THE UNCREDITED BACKGROUND PLAYERS

Betty Doran ("Mary Vaughan", "Ros" (?), "Jill")

A name mentioned in an interview by Barbara Jungwirth as one of the actresses in the series who are now dead.

Betty Doran is listed in the Internet Movie Database, as follows...

Betty Doran Actress filmography
1. "Lancaster Miller Affair, The" (1990) (mini) TV Series .... Belligerent Woman #2

And that's it! (She didn't even make Belligerent Woman #1).

Thanks to Stephen West of Blockade for the identification of her main role in Prisoner as Mary Vaughan, the silent prisoner who is inducted alongside Susie Driscoll in (260). She has been seen previously in the halfway house run by Karen in (108) (109) and (112), where she is called "Louise". The same actress appears as one of Faye's two heavies in (342), where they are named as "Mary" and "Jill" - the other is Bev Hey, who is later called "Mary Adler", so either of them could be the real Mary. She appears in episodes almost through to the end: for instance this shot of her comes from episode (639).

This detail comes from the picture on page 47 of Terry Bourke's book captioned "Tea-break in the canteen for the Wentworth girls"

Marguerite Owen ("Jenny")

Thanks to Martin for this rare closeup of "Jenny" from episode (565). Another background prisoner who is never credited, and only ever once referred to in her presence by by the name with which she is identified in Blockade: Myra calls her "Jenny" in (516).

In (506) she responds to the surname "Lavelle" (?) at mail call. The name "Jenny" is used for a backgrounder on other occasions - for example twice in (473) for a prisoner supposedly in the workshop - but this may not be meant to be this particular "character".

Marguerite Owen appears almost throughout the series, and is one of the ones treated to a headshot in the final episode. I'm not sure when her first appearance is - does anyone know?

 She is also listed for a non-Prisoner role in the Internet Movie Database...
Marguerite Owen Actress filmography
1. Moving Out (1983) .... Mother of Twins

Her most notable moment was in episode (402). Rewind the bit just before Lizzie claims angina to get Meg to let her into Ann's office for a bit of "light dusting". In the procession of prisoners along the corridor, watch as "Tina" and "Jenny" reach the camera. "Jenny" turns her head and the cigarette behind her ear falls to the floor. You can see "Tina" notice it and look downwards just before she moves out of shot.

This detail comes from the picture on page 47 of Terry Bourke's book captioned "Tea-break in the canteen for the Wentworth girls". "Jenny" is on the left, with "Jacko" and (I think) the back of "Joy Andrews"'s head.

Gonza Sheils? ("Angie Dobbs")

One of the background prisoners who seems to gradually develop a name and identity, though she is never credited. According to the Internet Movie Database, the actress is called Gonza Sheils - I suspect the information comes from one of the Prisoner fanzines. I think the first mention of "Dobbs" is in (193) when she is called on separate occasions both "Angie" and "Dobbs". She is the one who receives a "pornographic" magazine through the post when Vera is going through it after censorship of the mail has been restored. In (207), the same actress is twice referred to as Dobbs and in (208) she seems to be sharing a cell with Hazel.

This detail comes from the picture on page 47 of Terry Bourke's book captioned "Tea-break in the canteen for the Wentworth girls". "Angie" is centre, with Tina to the left and Ruth to the right.

Kaye Chadwick "Bev Cavelli"

Often teamed up with Lil Stokes, but unlike her never credited. I think the name "Cavelli" is first used when she, "Stokes" and "Dempsey" (Jane Clifton, later to be Margo Gaffney) are called to the Governor's office in (93) after Sharon Gilmour has been beaten up. I think her first appearance with Lil is in this scene in (91). Despite being a rather large woman, she starts to wear her hair in bunches for a brief while, which rather undermines her usual role as a heavy. At some stage [around episode (320)?], Bev disappears and is replaced by Jacko as Lil's sidekick. The actresses name comes from the article in Blockade - she is never mentioned by name in the credits.

