Colleen Hewett
Encyclopedia
Colleen Hewett is an Australian actress and popular singer. She is perhaps best known to international audiences for her 1984 guest role in the television
series Prisoner
as Sheila Brady.
, at the original Playbox Theatre in Melbourne
, she received a gold record for "Day by Day
" (1972), her song from the show. These successes led to her being crowned Queen of Pop two years running. She later achieved two further gold records for "Dreaming My Dreams With You" (1980) and her version of "Wind Beneath My Wings
" (1983).
Hewett became guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins
in 1985 for a cover
of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins
, which peaked at Number 10 on the Australian Kent Music Report
in December.
, the rock opera
Tommy and Return to the Forbidden Planet. While performing in Pippin, she and her co-star John Farnham
also hosted the television variety show It's Magic, moving between the studio during the day and the theatre at night.
, The Truckies, Carson's Law
, Division 4
, Young Ramsay
, Cop Shop
, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors
, many of which had an international release.
, in the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz
headlined by Hugh Jackman
. She also had a role as Matron "Mama" Morton in the musical Chicago with Caroline O'Conner and Craig McLachlan. In the 2011 movie The Cup she plays Pat Oliver, the mother of jockeys Jason and Damian Oliver
.
Colleen Hewett
Original Australian Cast
Colleen Hewett
Colleen Hewett
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
as Sheila Brady.
Pop singer
Born in the central Victorian city of Bendigo, Hewett began her career at the age of 12 when she sang with The Esquires at the Bendigo YMCA. During the 1960s she toured Australia with a number of groups including the Laurie Allen Revue. She began her recording career in the early 1970s with the release of her debut single "Superstar" and self-titled album Colleen Hewett. Cast in the musical GodspellGodspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
, at the original Playbox Theatre in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, she received a gold record for "Day by Day
Day by Day (Godspell song)
"Day by Day" is a song from the 1971 Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak musical Godspell.Day by Day is the third song in the show’s score and it is also reprised as the closing number for the 1973 film version...
" (1972), her song from the show. These successes led to her being crowned Queen of Pop two years running. She later achieved two further gold records for "Dreaming My Dreams With You" (1980) and her version of "Wind Beneath My Wings
Wind Beneath My Wings
"Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad...
" (1983).
Hewett became guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins
The Incredible Penguins
The Incredible Penguins were an Australian supergroup formed in 1985, which reached the top ten on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart with their cover of "Happy Xmas " in December. Contributors included Angry Anderson , Bob Geldof, Brian Mannix , Scott Carne , Colleen Hewett, and John...
in 1985 for a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins
Little Penguin
The Little Penguin is the smallest species of penguin. The penguin, which usually grows to an average of in height and in length , is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.Apart from Little Penguins, they have several common names...
, which peaked at Number 10 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
in December.
Stage and theatre
Hewett's other musical theatre credits include PippinPippin
Pippin, Peppin, and Pepin are variants of a single Frankish given name. It was the name of several important figures in the Carolingian family that ruled the Frankish Empire in what is now France and the western parts of Germany in the Middle Ages:* Pepin of Landen, nicknamed the Elder, sometimes...
, the rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Tommy and Return to the Forbidden Planet. While performing in Pippin, she and her co-star John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
also hosted the television variety show It's Magic, moving between the studio during the day and the theatre at night.
Television
During her music career in the 1970s, Hewett was also performing in a number of television dramas including Homicide, Matlock PoliceMatlock Police
Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....
, The Truckies, Carson's Law
Carson's Law
Carson's Law is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Ten Network between 1983 and 1984. The series was a period piece set in the 1920s and starred Lorraine Bayly as progressive solicitor Jennifer Carson...
, Division 4
Division 4
Division 4 was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Nine Network between 1969 and 1975 for 300 episodes....
, Young Ramsay
Young Ramsay
Young Ramsay was an Australian television drama series which ran from 1977 to 1980 on the Seven Network. It was produced by Crawford Productions as two series of 13 episodes each.-Plot:...
, Cop Shop
Cop Shop
Cop Shop was an Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday operations of both the uniformed police officers and the plain-clothes detectives of the fictional Riverside Police Station....
, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia....
, many of which had an international release.
Present
As of 2000, Hewett has been in semi-retirement, spending time in Melbourne, Bendigo and Fiji with family and friends. In 2006 she played Marion Woolnough, the mother of Peter AllenPeter Allen
Peter Allen was an Australian songwriter and entertainer. His songs were made popular by many recording artists, including Elkie Brooks, Melissa Manchester and Olivia Newton-John, with one, Arthur's Theme, winning an Academy Award in 1981...
