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Maggie Kirkpatrick

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Maggie Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick at the opening of Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, 2013
Born
Margaret Anne Downs

(1941-01-29) 29 January 1941 (age 83)
OccupationActress
Years activeFilm and television 1971–present
Theatre 1958-2015
Notable workPrisoner

Margaret Anne Kirkpatrick (née Downs; born 29 January 1941)[1] is an Australian stage and screen actress who has appeared in numerous theatre, television and feature film roles since the late 1950s .

Kirkpatrick starred in the TV series Prisoner (known as Prisoner: Cell Block H in the UK and North America), portraying the character "The Freak" Joan Ferguson, a sinister and cold lesbian prison officer.

She performed in the premiere Australian production of the musical Wicked as Madame Morrible.[2]

Kirkpatrick has appeared in numerous TV series including Richmond Hill, Water Rats, G.P. and Blue Heelers, as well as two roles in All Saints and Home and Away.

In 2019, she released her autobiography The Gloves Are Off: The Inside Story From Prisoner to Wicked.

Biography

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Margaret Anne Downs was born in Albury, New South Wales, to James and Crissie Downs. When she was seven months old her father was killed while on active national service as a soldier in North Africa, leaving her mother to bring her up alone. Her mother later married John Anderson and had a son, Adrian. The family moved to Newcastle, New South Wales, where Kirkpatrick grew up. She had had an interest in acting from an early age, and appeared in several school plays. By November 1955 she became fed up with school and left, whereupon her mother sent her to drama lessons.

In 1960, at the age of 19, Kirkpatrick took her first professional acting job, with theatre impresario John Alden's Shakespeare Company. After this initial production she promptly gave up acting. Kirkpatrick subsequently took various jobs, including working in dress shop, as a medical receptionist, compère of fashion parades, and she also had jobs in bars, restaurants, and hotels.

Downs married Norman Kirkpatrick, a merchant seaman of the Shankill Road in Belfast, in September 1963.[citation needed] Five years later they moved to Sydney where Kirkpatrick decided to resume her acting career. After appearing in two plays she put her acting career on hold once again, this time due to the arrival of her daughter Caitlin. Kirkpatrick resumed theatre work as Caitlin got older from 1964 onwards,[3] and from 1976 onwards moved on to television and cinema.

Kirkpatrick appeared in the music video for "Anthem for the Year 2000" by rock band Silverchair.[4]

She is a supporter of gay rights, having made numerous appearances at "Fair Day" as part of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. She has been awarded the Sydney Gay Community's DIVA award for her work.

Kirkpatrick returned to TV in 2017 after a 9-year hiatus, having in recent years appearing primarily in theatre roles,[3] appearing in Australian TV mini-series The Letdown.

Personal life

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In July 2015, Kirkpatrick was charged with child sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl in the 1980s. She strongly denied the allegations and said she would fight to clear her name of the two counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency with a person under the age of 16. In a statement Kirkpatrick said, "Yes, allegations have been levelled at me. Are they true? Absolutely not."[5][6] She appeared in court in August 2015 and was found guilty on 20 August.[7] She was subsequently sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order, including 100 hours of community service.[8] Kirkpatrick successfully appealed the case and won, with Judge Geoffrey Chettle finding that there was reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances, and dismissing the conviction and charges.[9]

Filmography

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FILM

Title Year Role Notes
1976 Summer of Secrets Feature film
1977 The FJ Holden Betty Armstead Feature film
1978 The Night, the Prowler Madge Hopkirk Feature film
1978 The Getting of Wisdom Sarah Feature film
1982 The Pirate Movie Ruth Feature film
1993 Encounters (aka Voyage into Terror) Aunt Helen Feature film
1995 Billy's Holiday Maureen O'Hara Feature film
1996 Lilian's Story Feature film
1997 Welcome to Woop Woop Ginger Feature film
2002 Hetty Thelma Film short

