Elisabeth Kirkby

Born in Bolton, Lancashire, (now Greater Manchester) north-west England to James Burton Kirkby and Frances Robinson[2] Kirkby's acting career began in the United Kingdom during the second world war, where she spent three years working for the war effort with the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and as an entertainer, writer and producer for Stars in Battledress. She appeared in telemovies including Mr. Bolfrey and the televised play Love from a Stranger, based on a stage production written by Frank Vosper, itself based on the a novel by Agatha Christie[1] Kirkby then emigrated to Malaya, where she spent 15 years writing, producing and directing for radio and the arts. Then she moved to Australia, where she wrote and produced documentaries and education programs for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

After Kirkby's stint at the ABC, she moved to commercial television in guest starring drama roles. These included Rip Tide, The Rovers, in Crawford Productions' espionage drama Hunter and their police drama Homicide and in the serial The Group.

Her next role was that of Lucy Sutcliffe in the soap opera Number 96. The character of Lucy was devised by writer David Sale, who had previously cast her in The Group. He based her and her husband Alf Sutcliffe (played by James Elliott) after his own parents from Lancashire, England, even naming the character of Lucy after his mother. "The only difference," said Sale, "was my parents from native England loved Australia, so to make it a little interesting we would have the character of Alf, as the typical whinging Pommy, who was also longing to return to the United Kingdom, despite Lucy's disapproval."[1]

Kirkby was an original cast member of Number 96 which premiered March 1972. Unsure of how long the series would last, the producers offered the original cast contracts lasting just six weeks.[3] The show became Australia's 10th highest-rated television program in 1972, was the number 1 highest rating program in 1973 and 1974, and the 6th highest rated program for 1975.[4] The episode in which it was revealed that Lucy's tumour was benign proved to be Number 96's highest-ever rated episode. In late 1973 the show had a feature film spin-off featuring much of the show's current cast, including Kirkby, reprising their television roles. Kirby provided a commentary for the DVD release of the series alongside co-star Carol Raye and Michael Kirby[1]

After Number 96 Kirkby went into a theatre run in Melbourne, appearing in The Jockey Club Stakes alongside Robert Coote and Wilfrid Hyde White in late 1975. Kirkby and White had previously met 30 years previously in the entertainment division of the army during World War II.[5] Kirkby subsequently made guest appearances on Australian drama series such as The Outsiders and Glenview High and again appeared in Homicide.

Kirkby became a politician and was elected to the New South Wales legislative council in 1981. She was the Australian Democrats' New South Wales state leader for many years, and became the longest-serving Australian Democrat member of parliament before retiring in June 1998. She remained in politics, at a local government level, serving as a councillor in Temora Shire from 1999 to 2004. In November 2010 she sold her sheep and wheat farm in Temora, New South Wales and moved to Morning Bay on Pittwater's western foreshore, accessible only by boat.

Kirkby is divorced and has one daughter and two sons, Debbie Baile, her daughter became an actress and appeared in Number 96 in 1975.[6] Baile also acted in The Young Doctors and the film Undercover.

In 2006 Kirk earned an Arts Degree and in 2014 a PhD from the University of Sydney at the age of 93, becoming Australia's oldest university graduate. Her thesis was on unemployment during the Great Depression, hence she is an activist for older people to learn and study.[7][lower-alpha 1] In 2012 she was awarded the national Medal of the Order of Australia, for "...service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the community of Temora, and to the performing arts".[9]

• Will We Ever Learn From History? The Impact of Economic Orthodoxy on Unemployment during the Great Depression in Australia – doctorate thesis (University of Sydney)

• Elisabeth Kirkby at IMDb