Benita Collings (born 1940) is an Australian theatre, television and film character actress and children's television presenter best known for her role on ABC TV's Play School. Collings has also featured in documentaries and commercials.
Early life Collings was born in 1940 and started her training at the Independent Theatre under Dame Doris Fitton in 1955 and also trained in ballet and jazz, under Ronne Arnold.
Career Theatre, television and Film Collings started her professional career By 1961, having joined the Ensemble Theatre under producer and director Hayes Gordon, appearing in numerous plays including a production of Neil Simons, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, directed by Jon Ewing, Absurd Person Singular and Doctor in the House.
Collings is best known for her long-running stint as a presenter for Play School on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from 1969 until 1999. She was one of the longest-serving presenters after a 30-year tenure, and although is credited with appearing in the most episodes, her tenure on the show was surpassed by Don Spencer, who presented from 1968 until 1999
Collings described her first audition for Play School as awful because she didn't learn her script ahead of time. Two years later, Collings was invited back for a second audition based on her storytelling skills alone and got the part that invited her into the living rooms of thousands of Australian children in 401 episodes.
Her time on Play School saw her educating children by singing songs, making crafts, discussing days of the week, reading stories and famously playing with such toys as Big Ted, Humpty and Jemima. Being an introvert, Collings took some time to accept the fame that Play School gave her, as she learned to accept compliments from strangers in the street. On working with her occasional on-screen companion, John Hamblin, Collings stated: "He was delicious to work with – wicked and such fun". Big Ted is Collings' favourite Play School toy character. Bloopers of Collings' time on the show have also resurfaced, mostly featuring her swearily forgetting lines or acting as foil to Hamblin's crude jokes.
In addition to her position as an Australian children's television presenter, Collings has been a screen performer, appearing in many of Australian television dramas, including Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, The Restless Years, The Sullivans, The Young Doctors, Sons and Daughters, Rafferty's Rules and A Country Practice amongst others.
Collings appeared in the feature film Knowing as the mother of Nicolas Cage's character.
In 2019, Collings took part in a comedy revue about older people and the young people they deal with called Senior Moments, alongside John Wood and Geoff Harvey.
Collings has expressed her concern with modern children being glued to technology rather than forming a connection with humans.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Type 1972 Sunstruck Alice Feature film 2005 A Black and White World Florist Film short 2009 Knowing John's Mother Feature film 2010 The Tree Aunt Mary Feature film 2011 Sleeping Beauty Dinner Guest Feature film The Eye of the Storm Lady at lunch Feature film 2013 The Egg Narrator Film short 2019 Barking Mad Muriel Film short 2021 The Pitch Celia Montgomery Feature film Strung Beatrice Feature film 2026 The Better Man Celia Montgomery Feature Film
Television Year Title Role Type 1963 The Right Thing Jean TV movie 1966 The Private World of Miss Prim Typist TV series, 11 episodes 1968 Contrabandits Air Hostess TV series, 1 episode 1969–1999 Play School Presenter TV series 1970 The Rovers Margaret Walsh TV series 1971 The Comedy Game Turner TV series, 1 episode 1972 The Godfathers Miss Lark TV series, 1 episode Spyforce Sister Hilda TV series, 2 episodes 1970–1973 Homicide Joan Greaves / Freda Clarke / Catherine Davies TV series, 3 episodes Division 4 Nina Radcliffe / Louise Jenkins / Barbara Young TV series, 3 episodes 1974 Silent Number Mary TV series, 1 episode 1973–1974 Our Man in the Company Turner TV series, 15 episodes 1974 Matlock Police Betty Holmes / Susan Middleton TV series, 2 episodes 1975 Scattergood: Friend of All TV series, 1 episode Quality of Mercy TV series, episode 7. "Twice Blessed" 1977 The Sullivans Lucette TV series 1977–1982 The Restless Years Clare Moran TV series, 677 episodes 1982 Secret Valley TV series, 3 episodes 1982; 1984 A Country Practice Jill Stevens / Natalie Baker TV series, 2 episodes 1983 Return to Eden Estelle Rutherford TV miniseries, 1 episode 1984Kindred Spirits Tarot Reader TV movie 1984–1987 The New Adventures of Blinky Bill Host TV series 1985 Epic (Australian version) The Narrator Animated TV movie 1987 Sons and Daughters June Halliday TV series, 2 episodes Rafferty's Rules Magda TV series, 1 episode Danger Down Under (aka Reed Down Under) Dr Eileen Townsend TV movie Computer Ghosts Eva TV movie 1991 Play School's 25th Anniversary Herself TV special 1996 Play School 30th Anniversary Herself TV special The Glynn Nicholas Show Gremlins TV series, 1 episode 2001 Pizza Wowser lady TV series, 1 episode 2006 50 Years Of ABC Television Herself TV special 2016 Big Ted's Excellent Adventure: 50 Years of Play School Herself TV special Janet King Robin King TV series, 4 episodes 2018 Resting Pitch Face Olivia's Mum TV series, 1 episode
Other appearances Year Title Role Notes 1998 Burke's Backyard Celebrity gardener 1 episode 2016 Have You Been Paying Attention? Guest Quiz Master 2022 Australia's Got Talent Guest (with Chris O'Brien Lifehouse Choir) 1 episode
References
External links
Benita Collings at Entertain OZ, Australian entertainment directory "Forever Young", article in The Sydney Morning Herald Benita Collings at Onya Soapbox talent agent