Jill Perryman (born 30 May 1933) is an Australian retired actress, singer and dancer with a career that spanned 70 years. Perryman is from a family of show business performers; her sister was actress Diana Perryman and her son is media personality, radio and TV presenter and musician Tod Johnston.
Perryman, although a staple of theatre, appeared briefly in film; for her debut film role in Maybe this Time in 1980, she was awarded the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (known then as the AFI Awards) and has also appeared as a guest in numerous TV series and as herself.
Perryman has been honoured with both the MBE (1979) and Member of the Order of Australia (1992), both with the citation "For service to the Performing Arts".
Career Perryman became a staple of Australian showbusiness, having performed on stage from the age of three in a production of the famed Austrian operetta The White Horse Inn.
Perryman in 1952, then aged 19, joined the company of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd as a member of the chorus and in the following year was understudying leading roles in stage musicals, under Evie Hayes in a local production of Call Me Madam.
Perryman was strong in voice and personality, and a long series of understudy and small roles eventually led her, through the recommendation of John McCallum (who was then joint managing director of J. C. Williamson Theatres), to take the lead in the key Australian production of Funny Girl, a performance that won her an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions. These included I Do! I Do! in 1969, and The Two of Us in 1971. No, No, Nanette in 1972 won her another Erik Award for Best Actress for her role as Lucille Early, then in 1973 she starred in A Little Night Music. In 1976 she played Gladys Zilch in Leading Lady, a musical production created especially for her. She also toured during 1977 in Side by Side by Sondheim. She played Miss Hannigan in Annie in 1978.
Perryman won the A.F.I. (Australian Film Institute) Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1980.
She toured in the musicals Chicago in 1988 and The Boy From Oz in 1998.
Personal life Perryman was born in May 1933 in Melbourne, Victoria, into a family of performers. Her father was Melbourne-born actor William Harland-Perryman and her mother was Adelaide-born actress and singer Dorothy Eileen Duval; they had married in 1923.
Perryman is married to choreographer Kevin Johnston, and they have a son and daughter. Their son Tod Johnston is an actor, musician and media personality, and their daughter is actress Trudy Dunn. Trudy's daughter McKenzie Dunn is also an actress.
Theatre
YearShowRoleNotes1953Call Me MadamEnsemble (u/s Mrs Sally Adams)Australian tour starring Evie Hayes1954Paint Your WagonElizabeth WoodlingAustralian tour 1955Can-CanCelestineAustralian tour1957The Pajama GameMabelAustralian tour starring Toni Lamond 1962Carnival!RosalieAustralian tour 1965Hello, Dolly!Irene MolloyAustralian tour starring Carole Cook as Dolly Levi1966Funny GirlFanny BriceAustralian tour1969I Do! I Do!AgnesAustralian tour1972No, No, NanetteLucille EarlyAustralian tour starring Cyd Charisse1973A Little Night MusicCountess MalcolmAustralian tour1977Side by Side by SondheimHerselfAustralian tour1978AnnieMiss HanniganAustralian tour 1983Noises OffDotty OttleyAustralian tour1983ChicagoMama MortonPlayhouse Theatre, Perth1984‘night, MotherJessie CatesAustralian tour1985Brighton Beach MemoirsBlancheAustralian tour 1994Hello, Dolly!Dolly LeviAustralian tour1998Follies Carlotta ChampionSydney Opera House concert1998The Boy from OzMarion WoolnoughAustralian tour
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleType 1980 ...Maybe This Time Mother Feature film 1986 Windrider Miss Dodge Feature film 1990 The Swan Film short 1993 Love in Limbo Aunt Dorry Feature film 2006 Hidden Creatures Doris Film short
Television YearTitleRoleType 1957 Pantomime Quiz Guest TV series, 1 episode 1962 The Good Oil Bunny TV film 1966 BP Super Show Guest Singer TV series, 1 episode 1966 The Mavis Bramston Show Various characters TV series 1969 Sydney Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode 1970 The Mike Walsh Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1971 Dynasty Jenny Farmer TV series, 1 episode 1972 Matt Flinders Guest TV series 1972 Kamahl Guest TV series, 1 episode 1972 Perryman on Parade Guest TV series, 6 episodes 1972 Bobby Limb's Sound of Christmas Guest TV special 1973 Jill Herself TV special 1974 The Firm Film documentary 1974 The Ernie Sigley Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1975 The Graham Kennedy Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1975 Bellbird Cheryl Turner (regular role) TV series 1976 Homicide Kate Holsworth TV series, 1 episode 1976 This Is Your Life Special Guest TV series, 1 episode: "Jill Perryman" 1976 Quest Herself TV series 1977 Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal Guest TV special 1978 Cappriccio! Guest TV series, 1 episode 1978; 1984; 1985 The Mike Walsh Show Guest / singer TV series, 3 episodes 1978 Tickled Pink Vera TV series, 1 episode 4: "Palace of Dreams" 1978 The Peter Couchman Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1979 The Jill Perryman Show Herself TV special 1979 Saturday Special Guest TV series, 1 episode 1980; 1982 Parkinson In Australia Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1980 Home Sweet Home Mother Superior TV series, 1 episode 1980 1980 Australian Film Awards Winner – Best Actress in Support Role (for Maybe This Time) TV special 1980 John Singleton Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1980 Carols By Candlelight Herself/Performer TV Special 1981 The World Around Us Herself as Presenter TV series, 1 episode "Africa The Dispossessed" 1981 The 1981 Australian Film Institute Awards Performer TV special 1982 Parkinson In Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode 1985 Flight into Hell Recurring role TV miniseries 1985-1993 The Midday Show Guest / singer TV series 1987 Have a Go Guest Judge TV series, 4 episodes 1989 In Melbourne Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1989 The Flying Doctors Josie Sterling TV series, 1 episode 1989-1990 A Country Practice Lois Gardiner TV series, 4 episodes 1992 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1992 Clowning Around Miss Gabhurst TV miniseries, 2 episodes 1992 Legends In Cabaret Singer TV special 1992 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 1993 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994; 1995; 1998; 1999 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 4 episodes 1997 Hey Hey It's Saturday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1998; 1999 Denise Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2001 Changi Older Kate TV miniseries, 1 episode 2008 Talking Heads Guest TV series, 1 episode 2011 The Helpmann Awards Honouree – JC Williamson Award (with Nancye Hayes & Toni Lamond) TV special
Honours and awards Association Award Year Results Australian Government Order of the British Empire (MBE).It's an Honour: MBE 1979 Australian Government Order of Australia (AM).It's an Honour: AM 1992 AACTA Awards AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1980 Erik Award Best Actress for Funny Girl 1971 Erik Award Best Actress for No, No Nanette 1972 Helpmann Awards JC Williamson Award 2011 Mo Awards Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 1995 Equity Awards Lifetime Achievement Award 2013
References
External links Jill Perryman Collection , in the Performing Arts Collection and Arts Centre Melbourne.