TELEVISION

Year Title Character Type
1971 The Thursday Creek Mob TV series
1972 The John Denver Special Herself TV special
1972 Snake Gully with Dad and Dave TV series
1972 The Godfathers Daisy Simmons TV series, 1 episode
1976 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself TV series, 1 episode
1977 The Claim Herself TV film documentary
1977 Father, Dear Father in Australia Mrs. Floyd TV series, season 1, episode 12: "The Wisdom of Patrick"
1978 Chopper Squad Mrs. Roland TV series, season 2, episode 3: "A Deed Without a Name"
1978; 1979 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself with Pat McDonald TV series, 1 episode
1979; 1980 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1979 The Oracle TV series, 1 episode
1980 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1981 Cop Shop Aunt Florrie TV series, 3 episodes
1982 Jonah TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1982 Spring & Fall Anne TV series, season 2, episode 4: "Thanks Brother"
1982-1986 Prisoner Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson TV series, season 4-8, 389 episodes, regular role
1984; 1986 Good Morning Australia Herself TV series, 1 episode
1985 Star Search Guest judge TV series, 1 episode
1986 21st Kids Birthday Channel Ten Telethon Herself - Performer sings "Nobody Does It Like Me" TV special
1986 Good Morning Australia Herself (with Sammy Davis Jnr) TV series, 1 episode
1986 Ten Eyewitness News Herself (with Sammy Davis Jnr) TV series, 1 episode
1987 Have a Go Guest judge TV series, 2 episodes
1987 Dearest Enemy TV pilot
1988 Richmond Hill Ivy Hackett TV series, 59 episodes, regular role
1988 Late Night Oz Herself TV series, 1 episode
1989 In Melbourne Today Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1990 Betty's Bunch Betty TV series, 9 episodes, lead role
1990 The Ham Funeral Mrs. Fauburgus Teleplay
1990 TV Celebrity Dance Party Herself as Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson (performing "What's Love Got to Do With It") TV special
1991 Home and Away Aunt Jean Chambers TV series, 7 episodes, recurring role
1991 The Miraculous Mellops Mrs. Kafka TV series, 3 episodes
1992 Hey Dad..! Sister Maureen TV series,season 8 episode 1: "Nun The Wiser"
1993 Celebrity Squares Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1993-2005 Good Morning Australia Herself TV series
1993; 1995 Ernie and Denise Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1993 The Midday Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
1993 Review Herself TV series, 1 episode
1993 At Home Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 The Talk Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Mulray Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Day to Day Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 The Ferals Aunt Mavis TV series, season 1, episode 8: "Rock Horror"
1995 Eleven A.M. Herself TV series, 1 episode
1995 Ten News Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1995 ABC News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1995 G.P. Joan Mullins TV series, season 7, episode 13: "Relative Strangers"
1995 Sale of the Century: Battle of the TV Classics Herself TV series, 1 episode
1995 Ten's 30th Anniversary Special Herself TV Special
1995 Whale On Herself TV series, 1 episode
1996 The Gerry Kelly Show Herself (with Dieter Brummer) TV series, 1 episode
1996 Monday to Friday Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1996 40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now Herself TV special
1997 Beauty and the Beast Herself TV series, 3 episodes
1998 Life Changes Herself TV series, 1 episode
1999 E News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1999 Water Rats Sadie Seymor TV series, 1 episode, Season 4, episode 20 "Red Light"
2000 Denise Herself TV series, 1 episode
2000 Pizza Joan Ferguson TV series, season 1, episode 9: "Gambling Pizza"
2000 Blue Heelers Marj Cummings TV series, season 7, episode 21: "The Gumshoe"
2001; 2008 All Saints Dawn Healy TV series, season 4, episode 18: "Bed of Roses"
2001 Aussies: Who Gives a XXXX Herself TV special
2002 The Best of Aussie Cop Shows Herself TV special
2003–04 Home And Away Viv 'The Guv' Standish TV series, 11 episodes; season 16-17, recurring role
2004 The Shoe-Horn Sonata Review Herself TV special
2005 Mornings with Kerri-Anne Herself TV series, 11 episodes
2005 Studio A with Simon Burke Herself TV series, 1 episode
2005 The Paul O'Grady Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
2005 After They Were Famous Herself TV series, 1 episode
2006 Where Are They Now? Herself TV series, 1 episode
2008 All Saints Maria TV series, season 11, episode 7: "Little Decisions"
2008 Today Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode
2008 An Audience With The Cast Of Wicked Herself TV Special
2008 Postcards Herself TV series, 1 episode
2011 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode
2012 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Guest TV series, 1 episode
2013 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
2014 Mornings Guest TV series, 1 episode
2015 Studio 10 Guest TV series, 2 episodes
2015 Ten News Herself TV series, 4 episodes
2015 Nine News Herself TV series, 4 episodes
2015 Seven News Herself TV series, 4 episodes
2015 ABC News Herself TV series, 4 episodes
2015 Sky News Herself TV series, 4 episodes
2015 Studio 10 Guest TV series, 1 episode
2015 A Current Affair archival clips TV series, 1 episode
2016 Studio 10 Guest (with Paula Duncan, Lynda Stoner & Toni Pearen) TV series, 1 episode
2017 The Letdown Lois TV series, season 1, episode 6: "Mother Nature"
2018 Sando Catherine TV series, season 1, episode 1: "Prodigal Mum"
2018 The Bureau of Magical Things Doris (voice) TV series, 4 episodes
2019 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode
2021 Eden Florence Eden TV series, 4 episodes
2022 Talking Prisoner Podcast Herself Web series, 2 episodes
2023 Studio 10 Guest (with Craig Bennett) TV series, 1 episode

