Jane Clifton
Jane Clifton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 April 1949 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | Margo Gaffney (Prisoner) Singer with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons |
| Website | www |
Jane Clifton (born 10 April 1949)[1] is a Gibraltar-born Australian actress, singer, writer and former radio and voice artist.
She is best known for her role in TV serial Prisoner as tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney.
As a singer, she had a stint with Jo Jo Zep and has recorded an album featuring Jenny Morris and Wendy Matthews, Mark Williams and Marc Hunter[1]
Early life
[edit]Clifton was born in Gibraltar to British Army parents. In 1961 she emigrated to Perth, Australia, before later settling in Melbourne. She became a naturalised citizen of Australia in 1992.[1]
Career
[edit]Clifton started out her career on Melbourne community radio stations 3CR and 3RMT-FM in the 1970s. She then worked for commercial stations 3AK, Radio National and 774 ABC. Clifton has also done voice-over work for commercials and audio books.[2]
Film, television and stage
[edit]Clifton has acted extensively in film and the stage and in various television programs. Beginning in cult favorites Stork (1971) and Pure Shit (1975), her films include The Clinic and A Slice of Life. Her stage roles include The Pack of Women and Mum's the Word. She has also made a number of television appearances, starting in the mid 70s with the Crawford's series Division 4, Homicide and Bluey, Against the Wind, Skyways, Holiday Island, Sweet and Sour, Carson's Law and Shock Jock, but her best-known acting role is probably that of tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney in Prisoner. Clifton played the role for 107 episodes from 1980 until 1984 on an intermittent basis as the script allowed, having previously appeared in the minor role of Yvonne, from episode 9, and even appeared in the Prisoner in Concert special.
Clifton also performed with Betty Bobbitt and Colette Mann as part of a three-woman troupe, The Mini Busettes, in the 1980s in RSLs across Australia.[3]
In September 2010, it was announced that Clifton would be joining the cast of Neighbours as Judge Willow.[4] Her scenes aired in November of that year.[4]
In 2015 she appeared in the television series The Doctor Blake Mysteries as Sister Josephine.
Music
[edit]Clifton is also a singer. In 1975 she was the lead singer in a pub rock band, Toads, alongside Martin Armiger on lead guitar and vocals, Andrew Bell on guitar, Eric Gradman on violin, Marney Sheehan on bass guitar and Eddie Van Roosendaal on drums and vocals.[5][6] In the following year with Bell, Sheehan, van Roosendaal and Janie Conway on guitar and vocals, Clifton formed rock, pop group Stiletto.[5] Conway and Sheehan were replaced by Chris Worrall on guitar and Celeste Howden on bass guitar, respectively.[5] The group provided three tracks, "Nights in Parlour", "Cream" and "The Man", for a Various Artists' album, Debutantes (1977).[5]
Stiletto issued a studio album, Licence to Rage on Oz Records/EMI in September 1978, which was produced by Peter Walker.[5][7] It peaked at No. 93 on the Kent Music Report albums chart.[8] The album provided two singles, "Bluebirds" (March) and "Goodbye, Johnny" (August).[5] Later that year the band supported a performance by Elvis Costello before breaking up early in 1979.[5] While a member of Stiletto, Clifton co-wrote "Goodbye, Johnny" with Bell and Conway.[9] The singer formed Jane Clifton Sextet, which provided cover versions of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald songs. In late 1982 Clifton provided vocals for Jo Jo Zep's single, "Taxi Mary",[5][10] which reached No. 11 on the singles chart.[8] She also provided vocals on Zep's album, Cha (October 1982).
