Judith McGrath (21 April 1947 – 20 October 2017) was an Australian actress. She was known for her roles as Colleen Powell in Prisoner, Matron Gribble in Round the Twist, Bernice Hudson in A Country Practice, and Yvonne 'Von' Ryan in All Saints.

Early life Born in Brisbane, McGrath realised she wanted to be an actor from an early age. She began taking drama classes at Brisbane's Twelfth Night Theatre. She also took ballet and speech and elocution lessons.

Career McGrath began her professional acting career in theatre restaurants in Brisbane. She also had an early film role in 1969 film Age of Consent, playing the role of Grace.

In her twenties, McGrath relocated to London, where she worked in production for BBC radio's international news services and studied mine, dance and drama. After three years, she returned to Brisbane, rejoining Twelfth Night Theatre for 12 months. She then moved to Melbourne where she appeared extensively in theatre, including productions for Melbourne Theatre Company and Playbox Theatre Company. and appeared in Skyways and Young Ramsay.

McGrath was known for playing characters with a dry, often sarcastic wit. She was best known to international audiences for her role in the cult Network Ten soap opera Prisoner as fair-minded but sarcastic Deputy Governor Colleen 'Poface' Powell. Initially a minor character, appearing in 12 episodes in the first two series (1979–1980), she became a permanent cast member in 1981 and went on to appear in a total of 263 episodes. She chose to leave the series, her farewell episode airing in May 1984, during the show's sixth season.

After leaving Prisoner, McGrath appeared in guest roles in Special Squad, Neighbours (1985) and The Flying Doctors (1986; 1988) and 1986 miniseries Sword of Honour. In 1989, she appeared in the first series of the children's comedy series Round The Twist in 1989, playing Matron Cecilia Gribble (the wife of Frankie J. Holden’s character).

McGrath went on to become a regular cast member on A Country Practice, playing hippie Bernice Hudson from 1992 until 1993. Not long afterwards, the series was axed by the Seven Network, and McGrath returned for the final episode.

After a role in ABC drama Police Rescue, McGrath joined the cast of medical drama series All Saints on its debut in 1998, where she became known for playing the long-running role of nurse Yvonne 'Von' Ryan, opposite co-star Georgie Parker. She was the only original cast member to stay with the series until its conclusion in late 2009. The role saw her nominated for a Logie Award.

McGrath also starred in anthology series Naked: Stories of Men in 1996. Her final television role was as a counsellor in the series Winners & Losers.

Death McGrath died in Brisbane at the age of 70 on 20 October 2017.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleType 1969 Age of Consent Brisbane Girl – Grace (as Judy McGrath) Feature film 1986 Backstage Hotel Receptionist Feature film 2005 Fink Centrelink Woman Feature film 2010 Scone Wars Mavis Hepstead Film short

Television Year Title Role Notes 1977 Bluey Mrs. Thompson Season 1, episode 22 1977, 1980 Young Ramsay Ethel DeanRosemary Billings Season 1, episode 8Season 2, episode 51978–1980Cop Shop Mrs. Bond Season 1, episode 23 Leila Foley Season 2, episode 22 Jane Hardy Season 2–3, 4 episodes, recurring role Eve Fleming Season 3, episodes 59 & 60 1978 The Sullivans Miss Harvey 4 episodes, recurring role1979 - 1981 Skyways Mrs. Mason 2 episodes Lauren Bates 1 episode Dr. Mendelsohn 2 episodes Zoe Lawrence 1 episode 1979–1984 Prisoner Colleen Powell Seasons 1–3, 31 episodes, recurring role Seasons 3–6, 232 episodes, main role 1984 Special Squad June Holgate Season 1, episode 26 1985 Neighbours Margaret Haywood Season 1, episodes 67 & 68 1986 Sword of Honour Dietician Miniseries, episode 41986, 1988The Flying Doctors Cynthia Cumberland-Brown Season 1, episode 18 Caroline Longley Season 3, episode 221987 Willing and Abel Season 1 Camera Script Episode: "Second Star on the Right" 1989 Round the Twist Matron Gribble Season 1, 9 episodes, main role 1992–1993 A Country Practice Bernice Hudson Seasons 12–13, 149 episodes, main role 1995 Police Rescue Hazel Season 4, episode 3 1996 Naked: Stories of Men Margaret Season 1, episode 3, main role 1998–2009 All Saints Yvonne 'Von' Ryan Seasons 1–12, 493 episodes, main role 2011–2012 Winners & Losers Maria Crawley Seasons 1–2, 3 episodes, recurring role

Theatre Source: YearTitleRoleType1974 Rumpelstiltskin Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane Red, White and Boogie 1976 Summer and Smoke Alma What the Butler Saw Mrs Prentice Monash University, Melbourne1977 Romeo and Juliet Nurse The Cherry Orchard Charlotta The Crucible Tituba Stephany: Revival La Mama, Melbourne The Abdication 1978 Electra Chorus Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC The Playboy of the Western World Susan Brady 1978–1979 Once a Catholic Mother Thomas Aquinas Russell St Theatre, Melbourne1980 Outside Edge Ginnie Playbox Theatre, Melbourne Wings Amy1985 Blue Window Alice St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Season's Greetings Phyllis Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1986 The Norman Conquests 1987 Round and Round the Garden What the Butler Saw Mrs Prentice Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC Are You Lonesome Tonight? Q Theatre, Penrith & North Qld tour with New Moon Theatre Company Away Townsville Civic Hall with New Moon Theatre Company1988 Seven Little Australians: The Musical Martha / Miss Jolly Theatre Royal, Hobart, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Adelaide Festival Centre These Days Melbourne Athenaeum with Melbourne Ensemble Theatre 1989 See How They Run Miss Skillon Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1990 A Sporting Chance Fairfax Studio, Melbourne 1990–1991 Lend Me a Tenor Julia, Chairman of the Opera Guild His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Theatre Royal Sydney, Canberra Theatre 1994 A Flea in Her Ear Olympe Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC1996 A Cheery Soul Matron / Mrs Pinfold / Berys The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Calphurnia / TV Journalist The One Day of the Year Q Theatre, Penrith1997 The Comedy of Errors An Abbess Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne with STC / MTC After Magritte / The Real Inspector Hound Thelma / Mrs Drudge Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2004 Lovers at Versailles Clara Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre 2005 Love Letters Melissa Gardner NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney 2013 The Secret River Mrs Herring Sydney Theatre, Playhouse, Canberra, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with STC

Radio Source: YearTitleRoleType 1979 Crying in the Night ABC Radio, Melbourne

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