, in the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz
The Boy from Oz
The Boy from Oz is a jukebox musical based on the life of singer/songwriter Peter Allen and featuring songs written by him. The book is by Nick Enright. The production had its world premiere, directed by Gale Edwards, at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, on 5 March 1998 and toured Brisbane,...
headlined by Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
. She also had a role as Matron "Mama" Morton in the musical Chicago with Caroline O'Conner and Craig McLachlan. In the 2011 movie The Cup she plays Pat Oliver, the mother of jockeys Jason and Damian Oliver
Damian Oliver
Damien Oliver is a Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Oliver comes from a racing family; his father Ray Oliver rode with success until meeting his death in a race fall at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia...
.
Albums
Original Australian Cast- March 1972, Godspell-Original Australian Cast (Festival RecordsFestival Records (Australia)Festival Records was an Australian music recording and publishing company which was founded in Sydney in 1952 and operated until 2005....
) (Australia #18)
Colleen Hewett
- October 1972, Colleen Hewett (Festival Records) Aust#28-1
- May 1974, Greatest Hits - Colleen Hewett (Festival Records)
- June 1974, M'Lady (Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
) (Australia #44)
Original Australian Cast
- July 1974, Pippin-Original Australian Cast (EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
) (Australia #60)
Colleen Hewett
- November 1974, Hits (Summit Records)
- May 1983, ColleenColleen (Colleen Hewett album)Colleen is an album by Colleen Hewett, released in 1983.-Track listing:# "When The Feeling Comes Around"# "Tell Me That You Love Me"# "The Wind Beneath My Wings"# "What Could You Know About Love"# "I Hope I Never"# "Hearts "...
(Avenue Records) (Australia #48) - June 1986, Power Of Love (J&B Records)
- July 1997, Tenterfield Dreams The Musical Journey of Peter Allen (MRA Records) (Australia #67, Melbourne #52, Sydney #89, Brisbane #45, Adelaide #55, Perth #47)
- December 2001, Bulamama (Colossal Records)
Singles
Laurie Allen Revue (lead vocal- Colleen Hewett- A Side only)- June 1968, "As Long As I got You/Not Born To Follow" (Festival Records) (Australia #88)
Colleen Hewett
- June 1971, "SuperstarSuperstar (Delaney and Bonnie song)"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell that has been a hit for many artists in different genres and interpretations in the years since; the best known version is by the Carpenters in 1971.-Original Delaney and Bonnie version:Accounts of the song's origin vary...
/ More Today Than Yesterday" (Festival Records) (Aust #32, Syd #24, Melb #13, Brisb #29, Adel #30) - November 1971, "Day By Day (Incorporating 'Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord') / By My Side" (Festival RecordsFestival Records (Australia)Festival Records was an Australian music recording and publishing company which was founded in Sydney in 1952 and operated until 2005....
) (Aust #2, Syd #6, Melb #1, Brisb #1, Adel #3) - October 1972, "Carry That WeightCarry That Weight"Carry That Weight" is a song by The Beatles. Released on Abbey Road and part of the long, climactic medley that closes the album, it features vocals from all four Beatles...
/ Danny BoyDanny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" (Festival Records) (Aust #2, Syd #9, Melb #28, Brisb #6) - June 1973, "Waltzing MatildaWaltzing Matilda"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
/ Mother" (Festival Records) (Aust #80, Syd #37) - September 1973, "A Wish to Wish / It's Gonna Be a Long Time" (Festival Records)
- November 1973, "Sit Yourself Down / Can't Sit Down" (Festival Records) (Aust #94, Brisb #38)
- March 1974, "Pippin / I Can't Fly" (Atlantic Records)
- July 1974, "I Believe When I Fall In Love / Seldom Seen Sam" (Atlantic Records) (Aust #51)
- November 1974, "If You Could Read My Mind / Haven't We Met Before"
- November 1979, "Dreaming My Dreams With You / One Eyed Man" (Wizard Records) (Aust #2, Syd #2, Melb #1, Brisb #1, Adel #2)
- October 1981, "Gigolo / You Keep Walking Back" (Avenue Records) (Aust #28, Melb #14)
- September 1982, "Hearts / Take Me In Your Arms"
- February 1983, "The Wind Beneath My Wings/Constantly" (Aust #52, Melb #19)
- July 1983, "I Hope I NeverI Hope I Never"I Hope I Never" is a 1980 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz from their studio album True Colours. The album version of the song goes for 4:36, forty seconds longer than the single version. The song was later covered by ENZSO, a collaboration between Split Enz's Eddie Rayner and the New...
/ Sleepless Nights" - 1984, "If You Ever Feel The Need / Love Is Not Easy"
- 1996, "Street Angel" (CD Single)
- 2000, "Reconciliation" (CD Single)