Australian television icon Lorraine Bayly has died at the age of 89. The triple Logie-winning actress passed away in a Sydney nursing home on Saturday morning, according to her family. She had been in declining health for several years, after suffering a stroke more than three years ago.
Bayly was best known for her roles as Grace Sullivan in the long-running wartime drama The Sullivans and as one of the original presenters on the beloved children's program Play School. Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, she trained at Sydney's Ensemble Theatre in the 1950s before making her television debut on The Bobby Limb Show in 1962.
Her performance as the matriarch Grace Sullivan on The Sullivans, which aired from 1976 to 1983, earned her widespread acclaim and Silver Logie awards for Most Popular Actress. She later starred as solicitor Jennifer Carson in Carson's Law, set in 1920s Melbourne, again winning a Silver Logie.
Beyond television, Bayly maintained an extensive stage career, appearing in more than 50 theatre productions including Death of a Salesman, Travelling North and The Sound of Music. She also appeared in the film The Man from Snowy River alongside Kirk Douglas. Her career spanned 62 years, retiring a decade ago.
Steven Tandy, who played her on-screen son Tom in The Sullivans, paid tribute on Facebook, calling her “the most giving of people — always down to earth and affectionate.” Showbiz reporter Craig Bennett announced her death, saying, “After years of gruelling health issues, she’s now free and off onto her next wild adventure.”
