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Paula Duncan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paula Duncan
Born
Paula Margaret Duncan

(1952-09-15) 15 September 1952 (age 72)
OccupationActress
Years active1971 – present
Known for
Spouse
(m. 1982; div. 1998)
FamilyCarmen Duncan (sister)

Paula Margaret Duncan AM (born 15 September 1952) is an Australian actress.[1]

Her numerous television roles include playing in Number 96 as Carol Finlayson (1974-1975), The Young Doctors (1976–77), as Nurse Lisa Brooks, Cop Shop as Detective Danni Francis (1977–83), for which she twice won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress, Prisoner as Lorelei Wilkinson (1986), Richmond Hill as Janet Bryant (1988), Home and Away as Bridget Jackson (1990) and Neighbours (2011). Other notable roles include Paradise Beach and Breakers.

Duncan's older sister was stage and screen actress and activist Carmen Duncan.

Career

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Duncan was born in Cooma, New South Wales, to publicans Rita and Robert on 15 September 1952.[2] has played several leading roles in various TV series. Early roles were Carol Finlayson in Number 96 (her sister Carmen Duncan had previously acted in this serial), followed by Lisa Brooks in The Young Doctors. She left The Young Doctors to take the role of Danni Francis in Cop Shop, and stayed in the role for the series' entire 1977–1984 run. After Cop Shop ended she played Lorelei Wilkinson in Prisoner in 1986, then was Janet Bryant in Richmond Hill (1988) for its entire run, Bridget Jackson in Home and Away,[3] and Joan Hayden in Paradise Beach.[4]

In 2011 Duncan joined the cast of Neighbours as Carolyn Johnstone, a love interest for Harold Bishop (Ian Smith).[5] Duncan previously appeared in the show as Amy Medway in 1985.[5]

Advertising

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Duncan is well known to Australian audiences through her work on television commercials, especially humorous commercials for the Ajax household cleaner Spray N' Wipe, from 1988 to 2010.[6][7]

She has also made guest appearances on the NRL Footy Show on Network Nine.

