Maggie Millar

Biography: Maggie was born on 6th January 1941 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
She took evening classes in acting at private theatre school in Sydney before touring with Trust Players from 1958 -1960.
She played small roles on Old Vic Theatre Company's tour of Australasia between 1961-62 with Vivien Leigh, which lead her to visit London in 1963 where she trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and later joined The Union Theatre Repertory Company (Melbourne) in 1965. Joined Hoopla (Melbourne) 1977. Erik Kuttner Award 1967 (title-role in The Heiress by Ruth and Augustus Goetz). Extensive film, radio and television work were to play a dominant part in Maggie's career. Maggie Millar is a graceful actor who has seldom been seen on stage beyond Melbourne. She has specialised in accents and is noted for the warmth and psychological truth of her performances. She won the Gertrude Lawrence Award for the best performance of her graduation year at the Royal Academy ofMaggie was born on 6th January 1941 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
She took evening classes in acting at private theatre school in Sydney before touring with Trust Players from 1958 -1960.
She played small roles on Old Vic Theatre Company's tour of Australasia between 1961-62 with Vivien Leigh, which lead her to visit London in 1963 where she trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and later joined The Union Theatre Repertory Company (Melbourne) in 1965. Joined Hoopla (Melbourne) 1977. Erik Kuttner Award 1967 (title-role in The Heiress by Ruth and Augustus Goetz).
Extensive film, radio and television work were to play a dominant part in Maggie's career.
Maggie Millar is a graceful actor who has seldom been seen on stage beyond Melbourne. She has specialised in accents and is noted for the warmth and psychological truth of her performances. She won the Gertrude Lawrence Award for the best performance of her graduation year at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and in 1965 she appeared at the academy's Vanbrugh Theatre in Anton Chekhov's Ivanov.

An illness led to her collapse during a performance of Arthur Miller's The Price in 1969 and caused a petition to the management by Melbourne actors, and action by their union, over working conditions. The dispute was resolved but resulted in Millar being denied work in the theatre for some years, during which she married and lived in Germany for 18 months.

When a second company - Hoopla, later the Playbox - was formed in Melbourne she returned to the stage to create Esme and Ellie in the premiere of Dorothy Hewett's The Golden Oldies (1977).
For Playbox she also played roles in two plays by August Strindberg - Kristin in Miss Julie and Alice in The Dance of Death and leading roles in two Sam Shepard plays at the 1982 Adelaide Festival, all directed by Roger Pulvers. She returned briefly to the Union Theatre Repertory Company, renamed the Melbourne Theatre Company, to create Fania in Ron Elisha's In Duty Bound and to play Olivia in the premiere of Alex Buzo's Big River at the 1980 Adelaide Festival of Arts

Maggie's roles in Melbourne Theatre Company productions since 1988 include Pauline in Stephen Sewell's Dreanis in an Einpty City and Rosa in John Romeril's Top End in 1989; Stephanie in Nick Enright's long-running Daylight Saving in 1990-91; and Lydia in the premiere of Janis Balodis's No Going Back in 1992.

She served on the Women's Committee of the M.E.A.A (formerly Actors Equity) being specially interested in the portrayal of and opportunities for women in the entertainment industry.
When faced with the reduction in work opportunities, something that many women in that industry face, she embarked on a different path after her celebrated performance as Molly Bloom.

She has written and spoken extensively on the subjects of Body Image and Self-Acceptance and Older Women and the Media. Woman of Substance (Allen and Unwin) and Sizeable Reflections (Women's Press UK) both contain her contributions. Some of the articles have been published on the internet and can be viewed by clicking here.

As well as initiating and presenting at many seminars and workshops including a NSW Government Summit on Body Image (on which she also wrote the report 'Caring for Health') and Melbourne University's Key Centre for Women's Health on 'Older Women and the Media'.
She has travelled extensively giving workshops and presentations on Ageing, Body Image and Self Acceptance. She was on the Media Committee for 'Seniors Year' and has contributed to seminars and workshops with C.O.T.A - Council on the Ageing.

An adoptee, she was Public Relations Officer for Jigsaw Victoria, the organisation which successfully campaigned to change adoption laws in Victoria.… Expand