episodes
1964 Everyman Knowledge TV play
The Physicists TV play
Six Characters in Search of an Author The Mother TV play
1964; 1972 Homicide Dame Isobel Stone / Mrs Ryan 2 episodes
1965 Waiting in the Wings Lotta Bainbridge TV play
Macbeth First Witch TV play
Photo Finish Stella TV play
1966 Topaze Baroness TV play
Boy with Banner Mum TV play
1972 Over There 1 episode
The Man Who Shot the Albatross TV play
1977 No Room For The Innocent TV play
1979 Prisoner Miss McBride 4 episodes
1980 The Franky Doyle Story TV movie
The Sullivans Mother Bernadette 1 episode
Young Ramsay Elizabeth Turnbull 1 episode
1981–1982 Holiday Island Emily Muldoon 46 episodes
1983 The Weekly's War Dame Mary Gilmore Miniseries
Return to Eden Kathy Basklain Miniseries, 2 episodes
1984 Kindred Spirits Miss Morris TV movie
1985 Five Mile Creek Lillie 1 episode
Emmett Stone Beatrice Feature film
1986 Land of Hope Old Maureen Quinn Miniseries
1988; 1990 The Flying Doctors Ruth / Edith Cranston 2 episodes
1989 G.P. Evelyn McLean 1 episode
1993 Johnny Bago Killer Date 1 episode
A Country Practice Vera Boardman 2 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Type Ref.
1947 The Merchant of Venice Portia St Peters Hall, Eastern Hill with National Theatre [3]
1947 Candida Candida St Peters Hall, Eastern Hill with National Theatre [3]
1949 Antigone Antigone National Theatre, Melbourne [23]
1953 After My Fashion University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company [3][23]
1953 Candida National Theatre, Melbourne [23]
1955 The Dark is Light Enough Countess University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company [3][23]
1957–1958 The Chalk Garden Miss Madrigal Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal Sydney, Theatre Royal, Adelaide with J. C. Williamson's [3][23]
1958 Three Sisters Anfisa [3]
Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Emerald Hill Theatre Company [3]
1959 The Party University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company [23]
1959 Venus Observed University of Melbourne with Union Theatre Repertory Company [23]
1967 A Delicate Balance Alice Russell St Theatre, Melbourne [3]
1968 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie [7]
1969 Ghosts Mrs Alving
1969–1970 The School for Scandal Little Theatre, Bristol [24]
1969–1970 A Delicate Balance Little Theatre, Bristol [24]
1970 All's Well That Ends Well Countess of Rossillion Princess Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [3][24]
1972 The Man Who Shot the Albatross [6][3]
1973 Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Tyrone Melbourne & Adelaide with STCSA [9][3]
1976 Some of My Best Friends are Women [8]
1979 The Day after the Fair Tour with Paul Dainty [3]
1984 Medea The Nurse Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [10][3]
Wings Aviatrix Playbox, Melbourne & Adelaide Festival Centre [3]
Alive and Kicking Playbox Theatre Company [3]
Disturbing the Dust Adelaide Festival, Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company [3]
1991–1992 The Newspaper of Claremont Street One-woman show VIC tour with Playbox Theatre Company [11][3]
1999 The Rain La Mama, Melbourne, Beckett Theatre, Melbourne [4][3]

Radio

Year Title Role Type Ref.
1937 Shadow and Substance Brigid ABC Radio [25]
1938 The Girl with the Tattered Glove [25]
1943 The Better Road ABC Radio [23]
1945 The First Gentleman ABC Radio [26]
1946 Melba Nellie Melba Crawford Productions [14]
1942–1971 The Village Glee Club Miss Lydia Crump ABC Radio [15]
1943 The Golden Lover Tawhai ABC Radio [25]
1952 The Enchanted Island [27]
1953 Caltex Theatre Episode: "Scrooge the Miser" [16]
Are You an Actor? 3DB [13]
Jane Eyre Jane Lux Radio Theatre [13]
The Rev Matthew Barbara Brandon

[13]

Quality Street Phoebe ABC Radio [25]
So to Bed Mrs Pepys ABC Radio [25]
Deirdre of the Sorrows Deirdre ABC Radio [25]

References

  1. ^ Philp, Peter (2016). Drama in Silent Rooms: A History of Radio Drama in Australia from 1920s to 1970s. Eureka Media Communications. p. 473. ISBN 9780646943251. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b "The Age Death Notices – Melbourne, Victoria". The Age.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Robertson, Malcolm; Taylor, Ariette; Hennessey, Bernard (26 January 2013). "Distinguished actor had 70-year career". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  4. ^ a b c Elliott, Helen (June 1999). "Why People Write Plays for Her" (PDF). Coalition ’99 (Archived webpage) (10 ed.). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2000. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Trove.
  5. ^ "Patricia Kennedy". AusStage. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d Arts Centre, Melbourne
  7. ^ a b "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". AusStage. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Some of My Best Friends are Women". AusStage. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b Murphy, Brenda (20 September 2001). O'Neill: Long Day's Journey Into Night. Cambridge University Press. p. 62. ISBN 9780521665759. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b Fairfax, Vicki (26 January 2002). A Place Across the River: They Aspired to Create the Victorian Arts Centre. Macmillan Education AU. p. 266. ISBN 9781876832131. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ a b "Adaptations of Works by Elizabeth Jolley" (PDF). john.curtin.edu.au. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  12. ^ Kemp, Peter (30 September 1997). "Roger Hodgman Unveils His Final Season at Melbourne Theatre Company". Playbill. Retrieved 26 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Unknown Quantity: Episode 1". National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  14. ^ a b Colligan, Mimi. Crawford, Dorothy Muriel (1911–1988). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  15. ^ a b Colligan, Mimi. Darbyshire, Phillip Arthur (Phil) (1898–1969). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  16. ^ a b "The Caltex Theater – Scrooge The Miser (Christmas) 1953". Blubrry Podcasting.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Patricia Kennedy". televisionau.com. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Actor's Equity". Kalgoorlie Miner. Vol. 55, no. 15, 524. Western Australia. 5 October 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 12 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "It's an Honour". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  20. ^ "Four Winds History (Archived copy)". Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Patricia Kennedy Death Notice - Melbourne, Victoria". The Age. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Patricia Kennedy". IMDb.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference AS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ a b c "Distinguished actor had 70-year career". Theatricalia. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  25. ^ a b c d e f "STARS OF THE AIR: PATRICIA KENNEDY – MELBOURNE ACTRESS". Woodend Star and Macedon Advocate. No. 13329. 4 December 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 10 March 2026 – via National Library of Australia / Trove.
  26. ^ "This week's A.B.C. Plays on the National programmes", ABC Weekly, 7 (21), Sydney, 26 May 1945, nla.obj-1326851346, retrieved 21 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia / Trove
  27. ^ "Comedy duo in Atlantic show". The Sun. No. 13329. 28 October 1952. p. 22. Retrieved 13 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Kennedy_(actress)