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Judy McBurney

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Judy McBurney
Born
Judith McBurney

(1948-05-19)19 May 1948
Died1 December 2018(2018-12-01) (aged 70)
Sydney, Australia
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Years active1968–2002
Known forThe Young Doctors as Tania Livingstone
Prisoner as Sandra "Pixie" Mason

Judith McBurney (19 May 1948 – 1 December 2018)[1] was an Australian actress and model. She is best known for serial The Young Doctors in 1,300 episodes as Tania Livingstone and also appeared in cult series Prisoner as Sandra" Pixie" Mason in 96 episodes.[2]

Early career

Before acting, McBurney started a successful career as a model employed by June Dally-Watkins. One of her first acting roles was in late 1969, in a supporting role in Peter Weir's short movie Michael, one of three short movies released under the title Three to Go. It followed by small parts in ABC TV-plays and guest roles in other TV series. Her first leading role was in 1972 as Ella Belairs in ABC's adaption of The Cousin from Fiji, based on a novel by Norman Lindsay. Another early and memorable role was as Aldith in Seven Little Australians.[2]

Television soap operas

In late 1973, McBurney was cast in the role of key new character Marilyn McDonald in Number 96 but before any of her scenes had gone to air and with about 30 scenes in the can she had to withdraw from the role due to illness. This left her replacement, Frances Hargreaves, to reshoot all of McBurney's scenes.

McBurney then went into the ongoing role of plain-Jane secretary Jane Fowler in The Box in late 1975, and later played the brief role of Jodi in Number 96. Subsequently, she became immensely popular playing the part of nurse Tania Livingston in The Young Doctors. She played the role from 1977 until the series ended in 1982. She followed this with another popular character, that of breezy romantic Sandra "Pixie" Mason in Prisoner for 96 episodes. She played Pixie on a recurring basis from 1983 to 1985. In later years she appeared in a few episodes of Always Greener.[2]

McBurney was also famous for her voice-over work and also starring in commercials, in particular a very cheeky, controversial ad from the 1980s for Palmolive Gold, in which she features in a bed with actor Peter Mochrie. McBurney leaves a cake of soap under his pillow, which led to the famous jingle and saying "Don't wait to be told".[citation needed]

Personal life and death

McBurney retired from acting in 2002 to become an educated healer.[clarification needed] She also went on to teach modelling and acting for young people.[1] McBurney died of cancer on 1 December 2018.[3]

Filmography

Film

Production Year Role Type
Three to Go 1971 Judy (segment "Michael") Feature film
What for Marianne? 1971 Marianne TV movie
Scobie Malone (aka Murder at the Opera House) 1975 Girl at Pedestrian Crossing Feature film

Television

Production Year Role Type
Crackerjack 1966 Herself TV series
Marriage Confidential 1968 TV series
Eden House 1970 ABC Teleplay
Chimes at Midnight 1970 ABC Teleplay
Schwanda the Bagpiper 1970 Herself TV special
Barrier Reef 1970 Annette Conway TV series, 1 episode
Catwalk 1972 Marit Schemmler TV series, 1 episode
The Cousin from Fiji 1972 Ella TV series
Seven Little Australians 1973 Aldith TV series, 3 episodes
Behind the Legend 1975 Waitress TV series, 1 episode
Ben Hall 1975 Alison Buchanan / Rebecca TV series, 2 episodes
Bellbird 1975 TV series, 158 episodes
The Box 1976 Jane Fowler TV series, 1 episode
Homicide 1976 Yvette / Joan Thompson TV series, 2 episodes
Bluey 1976 Janey TV pilot: "The First Bloody Day"
Bluey 1977 Sandra Gibson TV series, 2 episodes
Number 96 1977 Jodi TV series, 2 episodes
The Young Doctors 1977-83 Tania Livingstone TV series, 1,324 episodes
The Mike Walsh Show 1978; 1981 Herself TV series, 2 episodes
Prisoner 1983-85 Sandra 'Pixie' Mason TV series, 96 episodes
A Country Practice 1984 Samantha Harrison TV series, 2 episodes
Home and Away 1993 Audrey Orchard TV series, 1 episode
TVTV 1994 Herself TV series, 1 episode
Sale of the Century: Battle of the TV Classics 1995 Herself TV series, 1 episode
40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now 1996 Herself TV special
Where Are They Now? 1997 Herself TV series, 1 episode
Always Greener 2002 Yvonne Greenhill TV series, 2 episodes
Where Are They Now 2006 Herself TV series, 1 episode
A Current Affair 2006 Herself TV series, 1 episode
Today Tonight 2008 Herself TV series, 1 episode
Studio 10 2016 Herself TV series, 1 episode

References

  1. ^ a b "Biography". judymcburney.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Television CV". judymcburney.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  3. ^ Prisoner star Judy McBurney dies, aged 70, following cancer battle