Val Lehman Explained

Val Lehman
Birth Name:Valerie Kathleen Willis
Birth Place:Perth, Western Australia
Birth Date:15 March 1943
Spouse:
  • Frank Lehman
Children:3
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1967–present
Known For:Prisoner (also titled Prisoner: Cell Block H)

Valerie Kathleen Lehman (née Willis; born 15 March 1943) is an Australian actress and director, best known locally and internationally for her role as the antagonist "Top Dog" and self-styled Queen Bea Smith in the Australian TV series Prisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H) for the first five series from 1979 until 1983 for 356 episodes.

Biography

Early life and personal life

Lehman was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 15 March 1943. She relocated to Melbourne to study arts at the RMIT University.[1] Lehman was married twice. Her first husband was Frank Lehman. In 1989 she married Charles Collins but divorced in 2002. She has two daughters both of whom appeared on "Prisoner". Her daughter Cassandra Lehman played her drug-addicted on-screen daughter Debbie, and her daughter Joanne also appeared as Yvonne, the schoolgirl neighbour of Valerie Richardson with whom Bea Smith stayed whilst on the run. Val also has a son, Jason.

Honours and awards

In 2021 she was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) "for significant service to the performing arts and wildlife conservation".

She received three Logie Awards for her performance; Best Lead Actress in a Series, Most Popular Actress in 1982 and Best Lead Actress in a Series in 1983. Lehman decided to leave the series towards the end of season five after becoming tired with playing the character. She recorded her final scenes on 13 May 1983 and made her final appearance in episode 400.

Career

Lehman has appeared in many other Australian television productions, mostly in guest roles. Prior to Prisoner she acted in the television series Bellbird and Tandarra. After Prisoner she appeared in The Flying Doctors, Army Wives, Something in the Air, Blue Heelers, All Saints and City Homicide.

In 2016, Lehman was a contestant on the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. On 6 March 2016 she was evicted from the jungle.

Lehman had a guest role on Neighbours in December 2017 as Joanne Schwartz, which reunited her with her former Prisoner co-star Colette Mann.[2]

Lehman in 2018 joined former Prisoner co-stars Fiona Spence and Colette Mann for a cameo appearance in the series seven finale of Wentworth (TV series), but the cameo scene was scrapped when the series was renewed for a further 20 episodes.[3]

