Logie Award-winning Neighbours and A Country Practice star passes away: ‘She was Sheer-Gold’
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Beloved Aussie television star Joan Sydney has died at the age of 83.
The news was shared by friend and colleague Sally-Anne Upton, who said that the actress passed away ‘peacefully’ last December 28 at home in Sydney.
‘Thank you for all you have taught me: love, friendship, (and) many memories shared that will be treasured forever,’ she wrote in a Facebook post.
No funeral ceremony or memorial service will be held for Sydney as per her wishes, according to Upton.
She is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Sydney, the sister of the late actress Maggie King, was born in London on September 5, 1939.
Her on-screen debut was in 1957, when she appeared in When We Are Married at just 18 years old as cheeky maid Ruby Birtle.
In 1965, she made the decision to emigrate to Australia, first settling in Perth and later on moving cross-country to Sydney.
She would then go on to play as Matron Maggie Sloane in A Country Practice, where she appeared in over 400 episodes from 1983-1990.
Her portrayal of the strict, yet compassionate Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital nurse turned her into a household name, and earned her a prestigious Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress in 1989.
Sydney also played as brash Ramsay Street resident Valda Sheergold on Neighbours from 2002-2005 and 2007-2008.
Other works she appeared in include Mother and Son (1984), E Street (1990) Something in the Air (2000), and Cliffy (2013).
Off the screen, Sydney also has stage acting credits under her name, having been in plays such as My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Sydney appeared as Mother Aloysius in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2013), which would be her last known appearance on television according to Upton.
Source: YouTube/Smiley0070
Many expressed their sadness over the development and took to social media to share their sentiments.
Shane Withington, who co-starred alongside Sydney as Nurse Brendan Jones in A Country Practice, paid tribute to Sydney on Twitter.
‘Oh no… This is terrible news indeed,’ he said. ‘Comedy is never as easy as it looks and this lady made it look effortless.’
‘I adored her. Vale, Joan Sydney.’
Another person added: ‘She could do cheeky wit or knock-your-socks off drama effortlessly. So many memories for a generation, that was the power of her performance and TV in those years. I'm very sad. RIP.’
‘A wonderful actress who went from playing the stern Matron on A Country Practice to the hilariously over-the-top Valda on Neighbours,’ a third said.
'The surname said everything you needed to know about the character. She was Sheer-Gold.’
Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Joan Sydney. May she rest in peace.
How do you remember Sydney? What roles do you think were her best in?
Share your thoughts and messages below.
Source: YouTube/Sky News Australia
The news was shared by friend and colleague Sally-Anne Upton, who said that the actress passed away ‘peacefully’ last December 28 at home in Sydney.
‘Thank you for all you have taught me: love, friendship, (and) many memories shared that will be treasured forever,’ she wrote in a Facebook post.
No funeral ceremony or memorial service will be held for Sydney as per her wishes, according to Upton.
She is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Sydney, the sister of the late actress Maggie King, was born in London on September 5, 1939.
Her on-screen debut was in 1957, when she appeared in When We Are Married at just 18 years old as cheeky maid Ruby Birtle.
Sydney played a nurse in what arguably is her most iconic role in Aussie television. Image Credit: Facebook/Sally-Anne Upton
In 1965, she made the decision to emigrate to Australia, first settling in Perth and later on moving cross-country to Sydney.
She would then go on to play as Matron Maggie Sloane in A Country Practice, where she appeared in over 400 episodes from 1983-1990.
Her portrayal of the strict, yet compassionate Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital nurse turned her into a household name, and earned her a prestigious Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress in 1989.
Sydney also played as brash Ramsay Street resident Valda Sheergold on Neighbours from 2002-2005 and 2007-2008.
Other works she appeared in include Mother and Son (1984), E Street (1990) Something in the Air (2000), and Cliffy (2013).
Off the screen, Sydney also has stage acting credits under her name, having been in plays such as My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Sydney appeared as Mother Aloysius in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2013), which would be her last known appearance on television according to Upton.
Source: YouTube/Smiley0070
Many expressed their sadness over the development and took to social media to share their sentiments.
Shane Withington, who co-starred alongside Sydney as Nurse Brendan Jones in A Country Practice, paid tribute to Sydney on Twitter.
‘Oh no… This is terrible news indeed,’ he said. ‘Comedy is never as easy as it looks and this lady made it look effortless.’
‘I adored her. Vale, Joan Sydney.’
Another person added: ‘She could do cheeky wit or knock-your-socks off drama effortlessly. So many memories for a generation, that was the power of her performance and TV in those years. I'm very sad. RIP.’
‘A wonderful actress who went from playing the stern Matron on A Country Practice to the hilariously over-the-top Valda on Neighbours,’ a third said.
'The surname said everything you needed to know about the character. She was Sheer-Gold.’
Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Joan Sydney. May she rest in peace.
How do you remember Sydney? What roles do you think were her best in?
Share your thoughts and messages below.
Source: YouTube/Sky News Australia
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