Anne Haddy

Early radio and theatre

Haddy made her professional radio debut with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) in 1948.^[5] She acted in radio plays and school broadcasts while she was working in the University of Adelaide's book room.^[4] By 1949, she was a member of Theatres Associated, playing Ah, Wilderness! under Margery Irving at Stow Hall^[6] through to 1953 with Cocteau's The Typewriter.^[7] She also appeared in the Adelaide Repertory Theatre's production of Claudia (1950).^[5] She later attended the Sydney Theatre Company.^[4]

She relocated to the United Kingdom in 1953 to find acting opportunities, and appeared in The Pied Piper at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre with the Australian Drama Group, but predominantly worked as a secretary for Kellogg's.^[8][5]

After getting married, Haddy returned to Australia in 1955, settling in Perth. She continued in stage and radio plays, including starring in the titular role in Sophocles's Antigone at the 1957 Festival of Perth. Relocating to Sydney in 1960, she performed in productions for the Independent Theatre, the Q Lunchtime Theatre, and the Community Theatre.^[5] One of her most notable stage roles was as Sheila Larkin in a 1967 production of Hostile Witness, alongside Ray Milland, who starred in the film version.^[2] By 1971 she was contracted to work for the Old Tote Theatre Company.^[5] Other theatre credits included The Entertainer, Hay Fever, The Glass Menagerie, Twelfth Night, Richard III, Gas Light and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore.^[2] She also starred as Elizabeth Ross-Ingham in radio serial Blue Hills for over 20 years.^[9]

Television and film

Haddy became one of the first presenters of Play School.^[2] She appeared in 1966 feature film They're a Weird Mob and numerous made-for-television movies throughout the 1960s. She also had numerous guest roles in serials throughout the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, including Wandjina! (1966), Dynasty (1970–1971), Punishment, Matlock Police (1972–1974), Division 4 (1973), Certain Women (1974–1975) She also had a guest role in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. This was followed by a role in cult prison series Prisoner, playing Doreen Anderson's mother, Alice Hemmings,^[2] who having abandoned Doreen as a youngster, returns to visit her, revealing she has terminal cancer. Following this, Haddy appeared as American alcoholic worldwide singer entertainer Toni Lee, who finds romance in the VIP Lounge at Pacific International Airport in Skyways.

|-She had roles in many classic films and miniseries, including Seven Little Australians (1973), The Fourth Wish (1976), Australian New Wave classic Newsfront (1978), and A Town Like Alice (1981).^[2] She also performed as a voice artist on 1977 children's animated film Dot and the Kangaroo (1977) and its sequels.

From 1982 until 1985 Haddy played housemaid Rosie Andrews (later Palmer) in Sons and Daughters,^[2] before in 1985 taking on her longest and most famous regular role, as series matriarch Helen Daniels, in Neighbours.^[2] The role was one she would go on to appear in for 1,162 episodes over 12 years. Haddy departed the series and retired from acting in 1997.

Film

Television