Filmography

Television

TitleYearRoleNetworkNotes
1967BellbirdGuest appearanceABCTV series
1972HomicideNurse Seven NetworkTV series, Season 9, 1 episode
1976TandarraDinner GuestSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
1976Power Without GloryWoman in LaneABCTV miniseries
1979–1983PrisonerBea SmithNetwork TenTV series, Seasons 1–5, 376 episodes
1981Prisoner in ConcertHerself / Bea SmithNetwork TenTV special (Cast performance at Pentridge prison)
1981; 1983The Mike Walsh ShowGuest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1981Outbreak of LoveMrs. MontaubynABCTV miniseries
1982The 24th Annual TV Week Logie AwardsHerselfNine NetworkTV special
1982The Saturday ShowGuestABCTV series, 1 episode
1983The Mike Walsh ShowGuest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1983Melbourne Cup CarnivalHerself (with daughter Joanne)Network 10TV special
1983Parkinson In AustraliaGuestNetwork 10TV series, 1 episode
1984The 26th Annual TV Week Logie AwardsAudience memberTV Special
1985The Ernie Sigley ShowGuestNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
1985A Fortunate LifeBert's MotherNine NetworkTV miniseries
1986Kids 21st Birthday Channel Ten TelethonGuest - Herself as taped appearance with Prisoner cast: Colette Mann, Elspeth Ballantyne, Glenda Linscott & Jane CliftonTV special
1986The Flying DoctorsVal BatesNine NetworkTV miniseries, 1 episode
1989The Bert Newton ShowGuest - Herself with Bruce Ruxton, Sings "Flottsam Jettsam" (from 'Bea') with Jon FinlaysonSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
1989In Melbourne TodayGuest - HerselfNine networkTV series, 1 episode
1989TV AMGuest (with Carol Burns & Fiona Spence)BBC1TV series UK, 1 episode
1989This MorningGuestITVTV series UK, 1 episode
1990WoganGuest (with Amanda Muggleton)BBC1TV series UK, 1 episode
1990The Great EscapeGuestVideo UK
1991Ring My BellGuest TV series UK
1993Celebrity SquaresContestant BBCTV series, 2 episodes
1994Audience member (uncredited)TV special UK
1994-2002Good Morning AustraliaGuestNetwork TenTV series
1994Law of the LandFran WeberNine NetworkTV series, Season 3, 1 episode
1995Burke's BackyardCelebrity GardenerNine networkTV series, 1 episode
1995Sale of the Century: Battle of the TV ClassicsGuestNine networkTV series, 1 episode
1996WildernessVetITVTV miniseries UK
199640 Years of TV Stars... Then and NowHerselfNine networkTV special
1997Where Are They Now?Guest (with Carol Burns, Gerard Maguire, Lynne Hamilton & Lynda Stoner)Seven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
1998The Big BreakfastHerselfTV series UK
1998Good Guys, Bad GuysRose KinsellaNine NetworkTV series, Season 2, 1 episode
1998; 2001Blue HeelersBonnie CrossingSeven NetworkTV series, Season 5, 1 episode
1998DeniseHerselfSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2000PizzaBea SmithSBSTV series, season 1, 1 episode
2000–2002Something in the AirJoyce CassidyABCSeasons 1 & 3, 5 episodes
2001Blue HeelersIvy HendersonSeven NetworkTV series, Season 8, 1 episode
2001I Love the 1980'sHerselfTV series UK
2002The Best of Aussie Cop ShowsHerselfSeven NetworkTV special
2002MDARita O'ReillyABCTV series, Season 1, 1 episode
2003The SalonHerselfTV series UK, 1 episode
2005After They Were FamousGuestTV series UK, 1 episode
2006TemptationContestantNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2006Where Are They Now?Guest (with Prisoner cast: Peta Toppano, Amanda Muggleton, Carol Burns & Maggie Kirkpatrick)Seven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
200720 to 1Herself Nine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2007What a YearHerselfNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2008Bert's Family FeudContestantNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2009All SaintsMaggie BrooksSeven NetworkTV series, Season 12, 1 episode
2009Mornings with Kerri-AnneGuestNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2009; 2011A Current AffairGuestNine NetworkTV series, 2 episode
20099am with David & KimGuest (with Amanda Muggleton & Peta Toppano)Network TenTV series, 1 episode
2010City HomicideDorothy DenzelSeven NetworkTV series, Season 4, 1 episode
2011A Current AffairGuest (with Carol Burns, Elspeth Ballantyne, Fiona Spence, Patsy King, Jane Clifton, Judith McGrath & Margaret Laurence)Nine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2011Kerri-AnneHerself (with Amanda Muggleton)Nine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2012Today TonightHerself with Rowena Wallace, Brian Wenzel & Gerard KennedyTV series, 1 episode
2012The Strange CallsElaineABC2TV miniseries, 1 episode
2013; 2020The Morning ShowGuest (with Prisoner cast: Carol Burns, Fiona Spence, Patsy King, Colette Mann & Elspeth Ballantyne)Channel SevenTV series, 1 episode
2014Secrets & LiesPatriciaNetwork TenTV series, Season 1, 1 episode
2016I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!ContestantNetwork TenTV series, 31 episodes
2016The ProjectGuestNetwork TenTV series, 1 episode
2016All Star Family FeudContestantNetwork TenTV series, 1 episode
2016; 2018Today ExtraGuestNine NetworkTV series
2017; 2018The Daily EditionGuestTV series, 1 episode
2017NeighboursJoanne Schwarz10 PeachTV series, Season 33, 2 episodes
2018; 2021TodayGuest (with Amanda Muggleton)Nine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2018Today ExtraGuest (with Amanda Muggleton)Nine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2018; 2019; 2021Studio 10GuestNetwork TenTV series, 3 episodes
2018The Daily EditionGuestSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2019Studio 10GuestNetwork TenTV series, 1 episode
2019WentworthNew PrisonerFox ShowcaseSeason 7 (cameo, scene deleted)
2019; 2021Studio 10Guest (with Amanda Muggleton)Network TenTV series, 1 episode
2020; 2022The Morning ShowHerselfSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2020The EndKellyShowcaseSeason 1 (recurring, 4 episodes)
2021Studio 10HerselfNetwork TenTV series, 1 episode
2021Today ExtraHerselfNine NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2021Talking Prisoner PodcastHerselfYouTubeWebseries, 2 episodes
2022The Morning ShowGuestSeven NetworkTV series, 1 episode
2022IrreverentDelaunayNetflixTV series, Season 1, 10 episodes

Film

TitleYearRoleNotes
1977The IdyllShort film[4]
1979The DolebludgersMrs. PriceTV movie
1979The Franky Doyle StoryBea SmithTV movie
1982Kitty and the BagmanBig LilFeature film
1985I Live with Me DadMargeTV movie
1987Army WivesJill's MotherTV movie
2002Secret Bridesmaids' BusinessColleenTV movie
2008SmittenVioletShort film[5]
2008LapseRoseShort film[6]
2009Charlie & BootsBowling Lady DriverFeature film
2017The VeiledEdithShort film[7]
2018HoltOld Vyner GillespieShort film[8]
2022The Curious Case of Dolphin BayWendyFeature film
2022HitchedThe Boss LadyShort film

Awards and honours

AssociationAwardYearWorkResults
Logie AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Series[9] 1982Prisoner
Logie AwardsMost Popular Actress1982
Logie AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Series1983Prisoner
Australian GovernmentMember of the Order of Australia[10] 2021

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Val Lehman.
  2. Web site: Val Lehman to guest on Neighbours. Knox. David. TV Tonight. 12 October 2017.
  3. Web site: Knox . David . 2019-08-06 . Wentworth filmed Prisoner cast cameos TV Tonight . 2024-05-06 . tvtonight.com.au . en-AU.
  4. Web site: The Idyll (1977). goldposter.com. 8 February 2022.
  5. Web site: Smitten (2008). goldposter.com. 8 February 2022.
  6. Web site: Lapse (2008). goldposter.com. 8 February 2022.
  7. Web site: The Veiled. letterboxd.com. 8 February 2022.
  8. Web site: holtshortfilm. instagram.com. 8 February 2022.
  9. Web site: Logie Awards. australiantelevision.net. 8 February 2022.
  10. Web site: Knox. David. Australia Day Honours 2021: Lorrae Desmond, Val Lehman but Kerry O'Brien declines.. TV Tonight. 26 January 2021. 8 February 2022.

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