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Anne Haddy

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Anne Haddy
Born(1930-10-05)5 October 1930
Died6 June 1999(1999-06-06) (aged 68)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, TV presenter, voice artist
Years active1948–1997
Spouse(s)Max Dimmitt (divorced)
James Condon (1977–1999; her death)
Children2

Anne Haddy (5 October 1930 – 6 June 1999), credited also as Anne Hardy, was an Australian actress, television presenter and voice artist, who worked in various facets of the industry including radio, stage and television, she appeared in numerous television films early in her career, but of the latter was best known for her television soap opera roles as Alice Hemmings in cult series Prisoner, Rosie Andrews on Sons and Daughters and most especially her long-running role as matriarch Helen Daniels on Neighbours. A renowned children's entertainer, she was an original presenter of the local version of Play School and also provided her voice in some films of the animated "Dot" series.

Early and personal life

Haddy was born an only child in Quorn, South Australia, she attended Adelaide High School. She acted in radio plays and school broadcasts while she was working in Adelaide University's book room. She later attended the Sydney Theatre Company.[1]

She relocated to the United Kingdom in the 1950s to find acting work, but ended up working as a secretary for Kellogg's. She married her first husband, Max Dimmitt, before returning to Australia, where she gave birth to two children. In 1960, Haddy and her family moved to Sydney. Haddy later married actor and scriptwriter James Condon after her marriage to Dimmitt was dissolved.[2] They acted alongside each other twice, both during Haddy's tenure on Neighbours.[1]

Career

Anne Haddy became one of the first presenters of Play School, a show that has launched the career of many Australian soap stars. She appeared in numerous made-for-television movies in the 1960s, as well as taking guest roles in serials throughout the 1960s ad early 1970s including Wandjina! (1966 Australian Television series), Dynasty (the 1970–71 Australian television series), and Punishment. From the late 1970s onwards her roles in TV soaps where more prominent, with her first major permanent role was in the series Prisoner, where she played Doreen Anderson's mother, who having abandoned Doreen as a youngster, returns to visit her revealing she has terminal cancer. In 1982 until 1985 she played housemaid Rosie Andrews (later Palmer) in Sons and Daughters, before in 1986 taking on her longest and most famous regular role, as series matriarch Helen Daniels, in Neighbours a role she would appear in for the 12 years, raking up 1,162 episodes, and at that time one of the longest serving actors.

Health

Haddy suffered ill health for the last two decades of her life. She suffered a heart attack in 1979, leading to four bypass operations.[2] Shortly thereafter, she fell and broke her hip, and later learned she had stomach cancer, which was reportedly discovered early and successfully treated surgically. In 1983, she had one of her four heart bypasses unclogged. Further health problems and a broken hip led to kidney trouble, which caused her to retire from acting in 1997.[2] Haddy had remarked that she would like to have her real-life funeral screened as part of Neighbours.[2]

Other

In 1988, Haddy's popularity was honoured when Oxford University undergraduates made her an honorary member of the university's Corpus Christi College.[2]

Death

Anne Haddy died at her home in Melbourne from a kidney related illness on 6 June 1999, aged 68[1] In the UK, the episode of Neighbours that was broadcast on BBC One the following day ended with a dedication to her memory, accompanied by an announcement of her death.

Filmography

Production Year Role
In Writing (TV movie) 1961 unknown
Consider Your Verdict (TV series) 1962 Frances Naughton (episode Queen Versus Naughton)
A Season in Hell (TV movie) 1964 Mathilde
The Late Edwina Black (TV movie) 1964 Lisa Graham
The Four Poster (TV movie) 1964 unknown role
I Have Been Here Before (TV movie) 1964 unknown
The Affair (TV movie) 1965 unknown
They're a Weird Mob (TV movie) 1966 Barmaid
Play School (TV series 1966-1970 As Herself - Presenter
Wandjina! (TV series) 1967 Dr. Smith (2 episodes)
Hunter (TV series) 1968 Jane Wilding (episode The Friend in Need File)
Dynasty (TV series) 1970=1971 Kathy Mason (23 episodes)
Where the Dead Men Lie 1971 Mary
Behind the Legend (TV series) 1972 Caroline Chisholm
Boney (TV series) 1973 2 roles
-Mrs. Cosgrove (episode: Boney and the Paroo Bikeman)
-Mary Parker (episodes: Boney and the Burial Tree)
Division 4 (TV series) 1973 Maggie Henderson (episode: A Cry of Fear)
Over There (TV series) 1973 4 selected roles
The Evil Touch (TV series) 1973 Eileen Randall
Homicide (TV series) 1970=1973) 3 roles
Joan Mason (episode: Death in the Family)
-Mrs. Spencer (episode: From the Top
-Rita Thomas (episode: The Jackson File)
Seven Little Australians (TV series) 1973 Mrs. Bryant
Matlock Police (TV series) 1972-1974 2 roles
-Kitty Hughes (episode: Woman Wanted)
-Daphne Mitchell (episode: Margaret Styles)
Three Men of the City (TV series) 1974 3 roles
Silent Number (TV series) 1974 Claire Armstrong
Certain Women (TV series) 1974-1975 Barbara
Ben Hall (TV series) 1975 Eileen
The Comedy Man (TV series) 1975 Margaret Styles (5 episodes)
The Fourth Wish 1976 Dr. Kirk
King's Men (Tvseries) 1976 unknown (episode: The Assassins)
The Alternative (TV movie) 1977 Helen
,No Room to Run (TV movie) 1977 Julie Deakin
Dot and the Kangaroo 1977 Herself as Voice Artist
Say You Want Me (TV movie) 1977 Unknown
Glenview High (TV series) 1978 Mrs. O'Brien
Chopper Squad (TV series) 1978 Iris Grey
Case for the Defence (TV series) 1978 Mary
A Town Like Alice (TV movie) 1980 Aggie Topp
A Christmas Carol (TV movie) 1982 Voice Artist
Fighting Back 1983 Magistrate
Dot and the Bunny 1983 Voice Artist
Sons and Daughters (TV series) 1982-1985) Rosie Andrews (later Palmer) 273 episodes)
The Private Life of Lucinda Smith (TV movie) 1991 Mrs Spencer Grant
Neighbours (TV series) 1985-1997 Helen Daniels (1,162 episodes)

References

  1. ^ a b c Owen, Emma (8 June 1999). "Anne Haddy". The Guardian. UK: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Hayward, Anthony (8 June 1999). "Obituary: Anne Haddy". The Independent. UK: Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 3 July 2010.