Jill Forster
Australian actress (born 1936)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jill Forster (born 30 November 1936),[2] is an English-born Australian retired actress and former model. She became well known for her roles in early TV soap operas's and series, but also appeared in films and telefilms.
30 November 1936
Jill Forster | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jill Forster 30 November 1936 Twickenham, Middlesex. England |
| Occupations | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1964–2015 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse | John Stanton |
| Family | Peter Stanton (uncle) |
Early life
Forster was born in Twickenham, Middlesex (now London) in the UK,[3] and established herself as a model in London, before relocating to Australia in 1964 with her first husband, a TV producer.[4][5]
Career
Television
Forster's first role was in the Crawford Productions Australian espionage adventure series Hunter, filmed on location in Woomera, South Australia for six weeks. After the experience, she decided she wanted to act full time.[5]
Forster has primarily appeared in small cameo roles, although she is well known for her roel sin early series Motel and as the second actress to portray Helen Sheriden Sellers in soap opera Number 96,[5] from 1973 to 1974, replacing original actress Carmen Duncan.[6] She also had prominent roles in several other soap operas including The Box as Enid and her sister Emma Parker.[7][5]and The Restless Years[5] from 1977 to 1979, as Heather Russell.
She also hosted the 1970 Freaky Black Friday Spook Special and ATN 7's 1972 series Creature Features as Vampira.[3]
In 1984, Forster had a recurring role in cult prison drama Prisoner[5] as Kerryn Davies. The same year, she also appeared in biographical cricket miniseries Bodyline, opposite Hugo Weaving and Gary Sweet.
Forster then played Mrs Haversham in the 1987 period drama miniseries Great Expectations: The Untold Story, earning a nomination for an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[5]
She also had a five-year stint on Beauty and the Beast.[5]
She later played the regular role of Meredith Monahan in television drama SeaChange from 1998 to 2000,[5] winning the 1999 AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[8]
Forster has had guest roles in numerous other Australian television dramas, including Skippy the Bush Kangaroo,[9] Division 4, Homicide, Spyforce,[9] Catwalk, A Time for Love, Birds in the Bush, Boney, Matlock Police, Ryan, Silent Number, The Evil Touch,[9] Bellamy,[10] Cop Shop,[9] Holiday Island, The Sullivans,[9] Carson's Law, Starting Out, The Power, The Passion,[5] Special Squad, A Country Practice,[5] The Flying Doctors,[5] and The Man from Snowy River.[5]
She has also appeared in hundreds of television advertisements,[3] including perfume and rum commercials.[4]
Film
Forster starred in the 1973 feature film Libido, as Rosaline, receiving an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the role.[5] The same year, she appeared opposite Graeme Blundell in the hit sex-comedy film Alvin Purple, as Mrs Horwood, wife of Alvin's teacher.[11]
In 1982, Forster appeared in the science fiction thriller Crosstalk as Mrs. Stollier.[12] She featured in Beyond Innocence in 1986.[9] Then in 1989, she starred in Devil in the Flesh as Jill Hansen.[12]
She starred in the 1993 children's film Say A Little Prayer, which earned her another nomination for the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.[5]
Later on, she starred in 2006 mystery drama thriller Irresistible,[9] alongside Sam Neill, Susan Sarandon and Emily Blunt.
