Maggie Kirkpatrick

Margaret Anne Kirkpatrick (née Downs; born 29 January 1941)[1] is an Australian actress who is best known for her portrayal of the character Joan Ferguson, a sinister and cold lesbian prison officer, nicknamed "The Freak", in the popular Australian television soap opera Prisoner. More recently, she performed as Madame Morrible in an Australian production of the musical Wicked.

Maggie Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick at the opening of Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, 2013
Born
Margaret Ann Downs

(1941-01-29) 29 January 1941
OccupationActress
Years activeFilm and television 1976–2008, 2017-present
Theatre 1960, 1968-2015
Notable work
Prisoner
Spouse(s)
Norman Kirkpatrick
(m. 1963; div. 1979)
Children1

Kirkpatrick has appeared in numerous TV series including Richmond Hill, Water Rats, G.P. and Blue Heelers, as well as 2 roles in All Saints and Home and Away

In 2019, she released her autobiography The Gloves Are Off: The Inside Story From Prisoner to Wicked

Early years

Margaret Anne Downs was born in Albury, New South Wales, to James and Crissie Downs. When she was seven months old her father was killed while on active national service as a soldier in North Africa, leaving her mother to bring her up alone. Her mother later married John Anderson and had a son, Adrian. The family moved to Newcastle, New South Wales, where Kirkpatrick grew up. She had had an interest in acting from an early age, and appeared in several school plays. By November 1955 she became fed up with school and left, whereupon her mother sent her to drama lessons.

Career: Theatre and television

In 1960, at the age of 19, Kirkpatrick took her first professional acting job, with theatre impresario John Alden's Shakespeare Company. After this initial production she promptly gave up acting. Kirkpatrick subsequently took various jobs, working in dress shop, as a medical receptionist, compère of fashion parades, and also had jobs in bars, restaurants, and hotels.

Downs married Norman Kirkpatrick, a merchant seaman of the Shankill Road in Belfast, in September 1963. Five years later they moved to Sydney where Kirkpatrick decided to resume her acting career. After appearing in two plays she put her acting career on hold once again, this time due to the arrival of her daughter Caitlin. Kirkpatrick resumed theatre work as Caitlin got older from 1964 onwards,[2] and from 1976 onwards moved on to television and cinema.

Video Appearance

Kirkpatrick appeared in the music video for "Anthem for the Year 2000" by rock band Silverchair.[3]

Activism

She is a strong supporter of gay rights, having made numerous appearances at "Fair Day" as part of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. She has been awarded the Sydney Gay Community's DIVA award for her work.

Return to TV

Kirkpatrick returned to TV in 2017 after a 9-year hiatus, having in recent years appearing primarily in theatre roles,[2] appearing in Australian TV mini-series The Letdown.

Personal life

In July 2015, Kirkpatrick was charged with child sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl in the 1980s. She strongly denied the allegations and said she would fight to clear her name of the two counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency with a person under the age of 16. In a statement Kirkpatrick said, "Yes, allegations have been levelled at me. Are they true? Absolutely not."[4][5] She appeared in court in August 2015 and was found guilty on 20 August.[6] She was subsequently sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order, including 100 hours of community service.[7] Kirkpatrick successfully appealed the case and won, with Judge Geoffrey Chettle finding that there was reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances, and dismissing the conviction and charges.[8]

Filmography

Film

Title Year Role Notes
Summer of Secrets
1976
The FJ Holden
1977
Betty Armstead
The Night, the Prowler
1978
Madge Hopkirk
The Getting of Wisdom Sarah
The Pirate Movie
1982
Ruth
Encounters
1993
Aunt Helen Alternative title: "Voyage into Terror"
Billy's Holiday
1995
Maureen O'Hara
Lilian's Story
1996
Uncredited role
Welcome to Woop Woop
1997
Ginger
Hetty
2002
Thelma

Television

Title Year Role Notes
The Godfathers
1971
TV series
The Thursday Creek Mob TV series
Snake Gully with Dad and Dave
1972
TV series
Who Do You Think You Are?
1976
TV series
Father, Dear Father in Australia
1978
Mrs. Floyd Season 1, episode 12 "The Wisdom of Patrick"
Chopper Squad Mrs. Roland Season 2, episode 3 "A Deed Without a Name"
The Oracle
1979
TV series
Jonah
1978
Mini-series
Spring & Fall Season 2, episode 4 "Thanks Brother"
Prisoner
1982–1986
Joan Ferguson Leading role; seasons 4–8; 389 episodes
Alternative title: "Prisoner: Cell Block H"
Richmond Hill
1988
Ivy Hackett TV series
Dearest Enemy
1989
TV series
The Ham Funeral
1990
Mrs. Fauburgus TV film
Betty's Bunch Betty Leading role; Season 1; 13 episodes
The Miraculous Mellops
1991
Mrs. Kafka Season 1, episode 5
Season 1, episode 12
Home and Away Jean Chambers 7 episodes of season 4
Hey Dad..!
1992
Sister Maureen Season 8, episode 1 "Nun the Wiser"
The Ferals
1994
Aunt Mavis Season 1, episode 8 "Rock Horror"
G.P.
1995
Joan Mullins Season 7, episode 13 "Relative Strangers"
Water Rats
1999
Sadie Seymor Season 4, episode 20 "Red Light"
Pizza
2000
Joan Ferguson Season 1, episode 9 "Gambling Pizza"
Blue Heelers Marj Cummings Season 7, episode 21 "The Gumshoe"
All Saints
2001
Dawn Healy Season 4, episode 18 "Bed of Roses"
Home and Away
2003–2004
Viv "The Guv" Standish Recurring role; 11 episodes; season 16 / season 17
All Saints
2008
Maria Season 11, episode 7 "Little Decisions"
The Letdown
2017
Lois Season 1, episode 6 "Mother Nature"
Sando 2018 Catherine Season 1, episode 1 "Prodigal Mum"
The Bureau of Magical Things 2018 Doris (voice) 4 episodes

References

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