Respected actress Monica Maughan, best known for her television work in Prisoner, has died in Melbourne.
She also won an AFI and Logie award for her work in The Damnation Of Harvey McHugh, played Nana Scott to a young Graham Kennedy in The King, and appeared in numerous Australian productions including The Librarians, MDA, Blue Heelers, Crackerjack, Halifax FP, The Genie from Down Under, The Gillies Report, The Flying Doctors, Come in Spinner, Coln Carpenter, The Box, Matlock Police and Homicide.
Her performance in Nightmares and Dreamscapes “Crouch End” aired on Wednesday night on GO!
But Maughan was most prolific as a stage actress, notably with the Melbourne Theatre Company. She worked with every major theatre company in Australia. She also won Green Room Awards. Born in Tonga, she was a member of the Melboune University Dramatic Club and made her debut opposite Barry Humphries in The Front Page in April 1954.
Her most recent role was in 2009’s film Blessed.
NB: Monica also appeared in a Radio Play written by yours truly and was very supportive of my early writing work. I would like to extend my sympathy to her family and friends. A wonderful lady and a great actress.
Monica turned up to fill in for a sick teacher at MLC Hawthorn in the late ’50s – most fun and creatively memorable lesson of my entire life.
Memories of Monica in her school days and teenage times.
Monica always had a broad smile, a keen sense of humour and a wonderful inner quality. Her acting ability was amazing, even as a young person.
Condolences to her husband, “Rowley”, who loved her dearly from a very early age, and to their children and grandchildren. Also, to Monica’s siblings.
She has contributed to the world. She will be missed.
Apart from Prisoner, she will also be remembered for a little known Australian movie “A City’s Child” from 1972 which screened on Channel 9 late at night several times a few years ago and was one of her first ever onscreen appearances.
According to the obituary in The Age today, Monica’s date of birth was given as September 15, 1933, making her 76 years of age.
Very sad news. When I was in Melbourne in 2008, I saw her on stage,in “Scarlett O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot”.
I just saw her on an old ep of A Country Practice on Hallmark.
How sad that she’s gone, she was an excellent actress who appeared in so many Australian tv shows and will especially be forever remembered as the good and mild mannered prison inmate Pat O’Connell from Prisoner. She will indeed be sadly missed.
Enjoyed watching her over the years appear on what seemed to be almost every Aussie TV series and always such a great actress. Saw her this week on Nightmares and Dreamscapes and thought what a mainstay of Aus TV and still going strong, then find out she’s passed only days later.. Very Sad, she will be missed.
The role she played in The King was actually Grandma Scott, the Guardian to Graham, not mother… but I guess she was a mother figure to Graham.
Vale to a dear, dear lady. I made Monica’s acquaintance at the Arts Centre about 5 years ago – and very much enjoyed her wit and company. She was not only talented but generous, caring, funny and a wonderful story-teller. A true lady. Rest in peace Missy M.
I guess they’re all gonna start dropping off, sadly…….
Amazing and very talented actress, all the Prisoner fans will be getting out there Pat O’conell episodes, to reminisce the good old days, she will be greatly missed.