Kate Sheil is an Australian retired stage and television actress, whose roles include prison officer Janet Conway in two series of the cult television series Prisoner.

Biography Sheil first appeared in the 1971 television movie What for Marianne? During the next two years, she appeared on the television series Ryan, Boney, Matlock Police and as a regular cast member of situation comedy Birds in the Bush in 1972. She also had several appearances on Homicide from 1971 to 1976.

In 1975, she made her film debut in Ayten Kuyululu's The Golden Cage. She portrayed Sarah, a young teenager who befriends two newly arrived Turkish immigrants, falling in love with one of them, but leaving despite being pregnant when he proposes to her but demands that she convert to Islam. Sheil was the only Australian cast in the film.Reade, Eric. History and Heartburn: The Saga of Australian Film, 1896–1978. Rutherford, New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1979. (pp. 171, 174)

During 1976, Sheil had a supporting role in the television movie Me & Mr Thorne as well as the television series Alvin Purple and Shannon's Mob. Later that year, she also starred with Tom Oliver and Gerard Maguire in David Williamson's A Handful of Friends at the Russell Street Theatre in Melbourne,Williamson, David and Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt. Australian Playwrights: David Williamson. Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V., 1988. one of many stage productions she was in, throughout her career. She also played a supporting role in The Singer and the Dancer the following year.

In 1980, she appeared on the television series Timelapse, Bellamy and in the television movie Air Hawk before being cast as school teacher Mrs. Velland in the 1981 film Puberty Blues. From 1981 to 1982, she also had a guest stint in Prisoner as Janet Conway, a former Wentworth inmate turned prison officer; a storyline which reunited her with Gerard Maguire from Me & Mr Thorne, and saw the two characters in a romantic subplot.

After appearing on Sons and Daughters in 1984, she again took a break from acting until the late 1980s appearing in the television mini-series Emma: Queen of the South Seas and Joe Wilson during 1988. After appearing in the 1990 film Weekend with Kate, she also made occasional television appearances in the television movie Heroes II: The Return and, during the late 1990s, guest starred on A Country Practice, Children's Hospital and Water Rats.

Between 2001 and 2005, she played a recurring character, Victoria Carlton, in the soap opera All Saints.

Filmography

Film Year Film Role Notes 1975 The Golden Cage Sarah 1977 The Singer and the Dancer Yong Mrs. Bilson Short film 1981 Puberty Blues Mrs. Velland 1990 Weekend with Kate Phoebe 1997 Blackrock Doctor

Television Year Film Role Notes 1971, 1976 Homicide Elly Sullivan / Chris Clark / Kay Marshall 3 episodes (as Katie Sheil) 1971 What For Marianne? Marianne Malden TV movie (as Katie Sheil) 1972 Birds in the Bush Friday Main cast 1973 Matlock Police Lorraine Hughes 1 episode 1973 Boney Gloria Lacey 1 episode 1973 Ryan Ellen Cornell 1 episode 1974 Stopover Kay Marshall (as Katie Sheil) TV movie 1976 Alvin Purple Sally Episode: "London Derriere" 1976 Me & Mr Thorne Shelley Gordon TV movie 1978, 1980, 1981 Cop Shop Tracey Powell / Karen Rush / Shawnee Lowe / Helen Radcliffe Soap opera, 5 episodes 1980 Timelapse Angela Parker 1981 Bellamy Kath Episode: "A Matter of Upbringing" 1981 Airhawk Wendy TV movie 1981–1982 Prisoner Janet Conway Soap opera, recurring role (series 3–4) 1984 Sons and Daughters Kathleen Elliott Soap opera, 8 episodes 1986 Butterfly Island 1 episode 1987 Willing and Abel 1 episode 1988 Joe Wilson Mrs. Black Miniseries, 1 episode 1988 Emma: Queen of the South Seas Gwen Purdam Miniseries, 2 episodes 1989 Rafferty's Rules Joy Finlayson 1 episode 1991 Heroes II: The Return Roma's Mother Miniseries, 2 episodes 1991 A Country Practice Dr. Wendy Gale 1 episode 1993 A Country Practice Sonia Newton 2 episodes 1994 Home and Away Magistrate 1 episode 1994 G.P. Yvonne Freith 1 episode 1997 Heartbreak High Matron 1 episode 1998 Children's Hospital Maureen 1 episode 1999 Water Rats Coroner 1 episode 2001–2005 All Saints Victoria Carlton 14 episodes (as Katie Sheil)

Theatre Year Film Role Type 1967 Woyzeck Marie UNSW, Sydney 1967 The Choephori (The Libation Bearers) Clytemnestra UNSW, Sydney 1969 The Night of the Iguana Frau Fahrenkopf / Charlotte Goodall NIDA Theatre, Sydney 1969 Almost Like Being (Student Graduation Plays) Doris Jane Street Theatre, Sydney 1970 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof UNSW, Sydney with NIDA 1970 A Midsummer Night’s Dream UNSW, Sydney with NIDA 1970 Blood Wedding UNSW, Sydney with NIDA 1975 The Lady from the Sea St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1976; 1978 Relatively Speaking Bondi Pavilion, Sydney 1976 Le Chateau d'Hydro-Therapie Magnetique Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA 1976 A Handful of Friends Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1977 Boeing Boeing Janet Newcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane with J. C. Williamson's & Edgley International 1978 Big Toys Mag SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1978 The Cherry Orchard Varya SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1978 Habeas Corpus SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1979 You Never Can Tell Gloria SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1982–1983, 1992 Steaming Jane Opera Theatre, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Seymour Centre, Sydney, Canberra Theatre 1982 Virginia Edward Street Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1984 Caravan Princess Theatre, Launceston, Civic Theatre, Burnie, Queens Park Theatre, Perth, Hoyts Prince Theatre, Hobart, Regal Theatre, Perth, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Adelaide with Ensemble Theatre 1989 Passion Play Sydney Opera House with Gary Penny Productions 1990 The Odd Couple Vera Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Majestic Cinemas, Sydney with John Reid Entertainment 1993 Jake's Women Ensemble Theatre, Sydney

References

External links