Sheila Kennelly
Sheila Kennelly (28 December 1927, Marine Square, Brighton, Sussex), also credited as Sheila Kenneally, is an English-born Australian character actress of theatre, television and film, with a vast repotoire spanning over 50 years in the industry, she came to Australia with her family, attending North Sydney Girls' High School and trained at the Independent theatre. She has played several television soap opera and comedy relief roles starting in the 1970s. Sheila appeared in plays starting her career on the stage, appearing at such venues as Old Tote Theatre and Nimrod Theatre Company before a lengthy Arts Council tour of "A View from the Bridge" (playing Beatrice) as well as many roles at Neutral Bay Music Hall and worked on plays at the ABC, before becoming a household name in soap opera Number 96 in Australia as bubbly barmaid Norma Whittaker along with her on-screen husband Les Whittaker (Gordon McDougall) the duo were comedy characters added to the cast of the series a few months after it premiered in 1972, she remained with 96 for 4 and half years, and featured in the series film version in 1974. In 1988 she became an original cast member on the seven network series Home and Away, as retired carnival entertainer and tarot reader Floss McPhee, until 1990, and was one of 16 original characters but has returned in numerous guest appearances reprising the role, the most recent in 2008.
Selected filmography
The Comedy Game (TV series)-1971
Division 4 (TV series)- Mrs Allen/Mrs Villani - 1972
Number 96- The Movie -Norma Whittaker- 1974
Number 96) (TV series) -Norma Whittaker (1974-75)
All at Sea (TV movie)- Mrs. Hand - 1977
Puzzle (TV Movie) Mrs. Foster - 1978
Doctor Down Under- Mrs Ellis - 1979
Glenview High (TV serial) - Val Devney - 1979
Carrots (TV series) as Mabel Dobbs - 1979
Secret Valley (children's serial) as Cecillia Cribbins - 1980
Spring and Fall (TV serial) - 1982
Fluteman - Myra Hawkens -1982
Return to Eden (TV mini-series) - as LIzzie -1983
Sweet and Sour (TV series)- 1984
Kingswood Country- Rosa Bertolucci - 1980-84
Winners - 1985
ANZACS (TV mini-series) Mrs Baker - 1985
Mail Order Bride (TV movie)- Dorothy - 1985
The Tale of Ruby Rose (Film) - as cook - 1987
The Flying Doctors (TV series) -1987-90 Hannah Robson/Merle Dempster
Hampton Court (serial) Mrs Verstak - 1991
A Country Practice (TV series)- credited roles Hazel Walmsley/ Mary Sheridan/Val Laski
Big Sky -Betty -1997
All Saints (TV series) - Rada Verzina/Mary Moore - 2001-07
Home and Away (TV series) as Floss McPhee