Ilona Rodgers

Ilona Jeannette Rodgers (born 28 April 1942) is an English-born actress of stage, television and film, born in Harrogate, West Riding of Yorkshire, where she started her career, she later went on to appear in New Zealand and Australian productions. She was best known there for her role in serial Sons and Daughters as Margaret Dunne, the sister of Patricia, played by Rowena Wallace

Ilona Rodgers
Born (1942-04-28) 28 April 1942
OccupationActress
Years active1962–present

Biography

Early life and career in England

Rodgers, a native of England, trained in both Bristol and Surrey, starting her career on the stage, breakthrough roles came in British television included Carol in The Sensorites, a six-episode adventure in BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who.[1] She also acted in an adaptation of Martin Chuzzlewit, and made guest appearances in The Avengers and Adam Adamant Lives!. She had a guest role in American in The Beverly Hillbillies[2][3] and The Saint. Her final British screen credit was an episode of Paul Temple in 1970, before she emigrated to New Zealand.[4]

Career in New Zealand

Rodgers first lived in New Zealand from 1973, appearing in soap opera Close to Home and successful goldmining drama Hunter's Gold (retitled Scott Hunter in some territories).

Career in Australia

Between 1978 and the mid-1980s she lived in Australia. There, she appeared in television programmes The Sullivans, over 200 episodes of Sons and Daughters (as Patricia Hamilton's sister, Margaret Dunne) and the 1985 Australian miniseries Anzacs (as Lady Thea Barrington), as well as nine episodes of Prisoner in 1983 as character Zara Moonbeam, an imprisoned medium who claimed to have clairvoyant powers.

Return to New Zealand

After relocating back to New Zealand, her work included medical soap Shortland Street and presenting duties on a light entertainment and advertorial program called Good Morning.

Rodger's best-known role in New Zealand is probably TV series Gloss. She starred in Gloss for three seasons, from 1987 to 1990, playing bossy magazine editor Maxine Redfern. The series was about a fictional publishing empire run by the Redfern family.[5] Rodgers played Australian wife of New Zealand comedian Billy T. James in the final, sitcom version of The Billy T James Show (1990).

Stage work

Her stage work has included one-woman play Shirley Valentine,[6] By Degrees written by Roger Hall, and Three Tall Women by Edward Albee.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1968 Salt and Pepper Marianne Renaud
1968 Snow Treasure Bente Nielsen
1984 Utu Emily Williamson
2009 I'm Not Harry Jenson Margaret
2011 Rest for the Wicked Esther
2013 Chloe Jen Short
2015 Syrenia Nanna Mary

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1962–1964 Emergency – Ward 10 Nurse Sarah Smith Recurring role
1963 The Human Jungle First Nurse "Over and Out"
1963 ITV Play of the Week Caroline Campbell "Conspiracy of Silence"
1963 The Avengers Receptionist "Six Hands Across a Table"
1964 Martin Chuzzlewit Mary Graham TV miniseries
1964 Doctor Who Carol Richmond "The Sensorites" (6 episodes)
1966 Adam Adamant Lives! Susan "The Terribly Happy Embalmers"
1967 This Man Craig Violette Johns "You Can Choose Your Friends"
1967 The Avengers Samantha Slade "The Bird Who Knew Too Much"
1967 The Saint Mary "A Double in Diamonds"
1967 Thirty-Minute Theatre Judy "The Wake"
1967 Theatre 625 Angiolina Zarri "As a Man Grows Older"
1968 Theatre 625 The Baroness "The Pistol Shot"
1968 The Beverly Hillbillies Sandra MacGregor "Coming Through the Rye"
1968 Sherlock Holmes Rachel Carey "Black Peter"
1968 ITV Playhouse Sally "Premiere: Foxhole in Bayswater"
1969 ITV Playhouse Judy "Murder: When Robin Was a Boy"
1969 Dr. Finlay's Casebook Kathrin Soutar "The Visitation"
1969 Barrister at Law Jane Paston TV film
1970 Strange Report Beth "Swindle - Square Root of Evil"
1970 Paul Temple Nancy "Swan Song for Colonel Harp"
1975 Close to Home Vivian Soap Opera
1975 Winners and Losers Katherine "The Woman at the Store"
1976 The Sullivans Kate Meredith TV series
1977 Hunter's Gold Molly Grogan TV series
1977 Colour Scheme Ursula Harme TV film
1978 Died in the Wool Ursula Harme TV film
1978 Gather Your Dreams Aunt TV series
1978 Child's Play "Rumpelstiltskin"
1981 Outbreak of Love Marcia Rockingham TV film
1982 Sara Dane Julia Ryder TV film
1982 1915 Mrs. Reilly TV miniseries
1983 Prisoner Zara Moonbeam Recurring role (series 5)
1983 Silent Reach Patty Mountford TV miniseries
1983–84 Sons and Daughters Margaret Dunne Main role (series 2)
1984 Special Squad Helen Anderson "Until Death"
1985 Anzacs Lady Thea Barrington TV miniseries
1987 Gloss Maxine Redfern Main role
1988 The Far Country Jane Armitage TV film
1989 Night of the Red Hunter Jill Piper TV series
1990 The Billy T James Show Thelma TV series
1990–1992 The New Adventures of Black Beauty Hilda Burton Main role (series 1)
1992 Marlin Bay Charlotte Kincaid TV series
1995 Riding High Mrs. Harrington "1.37", "1.47", "1.48"
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Queen Camilla "The Festival of Dionsyus"
1997 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Queen Euriana "Long Live the King"
1998 City Life Beverley Gribble "1.19"
2003–2005 Shortland Street Ngaire Thompson TV series
2006 Maddigan's Quest Gabrielle "Off the Map"
2016 Power Rangers Dino Charge G-Ma Betty "Catching Some Rays"
2016 Dirty Laundry Nana Pat Regular role
2018 Westside Season 4 episode
2018 The Brokenwood Mysteries Mrs McTavish Series 5
2018 The Bad Seed Barbara Cole
2020 Power Rangers Beast Morphers Stacy "Goin’ Ape"

References

  1. "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Sensorites - Details". www.bbc.co.uk.
  2. "Ilona Rodgers". NZOnScreen.
  3. "Ilona Rodgers". IMDB.
  4. "Ilona Rodgers". BFI.
  5. Screen, NZ On. "Ilona Rodgers | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com.
  6. Hewitson, Michele (17 April 1999). "Ilona's out of the cupboard". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
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