Theatre

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Source: AusStage

Title Year
The Hostage 1958
Lysistrata 1961
Flash Jim Vaux 1965
Postmark Zero 1968
America Hurrah 1968
Going, Going, Gone! 1968
The Skin of our Teeth 1969
You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running 1969
The Bandwagon 1970
Mate 1970
Tom Paine 1971
Edward John Eyre / The Soldiers Tale 1971
Truth 1971
Childhood's Doll 1971
The Disorderly Women 1971
The Seagull 1972
A Voyage Round My Father 1973
Irene 1974 / 1975
Songs from Sideshow Alley 1975
All Over 1976
Family Lore 1976
A Man of Respect 1976
We Find the Bunyip 1976
The Ripper Show (and How They Wrote It) 1976
Don't Piddle Against the Wind, Mate 1977
The Time Is Not Yet Ripe 1977
The Lower Depths 1977
The Cassidy Album: A Hard God/Furtive Love/ An Eager Hope 1978
Da 1978
The Night of the Iguana 1979
A Cheery Soul 1979
Deathtrap 1979
The Druid's Rest 1979
Pirates at the Barn 1980
The One Day of the Year 1980
Farewell Brisbane Ladies 1981
Little Me 1983
Absurd Person Singular 1986
Emerald City 1987
Blood Relations 1987
Anything Goes 1989
The Ham Funeral 1989
Don's Party 1990
Sailor Beware! 1991
Prisoner: Cell Block H: The Musical 1992 UK
Lend Me a Tenor 1993
The Shoe-Horn Sonata 1995
The Wild Women Of Wentworth (Cell Block H) 1995-96 UK
The Screw Is Loose 1997
A Passionate Woman 1997
Social Climbers 1998
A Delicate Balance 1998
The Cripple of Inishmaan 1998
The Beauty Queen of Leenane 1999-2000
Peggy for You 2000
Singin in the Rain 2001-02
Major Barbara 2003
Still Here 2003
The Shoe-Horn Sonata 2004-05
The Q Story 2005
Fiddler on the Roof 2005
Wicked 2008-15

Awards

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Mo Awards

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The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Maggie Kirkpatrick won one award in that time.[10]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
2000 Maggie Kirkpatrick Female Actor in a Play Won

References

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  1. ^ THE GLOVES ARE OFF
  2. ^ "Maggie Kirkpatrick".
  3. ^ a b "Maggie Kirkpatrick".
  4. ^ "Interview with The Sunday Herald-Sun". The Sunday Herald-Sun. 21 February 1999.
  5. ^ "Australian actress faces child sex charges". BBC. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  6. ^ Prisoner star Maggie Kirkpatrick on child sex charge The Australian Retrieved 27 July 2015
  7. ^ "Maggie Kirkpatrick, Prisoner star, found guilty of child sex offences". ABC News. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Prisoner star Maggie Kirkpatrick avoids jail over teen sex abuse". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 August 2015.
  9. ^ "Prisoner star Maggie Kirkpatrick cleared of indecently assaulting young fan". ABC News. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  10. ^ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
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