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Judy McBurney

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Judy McBurney
Born
Judith McBurney

(1948-05-19)19 May 1948
Sydney, Australia
Died1 December 2018(2018-12-01) (aged 70)
Sydney, Australia
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Years active1968–2002
Known forThe Young Doctors as Tania Livingstone
Prisoner as Sandra "Pixie" Mason

Judith McBurney (19 May 1948 – 1 December 2018)[1] was an Australian actress and model. She is best known for serial The Young Doctors in 1,300 episodes as Tania Livingstone and also appeared in cult series Prisoner as Sandra" Pixie" Mason in 96 episodes.[2]

Early career

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Before acting, McBurney started a successful career as a model employed by June Dally-Watkins. One of her first acting roles was in late 1969, in a supporting role in Peter Weir's short movie Michael, one of three short movies released under the title Three to Go. It followed by small parts in ABC TV-plays and guest roles in other TV series. Her first leading role was in 1972 as Ella Belairs in ABC's adaption of The Cousin from Fiji, based on a novel by Norman Lindsay. Another early and memorable role was as Aldith in Seven Little Australians.[2]

Television soap operas

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In late 1973, McBurney was cast in the role of key new character Marilyn McDonald in Number 96 but before any of her scenes had gone to air and with about 30 scenes in the can she had to withdraw from the role due to illness. This left her replacement, Frances Hargreaves, to reshoot all of McBurney's scenes.

McBurney then went into the ongoing role of plain-Jane secretary Jane Fowler in The Box in late 1975, and later played the brief role of Jodi in Number 96. Subsequently, she became immensely popular playing the part of nurse Tania Livingston in The Young Doctors. She played the role from 1977 until the series ended in 1982. She followed this with another popular character, that of breezy romantic Sandra "Pixie" Mason in Prisoner for 96 episodes. She played Pixie on a recurring basis from 1983 to 1985. In later years she appeared in a few episodes of Always Greener.[2]

McBurney was also famous for her voice-over work and also starring in commercials, in particular a very cheeky, controversial ad from the 1980s for Palmolive Gold, in which she features in a bed with actor Peter Mochrie. McBurney leaves a cake of soap under his pillow, which led to the famous jingle and saying "Don't wait to be told".[citation needed]

Personal life and death

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McBurney retired from acting in 2002 to become an educated healer.[clarification needed] She also went on to teach modelling and acting for young people.[1] McBurney died of cancer on 1 December 2018.[3]

Filmography

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Film

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Title Year Role Type
Three to Go 1971 Judy (segment "Michael") Feature film
Scobie Malone (aka Murder at the Opera House) 1975 Girl at Pedestrian Crossing Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1968 Crackerjack Herself TV series
1968 Marriage Confidential Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1970 Eden House Role unknown ABC Teleplay
1970 Chimes at Midnight Role unknown ABC Teleplay
1970 Schwanda the Bagpiper Herself TV special
1970 Barrier Reef Guest role: Annette Conway TV series, 1 episode
1971 What For Marianne? Role unknown TV movie
1972 Catwalk Guest role: Marit Schemmler TV series, 1 episode
1972 The Cousin From Fiji Recurring role: Ella TV series
1973 Seven Little Australians Recurring role: Aldith ABC TV series, 3 episodes
1975 Behind The Legend Guest role: Waitress ABC TV series, 1 episode
1975; 1975 Ben Hall Guest role: Alison Buchanan ABC TV series, 1 episode
1975-1976 Bellbird Recurring role ABC TV series, 152 episodes
1975 Ben Hall Guest role: Rebecca ABC TV series, 1 episode
1976 The Box Guest role: Jane Fowler TV series, 1 episode
1976; 1976 Homicide Guest role: Yvette TV series, 1 episode
1976 Homicide Guest role: Joan Thompson TV series, 1 episode
1976 Bluey Janey TV Pilot, episode 1: "The First Bloody Day"
1977 Bluey Recurring Guest role: Sandra Gibson TV sereies, 2 episodes
1977 Number 96 Guest role: Jodi TV series, 2 episodes
1977-1983 The Young Doctors Regular role: Tania Livingston/Nurse Tania Livingston/Sister Tania Livingston TV series, 1329 episodes
1978; 1979 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself & Tony Alvarez TV series, 1 episode
1979; 1981 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself & Tony Alvarez TV series, 1 episode
1981 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1981 Go Health Herself with Young Doctors cast: Gwen Plumb, Karen Pini, Peter Lochran TV series, 1 episode
1983-1985 Prisoner Regular role: Sandra 'Pixie' Mason TV series, 96 episodes
1984 The 26th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Audience member with 'Prisoner' cast TV Special
1984 A Country Practice Guest role: Samantha Harrison TV series, 2 episodes
1991 In Sydney Today Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1991 Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune Herself - Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1992 The Main Event Herself - Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1993 Home and Away Guest role: Audrey Orchard TV series, 1 episode
1994 TVTV Herself with 'The Young Doctors' cast Gwen Plumb, Diana McLean, Chris King, Tim Page, Louise Howitt & Darren Gray ABC TV series, 1 episode
1995 Sale of the Century: Battle of the TV Classics Herself - Contestant with 'The Young Doctors' cast: Chris King, Cornelia Frances & Tim Page TV series, 1 episode
1996 40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now Herself TV special
1997 Where Are They Now? Guest - Herself with 'The Young Doctors' cast: Chris King, Gwen Plumb, Mark Holden & Tim Page TV series, 1 episode
2002 Always Greener Guest role: Yvonne Greenhill TV series, 2 episodes
2006 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode
2007 Where Are They Now Guest - Herself with 'The Young Doctors' cast: Chris King, Cornelia Frances, Tim Page, Rebecca Gilling, Alan Dale & Karen Pini TV series, 1 episode
2008 Today Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode
2016 Studio 10 Guest - Herself with 'The Young Doctors' cast: Chris King, Diana McLean, Tim Page & Karen Petersen TV series, 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b "Biography". judymcburney.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Television CV". judymcburney.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  3. ^ Prisoner star Judy McBurney dies, aged 70, following cancer battle
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