Gerda Maureen Nicolson (11 November 1937 – 12 June 1992) was an Australian

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

and

television actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), ...

best known for several long-running television roles. She was best known for playing Governor Ann Reynolds of the Wentworth Detention Centre in soap opera ''

Prisoner A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison. ...

''.

Early life

Gerda Maureen Nicolson was born in

Hobart, Tasmania Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/ Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

, to parents both involved in theatre. In 1959, she travelled to London with her parents, and attended many stage performances.

Career

On returning to Australia in 1961, Gerda joined Melbourne University's Graduate Society and acted in a number of its amateur stage plays while working as a draughtsperson at the Victorian Health Department. A year later, she was spotted by a director who encouraged her to audition for a stage play, ''A Woman in a Dressing Gown''. Scoring one of the main roles, she joined the ensemble on its tour of Australia and New Zealand. Nicolson later said that the producer awarded her with the role on account of her stunning legs. She was in ''

The Proposal and the Bear "The Proposal and the Bear" is a 1968 Australian television play, based on two stories by Anton Chekhov, '' The Marriage Proposal'' and '' The Bear''. They were filmed in the ABC's Melbourne studios using the same cast for two plays. Plot "The Be ...

'' for ABC TV. Nicolson first reached wider audiences through her long-running role in

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

daily soap opera '' Bellbird''. After leaving that series she had a regular role in the police drama '' Bluey'' (1976) and also ''

The Sullivans ''The Sullivans'' is an Australian period drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran on the Nine Network from 15 November 1976 until 10 March 1983. The series tells the story of a fictional average middle-cla ...

'' (1976) and a small guest role in ''

Cop Shop ''Cop Shop'' is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes. The show The show revolved ar ...

''. However, her most widely recognised role was as Governor Ann Reynolds in the popular Australian television soap opera ''

''. This was her second role in the show — she had already played a minor role as a corrupt officer at another prison in earlier episodes. Nicolson played the role of Ann Reynolds from 1983 until the series ended in 1986. The series found huge international cult success in the 1990s and 2000s. Nicolson also appeared in '' Neighbours'' in 1989 as Robyn Taylor, who almost had an affair with Harold Bishop. She collapsed in her dressing room prior to going to stage for theatre performance ''Mary Lives!'' in 1992. Although she was rushed to hospital, she never regained consciousness and died on 12 June. The cause of death was a brain-related haemorrhage.

Legacy

Green Room Award: The Gerda Nicolson Award (for an Emerging Actress) was instituted in her name to commemorate her work in Australian theatre, as she is recognised as one of Victoria's finest female actors. This award, protected by The Green Room Awards Association, was presented to the recipient by her husband up until his death in 2006. These recipients included;

Alison Whyte Alison Whyte (born 1968 in Tasmania) is an Australian actress best known for her roles on the Australian television series '' Frontline'' and '' Satisfaction''. Acting career A former student of classical ballet, Whyte graduated from the Victo ...

Peta Brady Peta Brady (born 1972) is an Australian actress. She is best known for being the second actress to play Cody Willis, a role instituted by Amelia Frid in the TV soap opera '' Neighbours''. Since she left the show, Brady has appeared in the fi ...

and

Kat Stewart Katherine Louise Stewart (born 30 November 1972) is an AACTA and Logie Award-winning Australian actress who has made numerous appearances in television series, movies and on-stage. Early life Kat Stewart is the daughter of Tony and Kitty Stewar ...

. •Gerda Nicolson Award for Indigenous female students studying at the

Victorian College of the Arts The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus of the ...

in the areas of performing arts. This award was hosted through the Willan Centre for an undergraduate student.

Filmography

Film

Television

Television film

Awards

* Penguin Best Sustained Performance (1985) for ''Prisoner''

Nominated

* Logie Best Supporting Actress (1977) for ''Bluey'' * Logie Best Supporting Actress (1985) for ''Prisoner''

External links

*
The Unofficial Gerda Nicolson Web Pages
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicolson, Gerda 1937 births 1992 deaths Australian film actresses Australian stage actresses Australian television actresses Actresses from Hobart 20th-century Australian actresses