Leila Hayes
Leila Hayes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Leila Marion Hayes 12 January 1940 |
| Died | 19 January 2025 (aged 85) Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1971–1992, 2005 (as actress, post acting career became drama teacher[1]) |
| Children | Melissa Hayes |
Leila Marion Hayes (12 January 1940 – 19 January 2025) was an Australian actress, talent agent, radio presenter, playwright, theatre producer, singer and drama teacher. She primarily featured in guest roles in soap operas and miniseries, prior to her regular role in 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters as matriarch Beryl Palmer (later Hamilton) appearing throughout its entire run, opposite Tom Richards as her husband David. In the series she was well known for her regular clashes with Rowena Wallace’s iconic character Patricia Hamilton.
Life and career
[edit]Hayes was born in Dimboola, Victoria, Australia on 12 January 1940.[1][2] She began her career as a singer before starting her acting career in the early 1970s in guest roles in Crawford Productions drama series Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, Bluey, Cop Shop, and The Sullivans.[3]
Hayes also acted in television miniseries, including Power Without Glory (1976), and some TV movies. In 1981 she appeared in several episodes of Prisoner as brothel madam Jeannie Baxter and was in an early episode of A Country Practice. The same episode starred Peter Phelps who played her stepson John in Sons and Daughters only a few months later.
Hayes also acted on stage, taking the leading role of April Delaney in comedy Dimboola and worked in talkback radio.
She retired from acting in 1992 (except for a short film in 2005) and lived a private life and rarely attended reunions or conventions. She ran her own actors school called Leila Hayes Drama Studio.[1]
Hayes died after a long period of ill health in Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, on 19 January 2025, at the age of 85.[1]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Blue Fire Lady | Old Lady | Feature film |
| 2005 | Chasing Down the Dawn | Margot | Film short |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–76 | Homicide | Mrs. Sullivan / Norma Franks / Policewoman Quinn / Joan Hansen / Gloria Mason / Libby Marshall | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1971–74 | Division 4 | Marge Reilly / Mrs. Darcy / Mrs. Arnot / Martha Moore / Pat Green / Dorrie / Mrs. Wright / Miss Hobbs / Smithy’s Mother / Jean / Alison Scott | TV series, 11 episodes |
| 1971–74 | Matlock Police | Natalie / Jean Stewart / Norma Richards | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1971–73 | Penthouse Club | Herself - Singer | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1975 | Cash and Company | Lola | TV series, Season 1, 1 episode |
| 1976 | The Professional Touch | Teleplay | |
| 1976 | Bellbird | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Power Without Glory | Florrie Robinson | TV miniseries, Season 1, 6 episodes |
| 1976; 1977 | Bluey | Georgie | TV series, Season 1, 2 episodes |
| 1978–79 | Cop Shop | Mrs. Ward / Mrs. Selby / Marjorie Brown / Joan | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1978 | The Truckies | TV series, Season 1, 1 episode | |
| 1978 | The Sullivans | Anne Watson | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1979 | Twenty Good Years | Joyce Fielding | TV series, Season 1, 1 episode |
| 1981 | Prisoner | Jeannie Baxter | TV series, Season 3, 4 episodes |
| 1981 | I Can Jump Puddles | Miss. Bryce | TV Miniseries; 1 episode |
| 1981; 1990–91 | A Country Practice | Sue Bushell | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1982–87 | Sons and Daughters | Beryl Palmer / Beryl Hamilton / Ruby Hawkins | TV series, Seasons 1–6; 966 episodes |
| 1982 | M.P.S.I.B. | Judith Levine | TV series, Season 1; 1 episode |
| 1984 | Miss N.S.W 1984 | Guest - Herself | TV special |
| 1986 | Punchlines | Herself | TV special |
| 1989 | 60 Minutes | Herself (with Abigail) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990–1991 | A Country Practice
Mrs. Burns |
TV series, Seasons 1; 10–11; 3 episodes | |
| 1992 | Boys from the Bush | Daphne | TV series, Season 2, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Good Morning Australia | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d Sean Slatter. "Vale: Leila Hayes, screen and radio personality". If.com.au.
- ^ "Aussie Soap Stars Who Vanished!".
- ^ Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz, Sunshine Books, 1984. ISBN 0-86777-057-0 p 86
External links
[edit]- Leila Hayes at IMDb
- Leila Hayes discography at Discogs