Lesley Baker (born 20 January 1944) is an Australian actress, singer, dancer and comedian. She is best known internationally for her small screen roles in cult series Prisoner and her recurring role in Neighbours.
Lesley Baker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 January 1944 |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | Screen 1969–present, theatre 1963-1981[1] |
| Known for |
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Early career edit
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Baker was well known for her early appearances on In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy, after which she went on to play several roles for Crawford Productions series.
Prisoner edit
She is best known for her TV soap opera roles including hulking husband basher, Monica Ferguson, in early episodes of Prisoner in 1979, and in 1982, she returned to that series playing the character of "Tinker" Bell Peters.
Neighbours edit
She has played the itinerant role of Angie Rebecchi since January 1995, the mother of long-running character, Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) in Neighbours, who was also introduced in 1995. The character Angie was originally introduced as a guest character, however, her popularity with viewers saw writers decide to introduce her husband "Big Kev" (Don Bridges), eldest son, Shane (Greg O'Mera), and youngest son, Jared "Toadfish" Rebecchi, to the regular cast. The family moved into Ramsay Street, and joined Kevin Jr "Stonefish" Rebecchi (Anthony Engleman), who was an already established character from 1994. In 1996, Angie, Kev and Stonefish were all written out of Neighbours, however, both Angie and Stonefish made sporadic appearances over the following years, with Angie appearing in both the original "final episode" in 2022, and the first episodes of the 2023 continuation.
Filmography edit
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Episode/Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Graham Kennedy's Channel 9 Show | Guest (singing with Graham Kennedy) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1969–76 | Homicide | - Gloria Slater - Sadie Thompson - Jeannie Burke - Sister Catherine - April Brown - Jocelyn Davies - Mrs. Morton - Nora Jenkins |
8 episodes: "Triple Play" (#6.19), "An Welcomed Guest" (#6.44), "Expectations" (#8.30), "The Crossing (#11.1), "The Artful Dodger", "Brotherhood of Man" (#11.31), "Short Cut" (#12.32), "The Whole of the Law" (#13.6) |
| 1970–75 | Division 4 | - Junie Mullins - Thelma Shaw - Annie Kerr - Jean Whelan - Marcie White - Cassandra - Yvonne - Kay Hudson |
8 episodes: "Fizz" (#2.9), "Mad Monaghan" (#2.31), "Drop-Out" (#2.31) "Live Bait" (#3.26) "Backlash"(#6.2), "Parable" (#6.16), "Time Payment" (#7.5), "Friends - Who Needs 'Em?" (#7.36) |
| 1970 | The Long Arm | - The Nurse - Const. Brenda Davis |
2 episodes: "The Big Circle" (#1.8), "The Christmas Break"(##1.13) |
| 1971–76 | Matlock Police | - WPC Sue Rogers - Val Wilson - Judy Elliot - Babs Taylor - Marion Woods - Daphne - Dolly Robinson - Molly Atkins - Eileen Simpson |
9 episodes: "Tightrope" (#1.15), "Escape to Nowhere" (#1.25), "Smoke Screen" (#1.32), "Squaring Off" (#3.121), "Walk Like a Man" (#5.180), "Where the Trees Walk Down the Hill" (#5.184), "Cuckoos and Peaches" (#5.202), "No Problems" (#5.214), "Come to Mother" (#5.226) |
| 1974 | Rush | Episode: "They Faced all the Dangers, Those Bold Bushrangers" (#1.3) | |
| 1975 | The Last of the Australians | Ms. Ferguson | Episode: "Ashes to Ashes" (#2.4) |
| 1976 | Solo One | Mrs. Pickett | Episode: "My Bonnie" (#1.7) |
| Bellbird | Cheryl Turner #2 | ||
| Alvin Purple | Myrtle | Episode: "Ciao Alvin" (#1.13) | |
| 1977 | Bluey | Leslie Stewart | Episode: "Emma" (#1.15) |
| 1978 | Cop Shop | Mother | Episode 1.97 |
| 1979 | Skyways | Gladys Skinner (as Leslie Baker) | Episode: "Donny's Father" (#1.142) |
| 1979 | Prisoner (aka Prisoner: Cell Block H orCaged Women.) |
Monica Ferguson | 36 episodes: 15–18, 29–60 |
| 1980 | Water Under the Bridge | Nurse Vickers | Miniseries |
| 1981 | I Can Jump Puddles | Matron | Miniseries |
| 1983 | Prisoner (aka Prisoner: Cell Block H orCaged Women.) |
Belle 'Tinker' Peters | 3 episodes: 390–392 |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Nurse | Episode: "Fallen into Darkness" |
| Special Squad | Chamber Maid | Episode: "Counterfeit Lady" (#1.5) | |
| 1986, 1988–89 | The Flying Doctors | - Mrs. Jackson - Lucy Somers |
5 episodes: "Sins of the Fathers" (#1.8), "Don't Tell Anyone" (#3.24), "Breaking the Drought (#4.8), "All You Need is Luck" (#4.11), "Rising Sundown (#5.6) |
| 1988 | The Bartons | Mrs. Davis | 2 episodes: "Half Time" (#1.3), "The Great Billycart Aid Rave" (#1.6) |
| 1992 | Boney | Boarding House Lady | Episode: Looks Can Kill" (#1.2) |
| 1993 | Phoenix | Woman Farmer (as Leslie Baker) | Episode: "In on the Joke" (#2.8) |
| 1997, 1998 | Good Guys, Bad Guys | - Rose - Ms. Pinney |
2 episodes: "Angel'’ (#1.11), "Naughty Bits (#2.5) |
| 1999 | Stingers | Maggie Robardi | Episode: "Just Acting" (#2.13) |
| 2000 | SeaChange | Mrs. Chatham | Episode: "Pipeline" (#3.5) |
| 2001 | Shock Jock | Rita | 3 episodes: "Exposure" (#1.3), "Mein Diary" (#1.5), "One for the Road" (#1.6) |
| 1994, 1997, 2001, 2004 | Blue Heelers | - Sheila O'Shaughnessy - Mrs. Flynn - Grandma Kenny - Irene Wilkes |
5 episodes: "Why Give People Rights? They Only Abuse Them" (#1.3), "Face Value (1.38), "The Civil Deed" (#4.41), "A Matter of Faith" (#8.37), "Reasonable Doubt: Live" (#11.12) |
| 2008–09 | City Homicide | Miriam Toffler | 2 episodes: "Taniwha" (#2.4), "In Wolf’s Clothing" (#3.17) |
| 2009 | The Librarians | Christine's aunt | Episode: "Romeos and Juliets" (#2.4) |
| 1995–96 2002–06, 2008, 2013, 2015 2017–19, 2022–23 |
Neighbours | Angie Rebecchi | Regular / recurring role |
Film edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Inanimate Objects | Sam Graham | Film |
| 2008 | Tea and Physics | Granny | Short film |
| 1993 | Body Melt | Mack | Feature film |
| 1992 | Spotswood (aka The Efficiency Expert) |
Gwen | Feature film (as Leslie Baker) |
| 1987 | Slate, Wyn & Me | Molly | Feature film |