Clifton released a solo single, "Girl on the Wall" (February 1984), on Mushroom.[5][11] It is her version of a song from The Pack of Women cabaret, stage show.[11] Her backing band, the Go Go Boys, comprised Jo Jo Zep's associates from the Black Sorrows, Jeff Burstin on guitar, Wayne Burt on guitar, Wayne Duncan on bass guitar, Steve Williamson on saxophone and Gary Young on drums.[5] According to Debbie Muir of The Canberra Times, "her vocals are smooth and soft" and the song is "good and catchy".[11] It peaked at No. 13.[8] She issued two more singles, "My Machines" (June) and "Turn to Dust" (1985).[5]
Clifton provided vocals for tracks on the soundtrack album for TV series, Dancing Daze (February 1986), including "Second Home", which was released as the B-side of the single, "Might Have Been" by Jenny Morris, Wendy Matthews and Mark Williams.[12] That album was produced by former bandmate, Armiger.[12] For her track she was backed by the Green Sisters Band: Armiger and Bell both on guitars, Chris Abrahams on piano, Jeremy Alsop on bass guitar, Tony Buchanan on alto saxophone, Ricky Fataar on drums, Clive Harrison on bass guitar, Jason Morphett on tenor saxophone, Glen Muirhead on keyboards and Lloyd Swanton on bass guitar.[12]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The Marriage of Style |
|
Soundtracks
[edit]| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Dancing Daze (by Jenny Morris, Wendy Matthews, Mark Williams, Marc Hunter & Jane Clifton) |
|
Singles
[edit]| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [8] | |||
| 1982 | "Taxi Mary" (Jo Jo Zep featuring Jane Clifton (who is uncredited on the song)) |
11 | Cha |
| 1984 | "Turn to Dust" | – | non album single |
| "Girl on the Wall" | 13 | ||
| "My Machines" | – |
Awards and nominations
[edit]Countdown Australian Music Awards
[edit]Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week. The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[13][14]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | herself – "Girl on a Wall" | Best Female Performance in a Video | Nominated |
Author
[edit]Clifton is the author of the novels Half Past Dead and A Hand in the Bush.[15]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Stork | Student (uncredited) | Feature film |
| 1975 | Pure S (aka 'Pure Shit') | Party Girl | Feature film |
| 1982 | A Slice of Life | Fay | Feature film |
| 1982 | The Clinic | Sharon | Feature film |
| 1984 | Anna Who? | Herself | Film short |
| 1988 | As Time Goes By | Mechanic | Feature film |
| 1990 | A Kink in the Picasso | Bella | Feature film |
| 1992 | Garbo | Mayor | Feature film |
| 2010 | Matching Jack | Fin's Doctor | Feature film |
| 2014 | Helen Garner's Monkey Grip | Herself | Film short |
| 2017 | Beast | Bea | Film short |
| 2017 | Lost Gully Road | Mother | Feature film |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971; 1973 | Division 4 | Guest roles: Anne Mason / Hippy Girl | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Ryan | Guest role: Jenny | TV series, 1 episode: "A Little Something Special" |
| 1975–76 | Homicide | Guest roles: Cheryl / Jenny Walker / Janice Thelgood | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1977 | Bluey | Guest role: Seaboots | TV series, 1 episode: "Father and Son" |
| 1978 | Rockturnal | Herself – Band 'Stiletto' | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978; 1982; 1984 | Countdown | Herself – Band 'Stiletto' sing "Goodbye Johnny" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Against the Wind | Convict Woman | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Prisoner | Guest role: Yvonne | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1979 | Skyways | Guest role: Shelley | TV series, 1 episode: "The Flying Sleuths" |
| 1980 | Working Up | Herself | Film documentary |
| 1980–1984 | Prisoner | Regular role: Margo Gaffney | TV series, 104 episodes |
| 1981 | Holiday Island | Guest role: Fran | TV series, episode: 'A Mother's Revenge' |
| 1981 | Prisoner in Concert | Herself | TV special |
| 1981 | Home | Guest role: Kearns | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1982-1988 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Singer | TV series, 9 episodes |
| 1982 | Countdown | Herself & Jo Jo Zep singing 'Taxi Mary' | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1983 | For Love or Money | Herself | Film documentary |
| 1984 | Sweet and Sour | Guest role: | ABC TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984, 1985 | Hey Hey It's Saturday Night | Singer | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Countdown | Co-host | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Guest role: Mrs. Watkins | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984; 1985 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest Performer sings "Turn To Dust" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Special Squad | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1985 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest Performer - Herself with band Cricket | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1985 | A Single Life | Support role: Lee | TV movie |
