Gwen Plumb

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Gwen Plumb
Born
Gwendoline Jean Plumb

2 August 1912
Stanmore, New South Wales Australia
Died5 June 2002(2002-06-05) (aged 89)
Kirribilli, New South Wales Australia
Occupations
  • Radio performer
  • radio producer
  • radio scriptwriter
  • stage/revue actress
  • vaudevillian
  • television actress
[1]
Years active1930–1995
Known for
PartnerThelma Scott

Gwendoline Jean Plumb AM BEM (2 August 1912 – 5 June 2002), was an Australian performer of international appeal, actress and comedian active in literally every form of the art genre, (except circus) including revue, pantomime, vaudeville, interviewing, game shows, live appearances, compering, radio production, scriptwriting and acting, television soap opera and mini-series and made-for-TV film.

She was considered the "Grand Dame of Australian entertainment", with a career spanning 65 years, best known to local and international audiences in serial The Young Doctors as gossip Ada Simmonds, the ill-fated Richmond Hill as Mum Foote and the pilot of Home and Away as Doris Peters.

Career[edit]

Early career in radio[edit]

Gwen worked various jobs in her early career including as a typist, shop server and briefly in a chocolate factory, but having a flair for writing, starting to produce radio copy work for an advertising agency, after which she became interested in acting and started her performance career in 1930, with the Gwen Meredith Chelsea drama club,[1] she had her first well-known role as Emmie[2][3] in the longest-running Australian radio serial Blue Hills, She was very active in the radio industry early in her career and would work in this sector as a producer, scriptwriter and performer[1] and hosted a long-running radio program on Australia's Macquarie Radio Network from 1945 to 1974.

She also had a radio show in Sydney opposite Gordon Chater. She was well known for conducting celebrity interviews, for her own radio show including travelling to Europe to conduct recordings.[4][5][6]

Theatre[edit]

Plumb had a long career in the theatre, starting from 1930 and was a cast member of the debut season of the Old Tote Theatre Company, and once quipped that she "played in just about every form of public entertainment except the circus".[7]

Television actress[edit]

She is probably best remembered for the Australian soap opera The Young Doctors as Ada Simmonds for its entire November 1976 – March 1983 run.[8] She released a cook book, What's Cooking with Ada, under her character’s name in 1980.[9][10] Other notable roles were in the mini-series The Harp in the South[11] and Poor Man's Orange in the mid-1980s. She acted in Neighbours as Mrs. Forbes in 1985, appearing in scenes opposite Alan Dale, with whom she had starred in The Young Doctors.

She later played the key role of in the serial Richmond Hill as Mum Foote in 1988.[12] Having agreed to act in the planned new series, Plumb was offered, and played in the pilot of another proposed series Home and Away as Doris Peters. When Home and Away also went into production, Plumb opted to honour her earlier agreement to do Richmond Hill. The role of Mum Foote had been specially written with her in mind by show creator, Reg Watson. Richmond Hill had a run of just 12 months, and Plumb stayed with the series for all of that time; Home and Away on the other hand is still running today. In 1995 Plumb returned to Home and Away for a number of episodes, playing a different character.

Plumb also appeared in the mini-series Stark, based on Ben Elton's novel of the same name.[13]

Personal life[edit]

Plumb's lifelong partner was Australian radio, stage and screen actress Thelma Scott, best known for serial Number 96 as pompous socialite Clair Houghton.[14]

Plumb wrote her autobiography, Plumb Crazy which was published by Pan Macmillan in 1994.[15]

In 1990, Plumb had a large growth removed from her colon and lower bowel. She began rehearsing for a production of Arsenic and Old Lace two months later, which left her exhausted. She felt that she had never fully recovered from the surgery.[16]

Plumb died on 5 June 2002, aged 89, at her home in Kirribilli.[16]

British and Australian honours[edit]

Plumb was awarded a British Empire Medal in 1973,[17] and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993.[18][19] Both awards recognised her community and charity work.[20]

Selected Radio[edit]

Year Title Role
c.1940s Blue Hills Emmie
1945–1974 Macquarie Radio Network Hostess as herself
unknown years 2GB Radio Show with Gordon Chater Hostess/interviewer

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Type
1960 The Sundowners Uncredited Feature film
1982 Ginger Meggs Miss Leach Feature film

