Patricia Mary Bishop (13 June 1946 – 28 March 2000) was a northern Irish-born Australian actress, noted for her performances in theatre, film and television series.
Early life Bishop was born on 13 June 1946 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to parents Lloyd and Dorothy and had two brothers, Ross and Howard.
Career Bishop appeared frequently on television, but is probably best known for her role in Prisoner as gangster's wife Antonia McNally, in 1979. She appeared in Dynasty in the regular role of Patricia Mason from 1970 to 1971. Other recurring roles included that of Melissa Hobson in Number 96 in 1976 and Maggie Gould in Cop Shop in 1980.
She appeared in the miniseries A Fortunate Life (1986), Edens Lost, Cassidy (both 1989), Come in Spinner, The Paper Man, Ring of Scorpio (all 1990), Brides of Christ (1991) and Bordertown (1995).
She also had guest roles in numerous television series including Contrabandits, Homicide, Delta, The Link Men, Division 4, Matlock Police, Catwalk, Spyforce, Ryan, Certain Women, Shannon's Mob, Spring & Fall, Menotti, Five Mile Creek, A Country Practice, Special Squad, Rafferty's Rules, The Flying Doctors, Boys from the Bush, Police Rescue, Law of the Land, Correlli, Water Rats, The Genie from Down Under, Bullpitt!, Blue Heelers and All Saints.
Bishop received an AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her representation of Jenny in the 1976 film Don's Party, based on the David Williamson play of the same name. She played the role of Maude White in the 1995 film Dad and Dave: On Our Selection, opposite Leo McKern, Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor, and was a nursing sister in the 1999 film Soft Fruit.
She also appeared in numerous TV plays and TV movies including Volpone (1968), The Voyage Out (1969), Tilley Landed On Our Shores (1969), Eden House (1970), Chimes at Midnight, Human Target (1974), A Step in the Right Direction (1981), Man of Letters (1984), Barracuda (1988), The Time Game (1992), Reprisal (1997) and Without Warning (1999).
Bishop acted extensively for the stage, including productions for NIDA, Old Tote Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, STC, MTC, QTC, Phillip Street Theatre, Belvoir and Hunter Valley Theatre Company.
Personal life and death Bishop was married to renowned Australian actor Bill Hunter in 1976, however, according to writer Bob Ellis, the marriage was short-lived after Hunter ran off with their wedding celebrant.
She had a daughter, Onagh.
Bishop died on 28 March 2000, aged 53, after a battle with cancer.
After Bishop's death, Onagh moved in with actress Fiona Spence and writer Denise Morgan in Sydney, who saw her through her HSC.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1976 Don's Party Jenny 1978 Cries from a Cold Aquarium Short 1980 The Quick Brown Fox Miss Trent Short 1986 Scorpion Spain: Cab Driver 1987 The Right Hand Man 1995 Dad and Dave: On Our Selection Maude White 1999 Soft Fruit Nursing Sister
Television Year Title Role Notes1968 Volpone Celia TV movie Contrabandits Hazel Reeves Season 2, episode 151969–1972Homicide Rhonda Season 6, episode 1 Clair Neil Season 9, episode 15 Beverly Smith Season 9, episode 311969 The Voyage Out Kathy Harper TV movie Tilley Landed On Our Shores Miss... Er... TV movie Delta Mother Season 1, episode 111970 The Link Men Season 1, episode 3 Eden House Portia TV movie Chimes at Midnight TV movieDivision 4 Lenise Bingham Season 2, episode 7 Paula Season 2, episode 29 1970–1971 Dynasty Patricia Mason Seasons 1–2, 22 episodes 1971 Matlock Police Jocelyn Season 1, episode 41 1972 Catwalk Peggy Ellis Season 1, episodes 8 & 121973 Spyforce Island Woman Season 1, episode 39 Ryan Elaine Duncan Season 1, episode 20 1974 Human Target TV movie 1975 Certain Women TV series, 1 episode1976 Shannon's Mob Miss Warwick Season 1, episode 13 Number 96 Melissa Hobson Season 5, 4 episodes 1979 Prisoner Antonia 'Toni' McNally Season 1, 8 episodes1980 Cop Shop Maggie Gould 4 episodes Spring & Fall Psychologist Season 1, episode 21981 Menotti Season 1, episodes 4 & 5 A Step in the Right Direction TV movie1982–1993A Country Practice Helen McNeil Season 2, episodes 7 & 8 Margot Reynolds Season 4, episodes 39 & 40 Pauline Kitchener Season 5, episodes 51 & 52 Janet Strauss Season 13, episodes 21 & 221984 Five Mile Creek Muriel Bostock Season 1, episode 11 Man of Letters Ann Turtle TV movie Special Squad Barbara Prowse Season 1, episode 16 1986 A Fortunate Life Alice McCall Miniseries, 2 episodes1988 Barracuda Sgt. Whitten TV movie Rafferty's Rules Mrs. Annie Hartnoll Season 4, episode 131989 Edens Lost Muffet Miniseries Cassidy Clare Cassidy Miniseries1990 