Personal life
Forster married Australian actor and frequent co-star John Stanton[12] in the mid-1970s, after meeting him while shooting an episode of ABC’s Love Story, They also acted together in the TV series Matlock Police,[13] Homicide, The Box[14] and Bellamy.[10] She also directed her husband in a 2009 stage production of And When He Falls, at Fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne.[15]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Australian Film Institute | Best Supporting Actress | Libido | Won |
| 1987 | Best Actress | Great Expectations: The Untold Story | Won | |
| 1993 | Best Supporting Actress | Say a Little Prayer | Nominated | |
| 1999 | Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama | SeaChange (episode: "Manna from Heaven") | Won |
Filmography (selected)
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Alvin Purple | Mrs. Horwood | Feature film[5][11] |
| Libido | Rosaline / Martin's mother (segment "The Child") | Feature film[5] | |
| 1982 | Crosstalk | Mrs. Stollier | Feature film[12] |
| 1986 | Beyond Innocence | Feature film[9] | |
| 1989 | Devil In The Flesh | Jill Hansen | Feature film[12] |
| 1993 | Say a Little Prayer | Mrs Easterbrook | Feature film[5] |
| 2003 | Prisoner Queen - Mindless Music & Mirrorballs | Liza | Feature film |
| 2006 | Irresistible | Helen | Feature film[9] |
| 2011 | Magic | Grandmother | Film short |
| 2015 | Ladies Without Lipstick | Joyce | Film short |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967; 1968 | Hunter | Chris Charter / Alison Bean | 3 episodes[5] |
| 1968 | Motel | Gaye Gillian | 135 episodes[7] |
| 1969 | Skippy the Bush Kangaroo | Mary Lansbury | 1 episode[9] |
| 1970 | Freaky Black Friday Spook Special | Vampira | TV film[3] |
| 1970–1973 | Division 4 | Denise Mitchell / Deidre Simpson / Mrs. Hudson / Laura Montgomery | 4 episodes |
| 1970–1974 | Homicide | Ieva Zervos / Barbra Hillis / Judy Campbell / Barbra Lacey / Eve Harrison / Kim Ridley / Karen Healey | 7 episodes |
| 1971 | Spyforce | Anna | 1 episode[9] |
| 1972 | Catwalk | Sandra Goodall | 1 episode |
| A Time for Love | 1 episode | ||
| Birds in the Bush (aka The Virgin Fellas) | The Secretary | ||
| Boney | Elaine Simpson | 1 episode | |
| Creature Features | Host – Vampira | [3] | |
| The Lady and the Law | Peta Mann | TV film | |
| 1973 | Wicked City | Brothel Madam | TV film[16] |
| Matlock Police | Eve Taylor | 1 episode | |
| Ryan | Nurse Porter / Sheila | 2 episodes | |
| Inside Alvin Purple | Herself / Mrs. Horwood | TV special | |
| 1973–1974 | Number 96 | Helen Sheridan/Sellars | 21 episodes[5] |
| 1974 | Silent Number | Prostitute | 1 episode |
| The Evil Touch | Pamela Larsen | 1 episode[9] | |
| 1975 | Two-Way Mirror | Susan Maxwell | TV pilot[17] |
| 1976–1977 | The Box | Enid Parker | [5] |
| 1977–1979 | The Restless Years | Heather Russell | 99 episodes[5] |
| 1981 | Bellamy | Mrs. Baker | Episode 23: "Vigilante"[10] |
| 1981; 1982 | Cop Shop | [9] | |
| 1982 | Holiday Island | 2 episodes | |
| The Sullivans | Isabelle | 1 episode[9] | |
| 1983 | Carson's Law | Amelia Redman | 2 episodes |
| Starting Out | Dr. Jill Holt | [17] | |
| 1984 | Prisoner | Kerryn Davies | 10 episodes[5] |
| Special Squad | Mrs. Watson | 1 episode | |
| Bodyline | Miniseries, 2 episodes | ||
| 1984; 1987 | A Country Practice | Liz Ferguson / Di Lyall | 4 episodes[5] |
| 1987 | Great Expectations: The Untold Story | Mrs. Havisham | TV film[5] |
| 1988 | The Flying Doctors | Judith McLean | 1 episode[5] |
| 1989 | The Power, The Passion | Sarah McAllister | [5] |
| 1996 | Banjo Patterson's The Man From Snowy River (aka Snowy River: The McGregor Saga) | Lady Clough | 1 episode[5] |
| 1998–2000 | SeaChange | Meredith Monahan | 39 episodes[5] |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Seagull | Arkardina | Monash University with Playbox Theatre, Melbourne[12][18] |
| 1988 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Madame De Volanges | Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne with MTC[12] |
| 2001 | Life After George | Australian tour with MTC[18] | |
| 2009 | And When He Falls | Director | Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne[18] |