Wikipedia

Patsy King

Patsy King (born 16 September 1930)[1][5][3] is an Australian actress and children's television presenter, recognized for her contributions to theatre, radio, and television. Internationally, she is best known for portraying Governor Erica Davidson in the cult television series Prisoner (known as Prisoner: Cell Block H in the UK and USA, and Caged Women in Canada).

Patsy King
Born (1930-09-16) 16 September 1930 (age 94)[1]
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupations
  • Actress (stage, radio, television, film)
  • television presenter
  • director
  • commercial voiceover
[2]
Years activeTV and Film: 1961–1984
Theatre (acting, directing, and writing) 1951-1995, 2009.[2]
Known forPrisoner (also known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H[1])
Notable work
SpouseJohn Sumner (1959-1967)[4]

King has also worked as a theatre director, playwright, children's television presenter, and voiceover artist. She began as a radio and classical stage actress, performing in a range of roles including Shakespeare and Peter Pan. King's career spanned from 1951 to 1995, with a brief return to the stage in 2009. Her television career included roles in the series Homicide and Bellbird, where she played Kate Andrews.

Early life

edit

King was born on 16 September 1930 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[1] Initially aspiring to become a dress designer,[1] she spent her early years in the United Kingdom[6] before returning to Australia. She then pursued a career in theatre, training as a classical stage actress with the Melbourne National Theatre, specialising in straight drama and Shakespeare. In 1959, she married English-born Australian theatre impresario John Sumner, the founder and artistic director of the Melbourne National Theatre. They divorced in 1967.[3]

Career

edit

Theatre

edit

King began her career as a stage actress in the early 1950s and later became a playwright. She performed in a variety of roles, including productions of Victoria Regina, The Miser, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Richard II, Blithe Spirit, Absurd Person Singular, Half a Sixpence, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Love for Love, and Love Letters. Her performances earned her several awards, including the Erik Award and the Melbourne Critics Award for her role in Four Poster.

Television

edit

In the early 1960s, King began her television career with teleplays on the ABC, followed by a variety of serials and guest roles in several Crawford Productions series, including Hunter, The Sullivans and The Box. She also appeared in police procedural dramas such as Matlock Police, Division 4, Bluey, Cop Shop, and Homicide. Her other television credits include Power Without Glory, Chopper Squad, Out of Love and Good Morning, Mr. Doubleday.

King became a regular cast member on the series Bellbird as Kate Andrews and as Governor Erica Davidson in Prisoner (also known as Prisoner: Cell Block H). She portrayed the first governor of the fictional Wentworth Detention Centre, appearing in 351 episodes. Following the conclusion of the series, King toured the United Kingdom in a stage play based on Prisoner.[7]

King was also a notable children's television presenter, serving as an early host on the ABC show Play School. She additionally appeared on The Magic Circle Club and Adventure Island.[8][1][9][10]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role Type
1972 The Journey Film short

Television

edit
Year Title Role Type
1961 The Rivals Lydia Teleplay
1962 Suspect (episode of The General Motors Hour) Janet Teleplay
1964 Wind from the Icy Country Ella Teleplay
1965-1975 Homicide Sarah Adams / Helen Taylor / Trin Turner / Shirley Wallace / Kay Loder / Policewoman Burke / Janet Smith / Pat Palmer / Sybil Cochrane / Mary Hamilton / Joan Preston / Carol Long / Betty Nyberg / Joy TV series, 14 episodes
1965 A Time to Speak (episode of Wednesday Theatre) Annie Teleplay
1965 Photo Finish (episode of Wednesday Theatre) Teleplay
1966 The Decision (episode of Australian Playhouse) Sally Peters TV series
1966 Play School Presenter TV series, 10 episodes
1967 Bellbird Kate Andrews TV series, recurring role
1967 Adventure Island Miss Behaviour TV series, regular role
1968 Hunter Jean Gallagher TV series, 1 episode
1969 Good Morning, Mr. Doubleday Bridget O'Connor TV series, 1 episode
1969 Dynasty Kathy Mason TV series, 1 episode
1970-1975 Division 4 Mrs. Carr / Susan Hill / Carol Foster / Marion Dalton / Valerie Fisher TV series, 5 episodes
1970 The Long Arm Naomi TV series, 1 episode
1971-1974 Matlock Police Lily / Joan / Jan Ross TV series, 3 episodes
1974 Marion Mrs. Finnegan TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1974 This Love Affair TV series, episode 2: "Tilting at Windmills"
1974 The Box Gloria TV series, 2 episodes
1974 Out of Love TV series, episode 2: "It Will Never Work"
1976 Power Without Glory Vera Maguire TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1977 Bluey Tina Golding TV series, episode 33: "Final Devotion"
1977 Hotel Story TV series, 1 episode
1977 The Sullivans Beryl Fletcher TV series, 4 episodes
1978 Cop Shop Sara Fitzsimmons / Julie Gibbons TV series, 2 episodes
1978 Chopper Squad Iris Deacon TV series, episode 5: "8:52 A.M."
1979 The Franky Doyle Story Erica Davidson TV film
1981 Prisoner in Concert Erica Davidson TV special
1979-1984 Prisoner Regular role: Governor Erica Davidson / Erica TV series, 353 episodes

