Mary Parker (Australian actress)
Mary Parker | |
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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1951–late 1990s[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 7[1] |
Mary Clare Avison Fitzgerald
Early life and personal life
Parker was born on 31 October 1930 in
Parker grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Kew[1] and attended Genazzano Convent School.[citation needed] She was married to Australian portrait artist Paul Fitzgerald in 1957 until his death in 2017. They had seven children.[1]
Career
In her early career in England, film studios likened her star quality to that of
In England, she worked on stage in
In Australia, she was one of three people to host Channel Seven test broadcasts at their Melbourne station HSV7 prior to their official opening night; the other two test broadcasters were Eric Pearce and Danny Webb. On 4 November 1956, HSV-7's opening night, she became one the first female news anchors[1] when she presented the news bulletin alongside Pearce.[3][4][5]
Death
Parker died at a hospital in Melbourne, Victoria on the weekend of 13 May 2023. She was 92.[1][6]
British film career
- The Vise – "Gabriel's Choice" (1954) as Marianne Anderson; "The Deception" (1955) as Dorothy; "Kill Me My Love" (1957) as Irene[7]
- The Hostage (1956) as Rosa Gonzuelo[7]
- Colonel March of Scotland Yard – "Present Tense" (1957) as Emily[7]
- You Lucky People (1955) as Pvt. Sally Briggs[7]
- Third Party Risk (1954) as Nancy[7]
- Douglas Fairbanks Presents – "The International Settlement" (1954) as Elizabeth; "The Trap" (1954) as Peggy[7]
Australian television career
Parker top and tailed various programs in the early days of HSV-7.[1]
She also presented the following programs:
- Beauty Is My Business[1]
- Eric and Mary (with Eric Pearce)[1]
- Guest of the Week[1]
- The Judy Jack Show (covered when the regular hostess was indisposed)
Parker sometimes played piano as a prelude to her regular series of interviews.
Parker shares the honour of being among the first women on Australian television, with Babs McKinnon, the first woman on Sydney television[citation needed], when TCN-9 was opened on 16 September 1956.[8]
See also
- Colonel March of Scotland Yard, British television program
- Douglas Fairbanks Presents, British television program
- You Lucky People, British movie
- Third Party Risk, British movie
External links
- "Mary Parker Biography". IMDb.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r >Lee, Tim (17 May 2023). "First woman to appear on Melbourne television, Mary Parker, dies". ABC News. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Constant in Faith", Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne bulletin, Vol. 24, Issue 8.
- ^ "Sunday 4 November 1956 – MELBOURNE". televisionau.com. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- ^ Listener In-TV, 1 November 1956.
- ^ Mary Parker dies - ABC.net.au
- ^ "Funeral Notices: FITZGERALD, Mary Clare Avison". The Daily Telegraph. 19 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Mary Parker". IMDB. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "THE EARLY DAYS - www.tcnchannel9.com". SimpleSite.com. Archived by the Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017.
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