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Revision as of 05:44, 17 December 2024 by JuneGloom07 (talk | contribs) (→Career: play)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Lisa Armytage is a British born actor, known for her roles in Australian film and television.
Early and personal life
Armytage was born in Somerset, England. She has three brothers and a sister. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and had a season with the National Youth Theatre. She also appeared at the Bristol Old Vic.
Armytage met her husband, an Australian lawyer, during her last years of classes. They married after a nine week relationship and later moved to Melbourne. They have two daughters together.
Career
Armytage admitted that it took time to find work after she and her husband moved to Australia in 1979. In 1981, she had a 12-week stint in Cop Shop as Jennifer Grant, the girlfriend of Constable Tony Benjamin (Gregory Ross). She also appeared in a production of Roger Pulvers' play The Covenant of the Rainbow at the La Mama Theatre. This was followed by an appearance in the ABC one-off drama On the Line and a guest role in an episode of Prisoner. In August 1984, Armytage starred in the ABC radio play Footmarks in the Sand, which was written by Danish actress and playwright Astrid Saalbach. Director John Hannaford believed Footmarks in the Sand should be recorded outside, and recording took place at Black Rock making it the first ABC radio play to be recorded on location for many years. Armytage plays Stella, who along with her boyfriend Paul, plans a trip to the beach, but their outing is filled with tension.
Armytage's big break came in 1986 with a co-starring role in her first Australian feature film Cool Change. She plays Joanna Regan, a cattle farm owner and love interest for Jon Blake's character. Armytage spent a week learning how to ride a horse and muster cattle for the role. Cool Change was filmed over six weeks in Mansfield at producer Geoff Burrowes' mountain property. Not long after she wrapped filming, Armytage began work on the Nine Network miniseries The Lancaster Miller Affair in which she plays the major role of Anne Lancaster, the wife of Bill Lancaster played by Nicholas Eadie.
After taking a break from acting to have her second child, Armytage was cast as Dr Beverly Marshall in the soap opera Neighbours. She initially signed a 12-month contract. Beverly was introduced as a love interest for series regular Jim Robinson, following discussions between Alan Dale and the writers about the lack of romance in Jim's life. Armytage admitted that it was a difficult decision to sign on for 12 months and had not intended to take on a major role because of her young children, however, she felt she was able to combine the two and her situation was working well. She also admitted to being nervous about the recognition that came with the role, as Neighbours was one of Australia's most popular television shows at the time.
In February 1990, Armytage accepted libel damages from the News of the World in the High Court after they published an article stating that she had been sacked from Neighbours because she was a bad actress. Her lawyer explained that she left the show due to an exhausting schedule and family commitments. News Group Newspapers Limited also issued an apology for publishing the allegation.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Cool Change | Joanna Regan | |
| 2006 | Rabbit Fever | Customs Lady | |
| 2009 | Halfway to Heaven | Joyce | |
| 2021 | Emily the Little Match Girl | Narrator | |
| 2024 | Meet Me by the Sea | Anna's Mum | Short film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Cop Shop | Jennifer Grant | Recurring role |
| 1982 | On the Line | ||
| 1983 | Prisoner | Clare Adams | Episode: #5.81 |
| 1986 | The Lancaster Miller Affair | Anne Lancaster | Miniseries |
| 1987–1989 | Neighbours | Beverly Marshall | Series regular |
| 1990 | The Flying Doctors | Edna MacKay | Episode: "The Hero" |
| 1991 | The Miraculous Mellops | Jean Mellop | Episodes: #1.16, #1.20 |
| 1992 | A Country Practice | Jane Lindsay | Episodes: "Wings (Parts 1 and 2)" |
| 1992 | Police Rescue | Librarian | Episode: "From This Day Forward" |
| 1994 | Sky Trackers | Trish Colman | Episode: "Origins" |
| 1997 | Heartbreak High | Librarian | Episode: #6.30 |
| 2001 | All Saints | Bernice Lewis | Episode: "Chains of Love" |
| 2023 | The Crown | Berkshire WI Chair | Episode: "Ruritania" |
- Source:
References
- ^ O'Connor, Coral (14 July 1988). "Doctor earns top marks". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Lisa Armytage". Spotlight. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Fidgeon, Patrice (5 April 1986). "Great expectations". TV Week. p. 25.
- Radic, Leonard (6 August 1981). "Pulvers double is good news". The Age. Retrieved 17 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Hawker, Philippa (9 August 1984). "ABC play on the beach". The Age. Retrieved 17 December 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Webster, Allan (27 June 1987). "Lisa's bush romance". TV Week. p. 77.
- ^ Webster, Allan (18 July 1987). "Lucky Jim!". TV Week. p. 21.
- Brown, David (1 October 1988). "Neighbours star out!". TV Week. p. 2.
- ^ "Libel payout for soap star". Sandwell Evening Mail. 22 February 1990. Retrieved 16 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.