Justine Florence Saunders (20 February 1953 – 15 April 2007) was an Australian stage, television and film actress. She was a member of the Woppaburra, an Australian Aboriginal people, from the Kanomie clan of Great Keppel Island in Queensland. On the small screen she appeared in numerous series, mini-series and telemovies.
Screen roles Saunders having started her career in theatre, made her screen debut in the television serial Rush in 1974, but first came to prominence as a cast member of soap opera Number 96 in 1976, as Rhonda Jackson. in a brief story arc portraying a character defending the rights of indigenous Australians. Subsequently, in 1986 she became best known for her role as social worker Pamela Madigan in the serial Prisoner.
Other television credits include: Skyways, Women of the Sun (1981), Farscape, Blue Heelers, and MDA.
Her film work includes The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and The Fringe Dwellers.
Personal Saunders was born next to a railway track. At the age of 11, as a member of the Stolen Generation, she was removed from her mother Heather and taken to Brisbane and placed in a convent. Heather was not told of Justine's whereabouts for more than ten years, and spent much of that time searching for her.
In April 2007, Saunders died of cancer at Hawkesbury District Hospital, Sydney, aged 54.Obituary.Obituary "Aboriginal actress who broke stereotypes", by Gerry Carman and Pauline Clague, The Age, 17 April 2007.
Honours and awards
Order of Australia Medal In 1991, Saunders was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), for her services to the performing arts, her services to the National Aboriginal Theatre, and for her assistance in setting up the Black Theatre and the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust.
In 2000, through the indigenous Senator Aden Ridgeway, she returned the medal in protest at the emotional turmoil her mother was suffering over the Howard government's denial of the term "stolen generation".
Other awards 1985 inaugural Aboriginal Artist of the Year award. 1999 Red Ochre Award - Australia Council for the ArtsRed Ochre Award
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Type 1974 Essington TV movie 1977 The Cake Man Ruby TV movie 1978 The Death Train Greg's wife TV movie 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Nancy Feature film 1983 Chase Through the Night Mary TV movie 1984 Mail Order Bride Irid TV movie 1986 Charley's Web Joan Lynch TV movie 1986 The Fringe Dwellers Mollie Comeaway Feature film 1988 Touch the Sun: Top Enders Elva TV movie 1991 Until the End of the World Maisie Feature film 1992 Jindalee Lady Feature film 1997 The Tower Louise TV movie
Television Year Title Role Type 1974 Rush Werowey TV series 1975 Ben Hall Jununji TV series 1976 Luke's Kingdom Aboriginal girl TV series 1976 Number 96 Rhonda Jackson TV series 1977 Pig in a Poke Maureen TV series 1977; 1984; 1985 The Mike Walsh Show Guest TV series, 3 episodes 1978 Against the Wind Ngilgi TV miniseries 1979 Top Mates Mrs. Jackson TV miniseries 1979 Skyways Flight attendant Helen Smith TV series 1981 Women of the Sun Mérida Anderson TV miniseries 1982 Silent Reach Allison Burnie TV miniseries 1986 Prisoner: Cell Block H Pamela Madigan TV series 1987 A Country Practice Brenda Dwyer TV series, episode part 1 and 2: "Birds of Prey" 1988 The First Australians Co-presenter TV anthology series 1992 G.P. Dolly TV series 1989-1992 The Flying Doctors Bessie / Magistrate Krum TV series 1992 The Midday Show Herself (with Jack Thompson) TV series, 1 episode 1994 Heartland Millie Carmichael TV miniseries 1996 House Gang President of Australia TV series 1998 The Violent Earth Aunt Junie TV miniseries 2000 Farscape Altana TV series Blue Heelers Annie Baker TV series 2002 MDA Ruby McKinnon TV series
Theatre
As actor Year Title Role Type 1975 The Cake Man Black Theatre Arts and Culture Centre 1976 Basically Black Space Theatre, Adelaide 1977 The Cake Man Mother / Ruby Bondi Pavilion 1980 Bullie's House Duluma (Doolie) Nimrod Upstairs 1981 Buckley's! Del Playhouse, Adelaide 1982 The Cake Man University of NSW Parade Theatre, Universal Theatre, Melbourne 1983 The Marginal Farm Russell Street Theatre 1984 The Cake Man Phillip Street Theatre 1985 Bullie's House Duluma (Doolie) Long Wharf Theatre 1987 No Trouble Universal Theatre, Melbourne 1987 Coordah Curtin University 1988 Not the 1988 Party! Belvoir Street Theatre 1988 Capricornia Belvoir Street Theatre, Parramatta Cultural Centre, Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Canberra Theatre 1988 The 16th Australian National Playwrights' Conference UNSW Parade Theatre 1989 A Special Place Cremorne Theatre 1989 The Currency Lass Q Theatre, Penrith 1990 Capricornia Junie / Sally / Fat Anna Playhouse, Adelaide, Playhouse, Melbourne 1991 The Crucible Sydney Opera House 1994 No Sugar Ballina Street Bridge, Lismore 1994 Sistergirl Russell Street Theatre 1995 Because You are Mine ANU 1996 The Commission / The Aboriginal Protesters Weimar, Germany, Berlin, Germany, The Performance Space Redfern 1996 Island in the Sun Price Theatre, Adelaide 1996 Black Mary Sydney Street Theatre, Brisbane 1997 A Midsummer Night's Dream Kangaroo Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company 1999 Conversations at the Ryan Hotel Star Court Theatre, Lismore 2000 La Dispute Carise Wharf Theatre 2000 Black Medea Wharf Theatre 2001 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2001: The Stars Are Brightly Shining State Theatre, Sydney 2001 The Twilight Series Collins Street Baptist Church, Melbourne 2003-04 Last Cab to Darwin Octagon Theatre, Perth, Sydney Opera House, Broken Hill Entertainment Centre, Orange Civic Theatre, Glen Street Theatre, Manning Entertainment Centre, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Princess Theatre, Launceston, IMB Theatre, Wollongong, Darwin Entertainment Centre, The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga 2005 Black Medea Belvoir Street Theatre, Malthouse Theatre
As director Year Title Role Type 1989 The Second National Aboriginal Playwrights' Conference Director Macquarie University
References
External links