Kate Sheil
Encyclopedia
Kate Sheil is an Australian stage and television actress. She is probably best known for her role as prison officer Janet Conway in the cult television series Prisoner
, a role lasting six months in 1981 and 1982. In 1972 she had been a regular cast member of situation comedy series Birds in the Bush
.
Other credits include: Homicide, Sons and Daughters
, A Country Practice
, Water Rats
and All Saints
. She had a small role in feature film Puberty Blues
(1981) as a school teacher.
, Boney
, Matlock Police
and Birds in the Bush
. She also had several appearances on Homicide from 1971 to 1976.
In 1975, she made her film debut in Ayten Kuyululu's The Golden Cage with Ilhan Kuyululu and Sait Memisoflu. She portrayed Sarah, a young teenager who befriends two newly arrived Turkish immigrants Murat (Ilhan Kuyululu) and Ayhen (Sait Memisoflu). Falling in love with one of them, she eventually leaves him after he demands that she convert to Islam
. She is eventually located by the man who proposes to her, however, she refuses despite her being pregnant. Sheil was the only Australian cast in the film.
During 1976, Sheil had a supporting role in the television movie Me & Mr Thorne as well as the television series Alvin Purple
and Shannon's Mob. Later that year, she also starred with Tom Oliver
and Gerard Maguire
in David Williamson
's A Handful of Friends at the Russell Street Theatre in Melbourne. She also played a supporting role in The Singer and the Dancer
the following year.
In 1980, she appeared on the television series Timelapse, Bellamy
and in the television movie Air Hawk before being cast as school teacher Mrs. Velland in the 1981 film Puberty Blues
. She also had a memorable yet short-lived run Prisoner
as Janet Conway, a former Wentworth inmate turned prison officer. After appearing on Sons and Daughters
in 1984, she again took a break from acting until the late 1980s appearing in the television mini-series Emma: Queen of the South Seas and Joe Wilson
during 1988. After appearing in the 1990 film Weekend with Kate, she also made occasional television appearances in the television movie Heroes II: The Return and, during the late 1990s, guest starred on A Country Practice
, Children's Hospital
and Water Rats
.
Between 2001 and 2005, she played a recurring character, Victoria Carlton, in the soap opera All Saints
.
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...
, a role lasting six months in 1981 and 1982. In 1972 she had been a regular cast member of situation comedy series Birds in the Bush
Birds in the Bush
Birds in the Bush is an Australian/United Kingdom situation comedy series produced in 1972....
.
Other credits include: Homicide, Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
, 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,...
, Water Rats
Water Rats (TV series)
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
and 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...
. She had a small role in feature film Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues is a 1981 Australian film directed by Bruce Beresford. The film is based on the 1979 novel Puberty Blues, by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette, which is a proto-feminist teen novel about two 13 year-old girls from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney, Australia...
(1981) as a school teacher.
Biography
Sheil first appeared in the 1971 television movie What for Marriane?. During the next two years, she appeared on the television series RyanRyan (TV series)
Ryan was an Australian adventure television series screened by the Seven Network from 27 May 1973. The series was produced by Crawford Productions and had a run of 39 one hour episodes....
, Boney
Bony (Fictional Character)
Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte is a half Aboriginal, half-white detective character created by Arthur Upfield. Bony appeared in dozens of Upfield's novels from the late 1920s until the author's death in 1964.-Early life:...
, Matlock Police
Matlock Police
Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....
and Birds in the Bush
Birds in the Bush
Birds in the Bush is an Australian/United Kingdom situation comedy series produced in 1972....
. She also had several appearances on Homicide from 1971 to 1976.
In 1975, she made her film debut in Ayten Kuyululu's The Golden Cage with Ilhan Kuyululu and Sait Memisoflu. She portrayed Sarah, a young teenager who befriends two newly arrived Turkish immigrants Murat (Ilhan Kuyululu) and Ayhen (Sait Memisoflu). Falling in love with one of them, she eventually leaves him after he demands that she convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. She is eventually located by the man who proposes to her, however, she refuses despite her being pregnant. Sheil was the only Australian cast in the film.
During 1976, Sheil had a supporting role in the television movie Me & Mr Thorne as well as the television series Alvin Purple
Alvin Purple
Alvin Purple was a 1973 Australian comedy film starring Graeme Blundell, written by Alan Hopgood and directed by Tim Burstall.It received largely negative reviews from local film critics. Despite this it was a major hit with Australian audiences...
and Shannon's Mob. Later that year, she also starred with Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
and Gerard Maguire
Gerard Maguire
Gerard Maguire is an Australian stage, voice and television actor, best known for his role as Deputy Governor Jim Fletcher in Prisoner...
in David Williamson
David Williamson
David Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
's A Handful of Friends at the Russell Street Theatre in Melbourne. She also played a supporting role in The Singer and the Dancer
The Singer and the Dancer
The Singer and the Dancer is a 1977 film directed by Gillian Armstrong. It stars Ruth Cracknell and Elizabeth Crosby.-Cast:*Ruth Cracknell as Mrs. Bilson*Elizabeth Crosby as Charlie*Russell Kiefel as Pete*Jude Kuring as Mrs. Herbert...
the following year.
In 1980, she appeared on the television series Timelapse, Bellamy
Bellamy (TV series)
Bellamy is an Australian television series made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network in 1981.The series focused on a maverick cop named Steve Bellamy . His partner was Detective Mitchell...
and in the television movie Air Hawk before being cast as school teacher Mrs. Velland in the 1981 film Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues
Puberty Blues is a 1981 Australian film directed by Bruce Beresford. The film is based on the 1979 novel Puberty Blues, by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette, which is a proto-feminist teen novel about two 13 year-old girls from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney, Australia...
. She also had a memorable yet short-lived run 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 Janet Conway, a former Wentworth inmate turned prison officer. After appearing on Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
in 1984, she again took a break from acting until the late 1980s appearing in the television mini-series Emma: Queen of the South Seas and Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson (fictional character)
Joe Wilson is a fictional character appearing in several well-known short stories by Australian writer Henry Lawson.Joe Wilson first appeared in "Brighten's Sister-in-law," the first story Lawson wrote after his arrival to England, and the longest he had ever written up to that time...
during 1988. After appearing in the 1990 film Weekend with Kate, she also made occasional television appearances in the television movie Heroes II: The Return and, during the late 1990s, guest starred on 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,...
, Children's Hospital
Children's Hospital (TV series)
Children's Hospital is an Australian television series that screened on the ABC in 1997 and 1998. There was one series of 13 episodes produced. The series was set in a busy inner-city children's hospital...
and Water Rats
Water Rats (TV series)
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
.
Between 2001 and 2005, she played a recurring character, Victoria Carlton, in the soap opera 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...
.