Colleen Anne Fitzpatrick Explained

Colleen Anne Fitzpatrick
Birth Date:1938 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse:Max Cullen (1973–1987)
Occupation:Model, actress, filmmaker
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 Bodyline (miniseries) as Don Bradman's mother, Police Rescue, 12 episodes of Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series) as the evil Jean Hopkins, Home and Away, Outbreak of Hostilities, The Four Minute Mile, A Country Practice, Whipping Boy and Soldier Soldier.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1965 The Pleasure Girls Cobber Feature film
1975 Games for Parents and Other Children TV movie
1983 Outbreak of Hostilities Barbara Benton TV movie
1984 Mother Short film
1985 Rebel Nosy neighbour's wife Feature film
1996 Whipping Boy Cass's mother Feature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 Bodyline Mrs Bradman TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1985 A Country Practice Mrs Kirby TV series, 2 episodes
1986 Sons and Daughters Jean Hopkins TV series, 12 episodes
1988 Home and Away Helen Patterson TV series, 1 episode
1988 The Four Minute Mile Elva Landy TV miniseries
1992-93 Police Rescue Fay McClintock TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Heartbreak High Bibi Taggart TV series, 1 episode
1995 Soldier Soldier Mary Jane Harvey TV series, 1 episode

Theatre

[2]

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 King Lear Cordelia / Regan Sydney Theatre Company
1973 Threepenny Opera Sydney Opera House for Old Tote Theatre Company
1973 Playboy of the Western World Sydney Opera House for Old Tote Theatre Company
1973 Richard II Queen Isabel Sydney Opera House for Old Tote Theatre Company
1973 What If You Died Tomorrow? Sydney Opera House for Old Tote Theatre Company
1974 Macbeth Sydney Opera House for Old Tote Theatre Company
Pride and Prejudice Ensemble Rep
The House of Bernarda Alba Ensemble Rep
In the Boom Boom Room Ensemble Rep
Crimes of the Heart Ensemble Rep
1976 Falling Apart New Theatre, Sydney
1981 When in Rome Margaret Reilly Phillip Street Theatre & Ensemble Theatre
1990 The Compositor & Twenty Minutes With an Angel Lookout Theatre
1992 'night, Mother Belvoir St Theatre
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Belvoir St Theatre

Personal life

Fitzpatrick was formerly married to actor Max Cullen from 1973 to 1987. 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.

Notes and References

  1. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/59439
  2. https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225442