Judi Farr
Encyclopedia
Judi Farr is an Australian theatre, film and television actor best known for several situation comedy roles on Australian television.
She first became known for her role of Rita in the situation comedy My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?
(1967–1968). She continued to play the character in that show's short-lived sequel series Rita and Wally
in 1968.
Later she played a similarly high-profile regular role in a successful sitcom, portraying dizzy wife Thelma in Kingswood Country
starting in 1980. She left the series in 1982, and in the script Thelma was sent off on a world cruise. She later sent word she would not be returning to her husband and Farr did not return to the series.
Aside from these roles Farr has had a long and busy career acting in dramatic roles in film and theatre, and television. She has had guest roles in drama series, television movies and miniseries. Television roles of the 1970s include guest spots on dramas including the Crawford Productions
police shows, and a recurring role in soap opera Number 96
in 1974 and 1975, playing in comedy storylines. Later guest appearances include roles in A Country Practice
, All Saints
and CrashBurn
.
Her first film role was a brief appearance in They're a Weird Mob (1966). Later films include Fatty Finn
(1980), The Year My Voice Broke
(1987), Flirting
(1991) and Oscar and Lucinda
(1997). Her film and television roles of the 2000s include Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
(2004) TV movie, The Alice
(2004) TV movie, Thunderstruck
(2004), Go Big (2004) TV movie, Walking on Water
(2002) and Changi
(2001) (miniseries). She toured nationally and internationally with Cloudstreet and has worked for all major theatre companies in productions which include Death of a Salesman
, Lettice and Lovage
(opposite June Salter
) and Angels in America
. She was awarded the 1992 Theatre Critics Award for Women of Troy as well as the winner of the 2002 AFI Best Supporting Actress for Walking on Water
she is soon to be seen in the documentary film Unfolding Florence.
She first became known for her role of Rita in the situation comedy My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?
My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?
My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? was a popular Australian situation comedy series produced by ATN7 from 1966 to 1968.The situation involved a young couple, Wally and Rita Stiller , living in Balmain with Rita's father Dominic McGooley . Also in the regular cast was Stewart Ginn, and later Noeline...
(1967–1968). She continued to play the character in that show's short-lived sequel series Rita and Wally
Rita and Wally
Rita and Wally was an Australian situation comedy series produced by ATN-7 in 1968.The series was a spin-off from My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? When the title character Dominic McGooley left that series it effectively continued as a new series under this title...
in 1968.
Later she played a similarly high-profile regular role in a successful sitcom, portraying dizzy wife Thelma in Kingswood Country
Kingswood Country
Kingswood Country is an Australian sitcom that screened from 1980 to 1984 on the Seven Network. The series started on 30 January 1980 and was a spin-off from a sketch on comedy program The Naked Vicar Show that had featured Ross Higgins as a blustering bigot...
starting in 1980. She left the series in 1982, and in the script Thelma was sent off on a world cruise. She later sent word she would not be returning to her husband and Farr did not return to the series.
Aside from these roles Farr has had a long and busy career acting in dramatic roles in film and theatre, and television. She has had guest roles in drama series, television movies and miniseries. Television roles of the 1970s include guest spots on dramas including the Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
police shows, and a recurring role in soap opera Number 96
Number 96 (TV series)
Number 96 was a popular Australian soap opera set in a Sydney apartment block. Don Cash and Bill Harmon produced the series for Network Ten, which requested a Coronation Street-type serial, and specifically one that explored adult subjects...
in 1974 and 1975, playing in comedy storylines. Later guest appearances include roles in A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
, All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
and CrashBurn
CrashBurn
CrashBurn was an Australian 13-part drama series airing on Network Ten, about surviving long-term relationships in an age where multiple partners and multiple orgasms are considered a birthright....
.
Her first film role was a brief appearance in They're a Weird Mob (1966). Later films include Fatty Finn
Fatty Finn
Fatty Finn is a 1980 Australian film, directed by Maurice Murphy and starring Ben Oxenbould with Rebecca Rigg. It is based on the 1930s cartoon-strip character, Fatty Finn, created by Syd Nicholls and is loosely based on the 1927 silent fim, The Kid Stakes.-Plot:Set in inner-city Woolloomooloo in...
(1980), The Year My Voice Broke
The Year My Voice Broke
The Year My Voice Broke is a 1987 coming of age story by director John Duigan, starring Noah Taylor, Loene Carmen, and Ben Mendelsohn. Set in 1962 in the rural Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it was the first in a projected trilogy of films centred around the experiences of an awkward...
(1987), Flirting
Flirting (film)
Flirting is a 1991 Australian coming of age film about a romance between two teenagers, written and directed by John Duigan. It stars Noah Taylor, who appears again as Danny Embling, a character from Duigan's 1987 film The Year My Voice Broke. It also stars Thandie Newton and Nicole Kidman....
(1991) and Oscar and Lucinda
Oscar and Lucinda
Oscar and Lucinda is a novel by Peter Carey which won the 1988 Booker Prize, the 1989 Miles Franklin Award, and was shortlisted for The Best of the Booker.-Plot introduction:...
(1997). Her film and television roles of the 2000s include Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars is a television science fiction mini-series written by Rockne S. O'Bannon and David Kemper and directed by Brian Henson. Following the Farscape series' unexpected cancellation in September 2002, it aimed to wrap-up the season four cliffhanger and tie up some elements...
(2004) TV movie, The Alice
The Alice
The Alice was an Australian drama television series created by Justin Monjo and Robyn Sinclair. It was set in the central outback city of Alice Springs. The program began as a successful TV movie, that later spun off a regular series. The series proved less popular and was cancelled by the Nine...
(2004) TV movie, Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck (film)
Thunderstruck is a 2004 movie starring Stephen Curry , Damon Gameau , Ryan Johnson , Callan Mulvey , and Sam Worthington . The title of the movie was taken from the AC/DC song of the same name.-Plot:...
(2004), Go Big (2004) TV movie, Walking on Water
Walking on water
Jesus' walks on water, or Jesus walking on water, is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Accounts of the miracle appear in three Gospels: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and...
(2002) and Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
(2001) (miniseries). She toured nationally and internationally with Cloudstreet and has worked for all major theatre companies in productions which include Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Premiered at the Morosco Theatre in February 1949, the original production ran for a total of 742 performances.-Plot :Willy Loman...
, Lettice and Lovage
Lettice and Lovage
Lettice and Lovage is a comedic play by Peter Shaffer, author of Equus and Amadeus. The play was written specifically for Dame Maggie Smith, who originated the title role of Lettice Douffet in both the English and American runs of the production. The role of Lotte Schoen was played by Margaret...
(opposite June Salter
June Salter
June Marie Salter AM was an Australian actress.-Biography:June Salter was born in Bexley, New South Wales, the youngest of six children. As a child she studied piano and elocution and attended Kogarah Secondary School...
) and Angels in America
Angels in America
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is the 1993 Pulitzer Prize winning play in two parts by American playwright Tony Kushner. It has been made into both a television miniseries and an opera by Peter Eötvös.-Characters:...
. She was awarded the 1992 Theatre Critics Award for Women of Troy as well as the winner of the 2002 AFI Best Supporting Actress for Walking on Water
Walking on water
Jesus' walks on water, or Jesus walking on water, is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Accounts of the miracle appear in three Gospels: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and...
she is soon to be seen in the documentary film Unfolding Florence.