Val Lehman

Val Lehman
Born Valerie Kathleen Willis
(1943-03-15) 15 March 1943 (age 70)
Perth, Western Australia
Occupation Actress (Silver Logie Award Recipient)
Years active 1967 –
Spouse(s) Charles Collins (10 June 1989–2005) divorced
Children Cassandra, Joanne and Jason Lehman

Valerie Kathleen Lehman (born 15 March 1943) known as Val Lehman is an Gold Logie winning Australian actress, best known for her role as top dog Queen Bea Bea Smith in the Australian TV series Prisoner (aka Prisoner: Cell Block H). She played the role for over four years before leaving the series in the 400th episode in 1983. Lehman received three Logies for her performance - Best Lead Actress In A Series and Most Popular Actress in 1982 and Best Lead Actress In A Series in 1983. Her real life daughter, Cassandra Lehman portrayed Bea Smith's drug-addicted daughter, Debbie. Her other daughter, Joanne also briefly appeared in Prisoner, during the first year of the series.

Television Roles

Lehman has appeared in many other Australian television productions, mostly in guest roles. Prior to Prisoner she acted in the television series Bellbird and Tandarra. After Prisoner she appeared in The Flying Doctors, Army Wives, Something in the Air, Blue Heelers, All Saints and City Homicide.

Lehman lived in Ipswich, Suffolk, England for much of the 1990s after being initially invited to the UK for personal appearances by the Prisoner: Cell Block H fan club. She successfully spearheaded the campaign by Prisoner fans over many years, to have Prisoner released on DVD in its entirety because she found her source of income low when 'guest' appearances on Blue Heelers dried up.

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Last modified on 13 March 2013, at 21:29