Rosalind Speirs
Encyclopedia
Rosalind "Ros" Speirs is a retired Australian film and television actress. She starred on several television series during the 1970s including Silent Number
, Heidi and the television miniseries Power Without Glory
. It was her role as Nellie Moran, wife of the main character John West (Martin Vaughan), that earned her a Logie Award
for "Most Popular Australian Lead Actress" in 1977. Speirs was also a guest star in a storyline of Prisoner: Cell Block H in 1980.
(1975), she had a more substantial role playing the lead female Caroline Thorne. That same year, Speirs played herself in the grindhouse
documentary film The Love Epidemic (1975). She also began a successful career in television appearing on Silent Number
and Power Without Glory
. At the 1977 Logie Awards
, she won a Logie Award
for "Most Popular Australian Lead Actress" for her portrayal of Nellie Moran in Power Without Glory.
She also appeared on The Restless Years
and Heidi, playing a recurring character Aunt Deet on the latter series. In 1980, Speirs was cast as Caroline Simpson
on the cult series Prisoner
. She portrayed a young woman who, with her mother Vivienne Williams (Bernadette Gibson), were charged with the murder of her alcoholic and abusive father. Although she appeared in the series for a brief time, her character was involved in a number of significant storylines. These included their initial introduction at the original halfway house
and becoming romantically involved with prison officer Deputy Governor Jim Fletcher
(Gerard Maguire
). She eventually left the series to become an agent appearing in her final role in the horror film
Alison's Birthday
(1981).
Silent number
In telephony, a silent number, unlisted number , ex-directory number or private number is a telephone number that is intentionally not listed in telephone books....
, Heidi and the television miniseries Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory is a 1950 novel written by Australian writer Frank Hardy. It was later adapted into a mini-series by the Australian Broadcasting Commission .- Publication :...
. It was her role as Nellie Moran, wife of the main character John West (Martin Vaughan), that earned her a Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for "Most Popular Australian Lead Actress" in 1977. Speirs was also a guest star in a storyline of Prisoner: Cell Block H in 1980.
Career
Rosalind Speirs made her acting debut in the 1974 film Stone where she had a minor role as a prostitute. In her next film, The Man from Hong KongThe Man from Hong Kong
The Man from Hong Kong, known in the U.S.A. as The Dragon Flies is a 1975 action film that was the first Australian-Hong Kong co-production being filmed in both nations. The film was also the first Australian martial arts film. It was produced by Raymond Chow and John Fraser, directed by Brian...
(1975), she had a more substantial role playing the lead female Caroline Thorne. That same year, Speirs played herself in the grindhouse
Grindhouse
A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where 'bump n' grind' dancing and striptease were featured.- History :...
documentary film The Love Epidemic (1975). She also began a successful career in television appearing on Silent Number
Silent number
In telephony, a silent number, unlisted number , ex-directory number or private number is a telephone number that is intentionally not listed in telephone books....
and Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory is a 1950 novel written by Australian writer Frank Hardy. It was later adapted into a mini-series by the Australian Broadcasting Commission .- Publication :...
. At the 1977 Logie Awards
Logie Awards of 1977
The 19th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Friday 25 March 1977 at Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Bert Newton from the Nine Network was the Master of Ceremonies...
, she won a Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for "Most Popular Australian Lead Actress" for her portrayal of Nellie Moran in Power Without Glory.
She also appeared on The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The Restless Years is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and young adults. It was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for Network Ten. It debuted December 1977 and ran until late 1981. It was not renewed by the network due to declining ratings...
and Heidi, playing a recurring character Aunt Deet on the latter series. In 1980, Speirs was cast as Caroline Simpson
Prisoner characters - Inmates
A list of all inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Note that episode numbers cited are for first and last appearances; many characters had spells where they were absent and subsequently returned....
on the cult 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...
. She portrayed a young woman who, with her mother Vivienne Williams (Bernadette Gibson), were charged with the murder of her alcoholic and abusive father. Although she appeared in the series for a brief time, her character was involved in a number of significant storylines. These included their initial introduction at the original halfway house
Halfway house
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a...
and becoming romantically involved with prison officer Deputy Governor Jim Fletcher
Prisoner characters - Prison Staff
A list of all prison staff at the Wentworth Detention Centre in the television series Prisoner.Listed in order of appearance:* Erica Davidson , the prison's governor...
(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...
). She eventually left the series to become an agent appearing in her final role in the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Alison's Birthday
Alison's Birthday
"Alison's Birthday" was an independent Australian horror film released in 1981 under Seven Network. It starred Joanne Samuel, Lou Brown, Bunney Brooke, John Bluthal, and Vincent Ball...
(1981).