Eileen Marguerite McNenemy (8 February 1938 – 28 July 2004) professionally known as Margo McLennan, she was also billed in her early acting career as Margo Mayne and briefly as Margot McLennan and Marco McLennan, was a British-born actress, singer and dancer who was active in England and Australia, where she became best known to international audiences for her role in the Australian TV cult soap opera Prisoner, (known in United States and UK as Prisoner: Cell Block H and Caged Woman in Canada)
Biography
Born in Peckham, South London, to a father who was a licensed virtualler and professional violinist and a mother who dabbled in real estate speculation, she originally trained to be an ice skater at the Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre, before deciding instead a career as an actress, having trained in the arts at the Italia Conti Academy. her career spanned some 50 years.
One of the most popular actresses of the 1960s she was a theatre, film and TV star, who appeared on magazine covers and in commercials, after being spotted as a dancer in cabaret, she appeared in such stage roles as The Merchant of Venice and Goodnight Mrs. Puffin, the latter which marked her debut in West End theatre
She was married to fellow actor Tony Doonan from 1962 until their divorce in 1969. They had one child, Nicola, from that union. She changed her name to Margo Mayne.
In the 1960s and early 1970s she appeared in several British screen roles including Spaceflight IC-1 and Love Is a Splendid Illusion as well as numerous TV series including Night Train to Surbiton and Ransom For A Pretty Girl. She went on to play a succession of glamorous characters in shows such as The Gentle Killers, Motive for Murder and Man from Interpol.
Having moved to Australia, Margo joined the cult series Prisoner in 1979 as Catherine Roberts, in a controversial storyline where she is sent to prison for killing her daughter's rapist. During 1982 she returned to the show for a three episode guest role of Prison Officer Parsons.
After Prisoner she took guest roles in numerous TV series The Flying Doctors, A Country Practice, Blue Heelers and The Secret Life of Us.
In later life, under the name Margo Lady McLennen, she was an advocate for gay and lesbian marriage, and was a celebrant. Upon learning she had cancer, she returned to Britain with her second husband, Australian actor Rodney McLennan.
McLennan's final acting role was in Prisoner Queen (2003), playing Mrs. Gelding. She died in West Sussex, Britain from metastasised cancer, aged 66.
Filmography Production Year Role Note BBC Sunday Night Theatre 1954 Fairy Stardust TV series Motive for Murder 1957 Airport hostess TV series The Adventures of Brigadier Wellington-Bull 1959 War office secretary TV series Man from Interpol 1960 TV series, 1 episode (billed as Margot Mayne) Golden Girl 1960 Jean TV series Danger Man 1960 Lena TV series Dixon of Dock Green 1961 Paddy Cooney TV series Theatre Night 1961 Jacqueline Fordyce TV series The Pursuers 1961 Rita TV series No Hiding Place 1963 Marian TV series Night Train to Surbiton 1965 Pamela TV miniseries Spaceflight IC-1: An Adventure in Space 1965 Joyce Walcott (billed as Margo Mayne) Softly Softly 1966 Mona TV series The Troubleshooters 1966 Air Hostess TV series, billed as Margo Mayne Ransom for a Pretty Girl 1966 Pamela TV miniseries, billed as Margo Mayne River Rivals 1967 TV series, billed as Margo Mayne Love Is a Splendid Illusion 1970 Mrs. Allan billed as Margo Mayne Bright's Boffins 1971 Pirates Mate TV series, billed as Margo Mayne Justice 1971 Hilda TV series, billed as Margo Mayne The Getting of Wisdom 1977 ? Bluey 1977 Bette Taylor TV series Prisoner 1979-1982 Catherine Roberts / Prison officer Parsons TV series, billed as Marco McLennen All the Rivers Run 1983 Aunt Miriam TV miniseries The Henderson Kids 1985 Secretary TV series, billed as Margot McLennan A Thousand Skies 1985 Society Hostess TV miniseries The More Things Change 1986 Barbara The Flying Doctors 1986 Helen Spencer TV series A Country Practice 1992 Mrs. Barker TV series Blue Heelers 1994 Jean Richards TV series The Secret Life of Us 2001 Stage Manager TV series Prisoner Queen 2003 Mrs. Gilding
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