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

Biography

Sheil first appeared in the 1971 television movie What for Mariane? 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 with Ilhan Kuyululu and Sait Memisoflu. She portrayed Sarah, a young teenager who befriends two newly arrived Turkish immigrants Murat (Ilhan Kuyululu) and Ayhen (Sait Memisoflu). Falling in love with one of them, she eventually leaves him after he demands that she convert to Islam. She is eventually located by the man who proposes to her, however, she refuses despite her being pregnant. Sheil was the only Australian cast in the film.

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, 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

YearFilmRoleType
1975The Golden CageSarahFeature film
1977The Singer and the DancerYong Mrs. BilsonFilm short
1981Puberty BluesMrs. VellandFeature film
1990Weekend with KatePhoebeFeature film
1997BlackrockDoctorFeature film

Television

YearFilmRoleType
1971–1976HomicideElly Sullivan / Chris Clark / Kay Marshall (as Katie Sheil)TV series, 3 episodes
1971What For Marianne?Marianne Malden (as Katie Sheil)TV movie
1972Birds in the BushFridayTV series, 13 episodes
1973Matlock PoliceLorraine HughesTV series, 1 episode
1973BoneyGloria LaceyTV series, 1 episode
1973RyanEllen CornellTV series, 1 episode
1974StopoverKay Marshall (as Katie Sheil)TV movie
1976Alvin PurpleSallyTV series, episode 12: "London Derriere"
1976Me & Mr ThorneShelley GordonTV movie
1978–1981Cop ShopTracey Powell / Karen Rush / Shawnee Lowe / Helen RadcliffeTV series, 5 episodes
1980TimelapseAngela ParkerTV series
1981BellamyKathTV series, 1 episode 11: "A Matter of Upbringing"
1981AirhawkWendyTV movie / TV pilot
1981–1982PrisonerJanet ConwayTV series, 43 episodes
1984Sons and DaughtersKathleen ElliottTV series, 8 episodes
1986Butterfly IslandTV series, 1 episode
1987Willing and AbelTV series, 1 episode
1988Joe WilsonMrs. BlackTV miniseries, 1 episode
1988Emma: Queen of the South SeasGwen PurdamTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1989Rafferty's RulesJoy FinlaysonTV series, 1 episode
1991Heroes II: The ReturnRoma's MotherTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1991A Country PracticeDr. Wendy GaleTV series, 1 episode
1993A Country PracticeSonia NewtonTV series, 2 episodes
1994Home and AwayMagistrateTV series, 1 episode
1994G.P.Yvonne FreithTV series, 1 episode
1997Heartbreak HighMatronTV series, 1 episode
1998Children's HospitalMaureenTV series, 1 episode
1999Water RatsCoronerTV series, 1 episode
2001–2005All SaintsVictoria Carlton (as Katie Sheil)TV series, 14 episodes

Theatre

YearFilmRoleType
1967WoyzeckMarieUNSW, Sydney
1967The Choephori (The Libation Bearers)ClytemnestraUNSW, Sydney
1969The Night of the IguanaFrau Fahrenkopf / Charlotte GoodallNIDA Theatre, Sydney
1969Almost Like Being (Student Graduation Plays)DorisJane Street Theatre, Sydney
1970Cat on a Hot Tin RoofUNSW, Sydney with NIDA
1970A Midsummer Night’s DreamUNSW, Sydney with NIDA
1970Blood WeddingUNSW, Sydney with NIDA
1975The Lady from the SeaSt Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
1976; 1978Relatively SpeakingBondi Pavilion, Sydney
1976Le Chateau d'Hydro-Therapie MagnetiqueJane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
1976A Handful of FriendsRussell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
1977Boeing BoeingJanetNewcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane with J. C. Williamson's & Edgley International
1978Big ToysMagSGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC
1978The Cherry OrchardVaryaSGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC
1978Habeas CorpusSGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC
1979You Never Can TellGloriaSGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC
1982–1983, 1992SteamingJaneOpera Theatre, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Seymour Centre, Sydney, Canberra Theatre
1982VirginiaEdward Street Theatre, Brisbane with QTC
1984CaravanPrincess Theatre, Launceston, Civic Theatre, Burnie, Queens Park Theatre, Perth, Hoyts Prince Theatre, Hobart, Regal Theatre, Perth, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Adelaide with Ensemble Theatre
1989Passion PlaySydney Opera House with Gary Penny Productions
1990The Odd CoupleVeraComedy Theatre, Melbourne, Majestic Cinemas, Sydney with John Reid Entertainment
1993Jake's WomenEnsemble Theatre, Sydney

External links