"Shirley Clark"

Never credited, and hardly ever saying anything audible, Shirley is one of the backgrounders mentioned by name when Judy introduces Kate Peterson to the women in (235). Her most noticeable feature is a pairof glasses with very thick lenses - if Lily Savage is ever looking for someone else to play her sister Vera, I think "Shirley" would be good casting.

"Joy Andrews"

Tall prisoner with shortish blonde hair. She can be seen on the working bee from Wentworth to clean up the second Driscoll House in (349). By elimination it is possible to work out that she must be "Andrews" - no first name is given. "Joy Andrews" is mentioned in (366), but I think just as a name rather than to refer to her in her presence.

Marinia Jonathan ("Ros Fisher")

One of the mysteries of the cast listing for Prisoner in the Internet Movie Database is an entry for "Ros Fisher" played by Marinia Johnson - neither the actress nor character ever appears in the credits. Thanks to Mark Cox for pointing out that in the article on the background prisoners in Blockade she is described as the sister of Tammy Fisher, often seen arm in arm with her in the episodes leading up to Tammy's death in the Ruth Ballinger siege. After Tammy's death, there is a shot of her alone in the rec room after the others have left. I may just have a nasty mind, but I had always assumed that "Ros" was meant to be Tammy's girlfriend, and I wonder if the idea that they were sisters isn't just a background actors' in-joke arising from the carelessness with which surnames would be ascribed to them almost at random (compare how many prisoners are called "Kennedy"). If this is Marinia Jonathan, she is one of the backgrounders who appear in the montage in the final episode. This unidentified background character in (37) may be her first appearance.

"Irene Nagle"

First mentioned in (126) as one of the six women selected for the work release scheme in Andrew Reynolds' garment factory. She has one line in the next episode, but isn't credited. She is seen again (though maybe as another actress of roughly the same build) during the rehearsals for the pantomime, and takes part in the escape that this is a cover for, but dies during the tunnel escape when she rests her hand on a supporting beam and the tunnel collapses (165). Her name may be a sly in-joke reference by the writers to the 1978 Nagle report on prison reform, which was used as a source by the original writing team. Mark Cox has noticed that the same actress seems to be used in prominent position in two rec room scenes in (411) then just as quickly disappears again. I wonder if she was meant to be David Bridges' second victim Tracy Dixon?

"Grant"

Long before Sarah West, there was a background prisoner who appeared intermittently and seemed to be the sole representative of the Aboriginal community in Wentworth. However, though I admit I am no expert, she actually looks more Maori than Aboriginal? This screen shot comes from (301) when Bea leads a "stay out" protest. Thanks to Steve West of Blockade for pointing out the character name used in (346) and (379). He also provided a list of her appearances in over 60 episodes between (301) and (465).

Adair Stagg ("May Worth")

Thanks again to Steve West of Blockade for confirming this identification: the character name appears on various scripts, though never credited as such, and also on a signed management publicity photo. She is named as "Worth" in the roll call outside Woodridge in (318) and can just be seen third from the left in this shot. When the women are counted back in (320) on their return from Woodridge, she is again referred to as "Worth". However, in earlier appearances different names are used: in (65) Vera says she will ask "Birdsworth, O'Connell and Flynn" to serve dinner in the cells, so in this scene she must be meant to be "Flynn". Thanks to Mark Branch for pointing out another possible name for her when Lizzie says to her at her release party in (88): "Don't do anything I wouldn't, Lil" . He also points out that she can be seen wearing Vera's jacket during the rooftop protest after Sharon Gilmour's death (121). Adair Stagg must be one of the few backgrounders to get non-prisoner roles, two of them in fact. Compare the thumbnail in the left column with this screen shot of her as Kate Carter in (672). She also appeared as an ex prostitute friend of Jesse Windom credited as Anna in (590).

Updated 10 August 2001