Theatre

edit
Year Title Role Venue / Co.
1951 Victoria Regina National Theatre, Melbourne
1952 National Theatre Festival of the Arts 1952: Season Six Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1955 The Lady from the Sea National Theatre, Melbourne
1956 Summer and Smoke University of Melbourne
1956 The Miser National Theatre, Melbourne
1957 The Wind of Heaven University of Melbourne
1957 Our Town Rebecca Webb University of Melbourne
1957 The Queen and the Rebels Peasant University of Melbourne
1957 The Matchmaker Ermengarde University of Melbourne
1957 Tonight in Samarkand University of Melbourne
1957 Ring Round the Moon University of Melbourne
1957 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Margaret Wolfie Dixie University of Melbourne
1957 A View from the Bridge Neighbour University of Melbourne
1957 Peter Pan (pantomime) Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1957–60 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Bubba Ryan Darwin Town Hall, Australian regional tour, His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, Opera House, Wellington, Theatre Royal, Adelaide
1960 See How They Run Penelope Toop University of Melbourne
1961 The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Madge Frettleby Russell Street Theatre, University of Melbourne
1961 The Importance of Being Ernest Cecily Cardew University of Melbourne
1961 Romanoff and Juliet Juliet Moulsworth University of Melbourne
1962 Dracula Lucy Seward University of Melbourne
1963 The Good Ship Walter Raleigh Josephine University of Melbourne
1963 Richard II University of Melbourne
1963–65 The Fourposter Agnes Russell Street Theatre
1963 The Happy Invalid University of Melbourne
1965 The Glazed Look St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1966 The Cavern St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1967 Half A Sixpence Helen Walsingham Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1968 See How They Run /Charley's Aunt St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1969 Marching Song St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1969 Love for Love Angelica St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1974 The Slaughter of St Theresa's Day Monash University
1976 Absurd Person Singular Margaret Theatre Royal, Hobart
1978 Innocent Bystanders Lilith Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
1983 A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur Helena Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
1984 Farewell Brisbane Ladies Universal Theatre, Melbourne
Blithe Spirit Elvira
1989 Love wiih the Lights Out Director Carlton Courthouse
1990 A Constant Lover Director Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne
1990 An Office Romance Director Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne
1995 Prisoner Cell Block H: The Stage Play
2009 Love Letters (charity performance)

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f Lane, Richard (1991). Prisoner Cell Block H. London: Thames Mandarin. ISBN 0-7493-0929-6.
  2. ^ a b "Patsy King".
  3. ^ a b c Bennet, Craig (27 December 2021) Patsy King at 91: 'Prisoner Fans Still Stop Me' New Idea. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. ^ Bridal Group at University' Melbourne Age, 21 November 1959, page 7
  5. ^ Sinclair, Murray. "Prisoner Cell Block H". Pinnacle Books.
  6. ^ Bourke, Terry (1990). Prisoner Cell Block: Behind the Scenes. London: Angus and Robertson (UK).
  7. ^ Bridal Group at University Melbourne Age 21 November 1959 p.7
  8. ^ Bryant, Margot "The illustrated Encyclopedia of Australian Showbiz"
  9. ^ "Patsy King at the IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  10. ^ Knox, David. "Governor's play for love".
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patsy_King&oldid=1247621857"