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Type
1958–1963 Women's World Host TV series
1959 A Tongue of Silver Role unknown Teleplay
1960 Venus Observed Role unknown Teleplay
1961 Corinth House Mrs. Heysham Teleplay
1962 Consider Your Verdict Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1962 Jonah Guest role: Lady Jane Franklin TV series, 1 episode
1965 Write Me a Murder Elizabeth Wooley TV film
1965 Adventure Unlimited Guest role TV series, 1 episode "Crocodile"
1965 The Mavis Bramston Show Various Characters TV series
1965 TV Spells Magic Guest (with Max Meldrum, Ron Shand, Ruth Cracknell, Evie Hayes, Wendy Blacklock, David Copping, Kevin Miles, Chips Rafferty & Keith Petersen) TV Special
1966 Wall to Wall Role unknown Teleplay
1966 Australian Playhouse Guest roles: Mrs. Cooper / Elsie Hopewell TV series, 2 episodes "The Prowler"
1966
1967 		Nice 'n Juicy Guest role: Mrs. Withers TV series, 2 episodes
1969 The Don Lane Tonight Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1969 Gwennie and Noel Host TV series
1970 The Rovers Guest role: Gaylene Higgins TV series, 1 episode
1973 Boney Guest role: Miss Packer TV series, 1 episode
1974 Mac and Merle Lead role: Merle McInerney TV pilot
1975 Celebrity Squares Herself TV series, 1 episode
1976 This Is Your Life Herself TV series, 1 episode
1976–1982 The Young Doctors Regular role: Ada Simmons TV series, 1394 episodes
1977 Bobby Dazzler Guest role: Dinner Guest 1 TV series, 1 episode
1978; 1980; 1981; 1982: 1983; 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest TV series, 6 episodes
1980 Telethon '80 Herself TV special
1981; 1982 The Mike Walsh Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1981 Parkinson in Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode
1982 The Daryl Somers Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1985 Neighbours Recurring Guest role: Mrs. Forbes TV series, 10 episodes
1985 The Man in the Iron Mask Peronne (voice) Animated TV film
1986 A Halo for Athuan Lead role: Mother Paul TV film
1987 The Harp in the South Recurring role: Grandma Kilker TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1987 Poor Man's Orange Recurring role: Grandma Kilker TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987 I've Come About the Suicide Supporting role: Miss Clemesha TV film
1987 The Flying Doctors Guest role: Nellie Keene TV series, 1 episode
1988 Richmond Hill Regular role: Mum Foote TV series, 38 episodes
1988; Home and Away Guest role: Doris Peters TV series, 1 episode
1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest with Barry Crocker & Ronnie Burns TV series, 1 episode
1992 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode
1992 A Country Practice Guest role: Morna Peacock TV series, 1 episode
1993 The Late Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1993 Stark Recurring role: Mrs. Tyron TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1994 Under The Skin Role unknown TV film series, 1 episode "The Family Spirit"
1994 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode
1994 Today Guest TV series, 1 episode
1994 TVTV Guest - Herself with 'The Young Doctors' cast: Chris King, Tim Page, Diana McLean, Louise Howitt & Darren Gray TV series, 1 episode
1995 Home and Away Recurring Guest role: Elizabeth Clarke TV series, 4 episodes
1997 Where Are They Now? Guest - Herself with 'The Young Doctors cast: Chris King, Judy McBurney, Mark Holden & Tim Page TV series, 1 episode
1999 Funny By George: The George Wallace Story Herself TV special

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Star of the Air". Pittsworth Sentinel (Qld. : 1919 – 1954). 29 June 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Gwen Plumb". Muswellbrook Chronicle (NSW : 1898 – 1955). 21 November 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Gwen Plumb in BBG's Twenty Questions". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus (NSW : 1900 – 1954). 11 October 1954. p. 6. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Gwen Plumb to tour with Bea Lillie". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954). 19 October 1954. p. 11. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Women's Interests on the Air Film Star on 2GB". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954). 3 June 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Untitled". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954). 17 September 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Plumb Crazy all these years". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 June 2002.
  8. ^ Sheldon, Gordon (3 October 1991). "Cheerful amoral piece". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). p. 15. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Timestyle". The Canberra Times. 20 July 1980. p. 19. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  10. ^ Plumb, Gwen (1980). What's cooking with Ada? by Ada Simmonds. Melbourne : Unicorn Books. ISBN 9780867570113.
  11. ^ "The Harp in the South". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). 21 December 1992. p. 34. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  12. ^ "TV favourites return". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). 24 January 1988. p. 20. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  13. ^ Wallace, Mark (9 August 1993). "Stark". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). p. 25. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  14. ^ Meade, Amanda (30 November 2006). "Not the nine o'clock news". The Australian. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  15. ^ Plumb crazy / Gwen Plumb
  16. ^ a b "Actor Gwen Plumb dies". Herald Sun. 6 June 2002. Retrieved 12 March 2024 – via Gale.
  17. ^ "It's an Honour: BEM". Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  18. ^ "It's an Honour: AM". Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  19. ^ "Colleague's bravery honoured in Sydney ceremony". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995). 24 September 1993. p. 6. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Search Australian Honours". It's an honour. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2009.

External links[edit]

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