| 1986 | Dancing Daze | Lead role: Lee Harper | TV miniseries |
| 1986 | Five Times Dizzy | Regular role: Mrs. Wilson | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1986 | Kids 21st Birthday Channel Ten Telethon | Guest - Herself with Prisoner cast: Colette Mann, Elspeth Ballantyne, Glenda Linscott & Val Lehman taped appearance | TV special |
| 1986 | The Pack of Women | Herself | TV special |
| 1989 | The Power, The Passion | Regular role: Carla Grant | TV series |
| 1989 | The Bert Newton Show | Guest - Herself with Victoria Nicholls & Julie Adams | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | In Melbourne Today | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990 | The Flying Doctors | Guest role: Greta | TV series, 1 episode: "The Last Carnival" |
| 1991 | Col'n Carpenter | Guest role: Emily Sutcliffe | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1991 | In Sydney Today | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1992 | World Series Debating | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1993–2005 | Good Morning Australia | Regular singer | TV series |
| 1995 | Janus | Guest role: Phillipa Strong | TV series, 1 episode: "A Lawful Apprehension" |
| 1998 | In Melbourne Tonight | Guest / Singer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1999; 2000 | Denise | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Round the Twist | Guest role: Producer | TV series, 1 episode: "TV or Not TV" |
| 2001 | Shock Jock | Guest role: Joy Gold | TV series, 1 episode: "Cops and Dobber" |
| 2010; 2019 | Neighbours | Guest recurring role: Judge Nerida Willow | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 2011 | A Current Affair | Herself with Prisoner cast: Patsy King, Val Lehman, Elspeth Ballantyne, Carol Burns, Judith McGrath & Margaret Laurence | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2011 | Spicks and Specks | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2011 | The Morning Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014 | Winners & Losers | Guest role: Lynette Vanderthorpe | TV series, 1 episode: "The New Me" |
| 2015 | The Doctor Blake Mysteries | Guest role: Sister Josephine | TV series, 1 episode: "This Time and this Place" |
| 2016 | Bringing Our Stories Home | Guest role: Miss Mulholland | TV series, 1 episode: "Doing Our Bit" |
| 2017 | Classic Countdown | Narrator | TV series, 1 episode: "1978" |
| 2019 | Neighbours | Guest role: Meg Fletcher | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2023 | Seven News Adelaide | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2024 | Fisk | Guest role: | ABC TV series, 1 episode |
| 2024 | Countdown 50 Years On | Herself | ABC TV Special |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Bio". Jane Clifton. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "Radio". Jane Clifton. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "Actress". Jane Clifton. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b "Pranita moves into Neighbourhood". Herald Sun. 7 September 2010. p. 21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Stiletto'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 23 August 2004.
- ^ Holmgren, Magnus. "Martin Armiger". Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 19 March 2004. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Down, Jennifer (7 February 2015). "The Carlton Few". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. n.b.: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
- ^ "Song Catalogue Search Results for 'Goodbye, Johnny'". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Joe Camilleri". Music Theatre Australia. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Muir, Debbie (13 February 1984). "Rock Music". The Canberra Times. Vol. 58, no. 17, 669. p. 10. Retrieved 14 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c "Dancing Daze". tvmem.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Countdown to the Awards" (Portable document format (PDF)). Countdown Magazine. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). March 1987. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ "Final episode of Countdown". 1970scountdown. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Writers on the Road Archived 25 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine – State Library of Victoria
External links
[edit]
- 1949 births
- Australian soap opera actresses
- Australian women novelists
- Living people
- Gibraltarian emigrants to Australia
- Singers from Melbourne
- Naturalised citizens of Australia
- 20th-century Australian actresses
- 20th-century Australian women singers
- 21st-century Australian actresses
- 21st-century Australian novelists
- 21st-century Australian women singers
- 21st-century Australian women writers
- Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons members