Colleen Anne Fitzpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1938-01-05)5 January 1938 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 12 August 2017(2017-08-12) (aged 79) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1959–1996 |
| Spouse | Max Cullen (1973–1987) |
| Children | Katharine Cullen |
Colleen Anne Fitzpatrick (5 January 1938 – 12 August 2017) was an Australian model, actress and filmmaker.
Early life
Fitzpatrick was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and was of Irish descent. Fitzpatrick trained as an actor with American Hayes Gordon at The Ensemble Studios of Sydney's Ensemble Theatre. Later in life, she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) majoring in film at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).
Career
Modelling
A prominent international catwalk, television and photographic model from 1959 to 1972, Fitzpatrick appeared in over 200 commercials, on countless magazine covers, and was contracted for various campaigns including Ford cars, becoming famous for her comedic flair working with the likes of John Cleese.
Theatre
She was a company member of The Sydney Theatre Company, formerly The Old Tote Theatre Company from 1972 to 1974 appearing in productions of King Lear,1 Threepenny Opera, Playboy of the Western World, Richard II, Macbeth and David Williamson's What If You Died Tomorrow? opening at the Sydney Opera House in 1973. Other theatre work included Pride and Prejudice, The House of Bernarda Alba, In the Boom Boom Room, Crimes of the Heart for the Ensemble Rep, When in Rome for the Ensemble Theatre, and 'night, Mother and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg for Belvoir St Theatre.
Film and television
Film and television work includes lead roles in The Pleasure Girls made in 1965 about a model finding herself swept up in swinging sixties London, Games for Parents and Other Children, A Girl's Own Story by Jane Campion, Rebel, starring Matt Dillon, the miniseries Bodyline as Don Bradman's mother, Police Rescue, 12 episodes of the Australian series Sons and Daughters as the evil Jean Hopkins, Home and Away, Outbreak of Hostilities, The Four Minute Mile, A Country Practice, Whipping Boy and Soldier Soldier.
Personal life and death
Fitzpatrick was formerly married to actor Max Cullen from 1973 to 1987.2 Together they have one daughter, actress Katharine Cullen (born 9 June 1975), and a grandson William Richards (born 17 August 2013).
Fitzpatrick died peacefully on 12 August 2017 from Motor Neurone Disease.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Pleasure Girls | Cobber | Theatrical film | 3 |
| 1975 | Games for Parents and Other Children | Unknown | Television film | 4 |
| 1983 | Outbreak of Hostilities | Barbara Benton | Television film | |
| 1984 | A Girl's Own Story | Mother | Short film | 5 |
| 1984 | Bodyline | Mrs Bradman | Television miniseries | |
| 1985 | A Country Practice | Mrs Kirby | 2 episodes | |
| 1985 | Rebel | Nosy neighbour's wife | Theatrical film | |
| 1986 | Sons and Daughters | Jean Hopkins | 12 episodes | 6 |
| 1988 | Home and Away | Helen Patterson | 1 episode | 7 |
| 1988 | The Four Minute Mile | Elva Landy | Television miniseries | 8 |
| 1992, 1993 | Police Rescue | Fay McClintock | 2 episodes | |
| 1994 | Heartbreak High | Bibi Taggart | 1 episode | |
| 1995 | Soldier Soldier | Mary Jane Harvey | 1 episode | |
| 1996 | Whipping Boy | Cass's mother | Television film |
Theatre
References
References
- "University News, the University of Newcastle, No. 66, 12 July 1973".
- Moran, Albert; Keating, Chris (4 August 2009). The A to Z of Australian Radio and Television. Scarecrow Press. p. 121. ISBN 9780810870222. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- "The Pleasure Girls (1965)". British 60s cinema. Paul Thompson. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- Murray, Scott (1996). Australia on the Small Screen, 1970-1995: The Complete Guide to Tele-features and Mini-series. Oxford University Press. p. 66. ISBN 9780195539493. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- Matthews, Kate. "Curator's notes A Girl's Own Story (1983)". National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- "Sons and Daughters Guest Artists - 1986". Sons and Daughters Website: a tribute to the classic Aussie soap of the 1980s. sonsanddaughters.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- "Home and Away Episodes » 1988 » October » Episode 197". Back to the Bay. Rust Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- Murray, Scott (1996). Australia on the Small Screen, 1970-1995: The Complete Guide to Tele-features and Mini-series. Oxford University Press. p. 197. ISBN 9780195539493. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- "AusStage Performance Resource". AusStage. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.