Come in Spinner Mrs. D'Arcy-Twining Miniseries, 4 episodes The Paper Man Marjorie Stack Miniseries, 4 episodes The Flying Doctors Evelyn Murray Season 7, episode 201991 Boys from the Bush Grace Season 1, episode 9 Police Rescue Cath Adams Season 1, episodes 6 & 10 Ring of Scorpio Beth Rogers Miniseries, 4 episodes Brides of Christ Mary Maloney Miniseries, 2 episodes 1992 The Time Game Gran Johnson TV movie 1994 Law of the Land Sharon Jobling 1 episode1995 Correlli Sister Margaret Season 1, episode 9 Bordertown Cora Miniseries, 2 episodes1996 Water Rats Miranda Lathem Season 1, episode 15 The Genie from Down Under Madge Season 1, episode 51997 Bullpitt! Season 2, episode 11 Reprisal Edith TV movie 1998 Blue Heelers Andrea Dean Season 5, episode 371999 All Saints Hazel Masterton Season 2, episode 19 Without Warning Cecile Bannerman TV movie
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1965 The Glass Menagerie Amanda Wingfield UNSW, Old Tote Parade Theatre with NIDA1966 The Schoolmistress Jane Chipman / Mrs. Rankling UNSW, Old Tote Parade Theatre No, No, Nanette Chorister Arts Theatre, Adelaide An Inevitable Happening Madame Wayside Theatre, Sydney with The Group Theatre The Maids Madame 1967 Hedda Gabler UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney 1968 This Old Man Comes Rolling Home Julie Dockerty1969 The Rise and Fall of Boronia Avenue Jane St Theatre, Sydney Rooted Sandy Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA 1971 Hoddel's Remarkable Handcart UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney1972 The Beaux’ Stratagem Theatre 62, Adelaide An Awful Rose Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA Don's Party Jane St Theatre, Sydney, UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra1973 The Bear AMP Theatrette, Sydney with Q Theatre Company Ritual for Dolls 1974 One Season's King 1975 Down Under Stables Theatre, Sydney with King O'Malley Theatre Company1976 The Tatty Hollow Story Jo Stables Theatre, Sydney Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been? Cheerleader / Lillian Hellman Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1976–1977 Otherwise Engaged Davina Saunders UNSW, Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney, SGIO Theatre, Brisbane1977 What the Butler Saw Mrs Prentice Hunter Valley Theatre Company, Sydney Sporting Double – The Les Darcy Show / The Roy Murphy Show Margaret Darcy / Sharon Hamlet Gertrude Confusions SGIO Theatre, Brisbane, with QTC1978 Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi Stas Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Perth, Union Hall, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney with MTC The Homecoming Ruth Townsville Civic Theatre, Cairns Civic Theatre The Cherry Orchard Charlotta Ivanovna SGIO Theatre, Brisbane, with QTC1979 A Cheery Soul Mrs Custance / Miss Ferry / Little Girl Sydney Opera House with The Paris Company & STC Hedda Gabler Hedda Tesman SGIO Theatre, Brisbane, with QTC 1980 Quadraphenia Mary Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Born in the Gardens Queenie Theatre Royal Sydney with MLC Theatre Royal Company & Knightsbridge Theatrical Productions1981 Mourning Becomes Electra Christine Mannon Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC Sold in Marriage Lady Henrietta Barrington Sydney Theatre Music Hall Theatre Restaurant 1982 Conundra Phillip St Theatre, Sydney, with Ensemble Theatre Macbeth Sydney Opera House with STC 1987 Shadowland Bay St Theatre, Sydney 1988 Hate Eloise Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Company B & Playbox Theatre 1990 Faith Healer Crossroads Theatre, Sydney1991 The Revenger's Tragedy Sydney Opera House with STC Diving for Pearls Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, with Company B The Girl Who Saw Everything Liz Ransome Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 1992 Mary Lives Various roles Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company, Monash University, Geelong Arts Centre 1993 Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches Hannah Porter Pitt / Ethel Rosenberg Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC1997 Dimetos Stables Theatre, Sydney with Productions en Attendant The Memory of Water Marian St Theatre, Sydney, with Northside Theatre Company
Radio Year Title Role Notes1979 Mrs. Warren's Profession Mrs Warren ABC Radio Brisbane Thérèse Raquin Thérèse ABC Radio Melbourne
Awards Year Title Award Category Result 1977 Don's Party Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role 1991 The Paper Man Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
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