Personal life

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Duncan married actor John Orcsik in June 1982 after they met acting together in Cop Shop. They opened acting school, The Australian Film & Television Academy (TAFTA)[8] together on the Gold Coast in 1994. They divorced in 1998. They have since worked together in the show Paradise Beach and elsewhere.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1974 Casualty Ward unknown role TV film
1975 Polly Me Love unknown role TV film
1978 Cass TV film
1985 Jenny Kissed Me Gaynor Feature film
1987 Future Past Miss Bernsteen TV film
1996 Academy Jennifer Haywood TV film
2004 Cocktail Hour Sandra Film short
2004 Strange Bedfellows Yvonne Philpot Feature film
2009 Braille Madam Feature film
2011 Surprise Surprise Muriel Film short
2015 Natural Injustice Doreen Smith Feature film
2017 Torn Tess Smith Film short
2020 Unsound Angela Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1955 Lux Video Theatre Kitty TV series US, 1 episode "So Evil My Love"
1973 The Pirates of Penzance Unknown role Teleplay
1973 The Barry Crocker Comedy Hour Herself TV special
1974-1978 You Say The Word Herself TV series
1974 This Love Affair Joan TV series, 1 episode 8: 'One Of My Silly Dreams'
1974 Certain Women unknown role TV series, 2 episodes
1974-75 / 1977 Number 96 Carol Finlayson "1.669", "1.689", "1.700"
1975 Ain't Got a Barrel of Money unknown role TV pilot
1975 Celebrity Squares Herself TV series, 1 episode
1977 The Young Doctors Lisa Brooks TV series, 121 episodes
1977 Number 96: The Final Episode Herself TV special
1977-1984 Cop Shop Det. Danni Francis TV series, 582 episodes
1980 The 22nd Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself TV special
1982 The 24th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself TV special
1984 1984 TV Week Logie Awards Guest (with John Orcsik arriving at event) TV special
1984; 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest (with sister Carmen Duncan) TV series, 1 episode
1984 Matthew and Son Barbara Dean TV pilot
1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest (with John & Simon Orcsik) TV series, 1 episode
1985 Neighbours Amy Medway TV series, 4 episodes
1986 Punchlines Herself TV special
1986 Prisoner Lorelei Wilkinson TV series, 54 episodes Regular role; Season 8
1986 An Australian Audience with Dame Edna Everage Herself TV special
1986 Studio 86 Glenda TV series, 1 episode "An Electric Day"
1987 Have a Go Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1987-1998 The Midday Show Herself TV series
1988 Richmond Hill Janet Bryant TV series
1988 Henry Lawson's Australia Presenter Video
1988 Rugby League Grand Final Herself TV special
1988 Life Education Television Appeal Herself TV special
1989 TV Weddings Herself TV special
1989 The Bert Newton Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
1989 In Melbourne Today Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1989; 1989 Celebrity Family Feud Contestant (with family John, Simon & Jessica Orcsik) TV series, 1 episode
1989 Celebrity Family Feud Guest (with Chantal Contouri, Jo Mitchell & Jodie Gillies) TV series, 1 episode "Leading Ladies"
1990 Home and Away Bridget Jackson TV series, 8 episodes Recurring role; Season 3
1990 Skirts Guest role: Janine Davies TV series, 1 episode 3: "Wolf Whistles"
1990; 1991 Tonight Live With Steve Vizard Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1990 TV Celebrity Dance Party Herself TV special
1991; 1992 In Sydney Today Herself TV series, 1 episode
1991; 1997 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Contestant TV series, 2 episodes
1991 The Main Event Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992 Mother And Son Real Estate agent TV series, 1 episode "The Clock"
1992 The Morning Show Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1992 Ten News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992 Seven Nightly News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992 National Nine News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992 ABC News Herself TV series, 1 episode
1993-2005 Good Morning Australia Herself TV series
1993; 1994 Live It Up Herself TV series, 3 episodes
1993 The Great Outdoors Herself TV series, 1 episode
1993-1994 Paradise Beach Joan Hayden "2.139"
1993; 1995 Ernie and Denise Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Love Rules Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 What’s Cooking? Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 At Home Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Today Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Midday with Derryn Hinch Guest with John Orcsik TV series, 1 episode
1994 Dr Feelgood Herself TV series, 1 episode
1995 The Times Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1995; 1996; 2001; 2008 This Is Your Life: Paula Duncan/Carmen Duncan/Judy Nunn/Bert Newton Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1996; 1997 Monday to Friday Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1996 The Crawford Story Herself TV special
1996-2000 An Australian Christmas At Darling Harbour Herself TV special
1997 Australian Good Taste Herself TV series, 1 episode
1997 Where Are They Now? Herself TV series, 1 episode
1997-2000 Beauty and the Beast Herself TV series
1997 Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1997 The Footy Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
1997 Sex And Beyond: 25 Years of Cleo Herself TV special
1998 FCTV Herself TV series, 6 episodes
1999 Breakers Karen Fairbarn TV series
1999 Denise Herself TV series, 1 episode
1999 Good Medicine Herself TV series, 1 episode
1999 Laws Herself TV series, 1 episode
1999 Fox Studios Australia: The Grand Opening Herself TV special
2000 The Morning Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
2000 Pizza Lorelei Wilkinson TV series, 1 episode "Gambling Pizza"
2002 The Best of Aussie Cop Shows Herself TV special
2002 New Idea: 100 Fabulous Years Herself TV special
2002 Always Greener Make-up artist TV series, 1 episode
2003 This Is Your Life :10 Year Celebration Special Herself TV special
2003; 2006; 2007 Mornings with Kerri-Anne Herself TV series, 3 episodes
2006 50 Years 50 Stars Herself TV special
2006 TV Turns 50 - The Events That Stopped A Nation Herself TV special
2006 What a Year Herself TV series, 1 episode
2006; 2010 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 2 episodes
2007 Where Are They Now Guest - Herself with 'Cop Shop' cast: John Orscik, Lynda Stoner, Joanna Lockwood, Terence Donovan & Gil Tucker TV series, 1 episode
2007; 2011 Today Tonight Herself - Guest with 'Cop Shop' cast: Gil Tucker, John Orcsik, Terence Donovan & Greg Ross TV series, 2 episodes
2008 Confidential at the Logies Herself TV special
2008 Susie Herself TV series, 1 episode
2008 East of Everything Pauline TV series, 3 episodes: "No Way to Nirvana", "Save Me Some Scones", "Aesthetic My Arse"
2008 This Is Your Life: Bert Newton Herself TV series, 1 episode
2009 Ten News Herself TV series, 1 episode
2010 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode
2011 Today Tonight Herself & John Orscik TV series, 1 episode
2011 The Morning Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
2011 Neighbours Carolyn Johnstone TV series, 7 episodes Recurring role; Season 27
2012 The Circle Herself TV series, 3 episodes
2015; 2016 Studio 10 Herself TV series, 1 episode
2015 Hiding Jenny Krilich TV series, 3 episodes "1.1", "1.3", "1.8"
2015-2019 The Daily Edition Herself TV series, 6 episodes
2016 Australian Disability Film Festival Herself TV special
2016; 2016 The Morning Show Guest (with John Orcsik) TV series, 1 episode
2016; 2019 Studio 10 Guest (with Maggie Kirkpatrick, Lynda Stoner & Toni Pearen) TV series, 1 episode
2016 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
2018-2019 The Morning Show Herself - Infomercial TV series
2019 Studio 10 Herself TV series, 2 episodes
2019 Chris Smith Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode
2020 First Dates Australia Herself TV series, 1 episode
2021-2024 The Morning Show Herself - Sleeper Pro Pillow Infomercial TV series
2022 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself TV series, 1 episode
2022 Weekend Sunrise Guest (with John Orcsik) TV series, 1 episode
2022 Seven News Melbourne Herself TV series, 1 episode
2022 This Is Your Life: Ray Meagher Herself TV series, 1 episode
2023 Today Extra Herself TV series, 1 episode

Stage

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Year Title Role Type
1972 Dick Whittington and His Cat
1983 Salad Days
1985 Half In Earnest
1987 Hansel And Gretel's Aussie Adventure
1987 Blithe Spirit
1989 Bedroom Farce
1990 The Lady's Not For Burning
1995 Brazilian Blue
1998 Social Climbers
2002 The Vagina Monologues
2007 Flying Solo
2008 Theatresports

References

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  1. ^ AusStage. "Paula Duncan".?
  2. ^ "As she celebrates 50 years in showbusiness, Paula Duncan reflects on the highs and the lows".
  3. ^ Williams, Glen (14 April 1990). "Paul becomes a 'monster' mum". TV Week. p. 91.
  4. ^ Paula Duncan at IMDb
  5. ^ a b "Harold Bishop to find love on Ramsay Street". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  6. ^ "The Spray N' Wipe commercial". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Ajax jingle to return with Paula Duncan reprising character of frantic housewife". Mumbrella. 4 March 2010. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  8. ^ "The Australian Film & Television Academy". tafta.com.au. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
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