EXCLUSIVE | MAGGIE KIRKPATRICK reveals why she snubbed PRISONER reunion

When the star who made THE FREAK a global phenomenon failed to show up for the important 40th anniversary reunion we were told she was ‘too ill’. But it turns out there’s much more to this story…

Maggie Kirkpatrick has finally spoken out about the real reason she refused to attend the Prisoner event held last March in Melbourne.

Maggie was approached by co-star Val Lehman to join a line-up of former stars for an event which was billed as one “for the fans” but never agreed to attend despite early promotion including her name. As the event drew closer Lehman told TV Tonight Maggie had pulled out for health reasons;

“I did have Maggie Kirkpatrick but she’s decided she’s not well enough”

In a new episode of the McKnight Tonight podcast it’s a claim Maggie flatly denies;

“Rumour has it that I was unwell. That’s not the case.”

When pushed further Maggie says there were multiple reasons she declined to take part, including the exclusion of an original cast member;

“A certain original member in the very first episode and in the very last episode was not even notified of the event, let alone invited to it. And then when I saw where profits were going I thought, “No, that’s not fair, it should go to the actors’ benevolent fund.” So there were all sorts of stories around that I was unwell, that I was working.”

300 people from around the world attended the sell-out event where ticket prices went for $300 per ticket with two charities chosen to receive funds from the profits – Positive Women and Australia Zoo. While Lehman won’t reveal exact figures she confirms sizeable donations were made and sources say this was around $20,000 to each charity.

Those taking part in the event were paid $1,000 for their services plus flights for interstate travellers but Maggie could not be convinced to take part, even when more money was put on the table.

Sources tell TV Blackbox Maggie and Val were never the best of friends on set but they had a mutual respect for each other, with Val telling us:

“We worked together very well, very well. Maggie’s a good actress and she’s never said that I wasn’t either. And we worked professionally very well indeed together.”

You can listen to the entire interview with Maggie HERE where she talks about her feud with Bert Newton, her friendship with Sammy Davis Junior and what she thinks of Prisoner fans.

Her book The Gloves Are Off is also full of fantastic insights about her career and is available HERE.

A full transcript of the McKnight Tonight interview is below.

Robert:             Well, she’s known as the iconic Joan Ferguson, the freak in Prisoner, but she’s more at home on the stage and has a real love of the entertainment industry.  Maggie Kirkpatrick, welcome to McKnight Tonight.

Maggie:            Thank you, Rob.

Robert:             It is so great to have you here because we’re in your lovely home and thank you for inviting me in, but it’s interesting when I read your book, because I got a new perspective of you, in that you are a very giving person. You name hundreds of people and the great work they did, rather than talking about your own achievements a lot at the time.

Maggie:            Well, I think a lot of that comes from the point that the people I have worked with, and if I have praised their efforts in the book, is because they also made me look good too. You know? I mean, I often say that being on stage or performing, it’s sometimes a little like a tennis match. You know? you’re only as good as the person opposite you. And if you’ve got a good player opposite you, who’s supportive and with you, and you know what each other is doing, then it becomes a very exciting game. And I just felt that a lot of those wonderful people who have crossed my path or my stage, deserve recognition.

Robert:             And of course we mentioned the book, the book is called The Gloves Are Off. What is it like writing a book like that? Is it intensive? Is it intrusive when you’re trying to think back? And how much do you open up?

Maggie:            It was a double edged sword. Some of it was fun to write, some of it was kind of nostalgic, especially writing about friends who are no longer with us. It was a little painful reliving a very ugly time in my life in 2015, which is well documented. But all I can say is thank God for Google, because it prodded my memory. I had a list of stuff that I’d done over these 56 years or whatever it was, but I could go to Google and find out who I was working with at that time, where we were, where we toured and it prodded other things, and it provided stories that I could tell about that time. You know?

Robert:             it’s funny. You call yourself a Luddite, but just texting with you over the last few days, you are a texting queen. I said that to you earlier, and it does not surprise me you are a queen of Google as well, so you talk yourself down. This seems to be a theme with you. You talk yourself down.

Maggie:            Maybe it’s because growing up in Newcastle, one was constantly threatened with, “Oh, who do you think you are? Wake up to yourself.” You know?

Robert:             Do you think that’s what’s kept you grounded? Because that comes across to me a lot. You are one of the most grounded people I’ve met in the industry. There’s a lot of pretenders and a lot of wannabes. You have been doing it for a long time, but you’re so well grounded.

Maggie:            Yeah, I have at times not been. I have a times been rather flighty and perhaps a little grand.

Robert:             I think we’ve all been guilty of that.

Maggie:            And fortunately I’ve had some very loving friends who’ve pulled me into gear, said, “Just pull your head in, Mag. Pull your head in.” About being grounded, I don’t know. I come from fairly pragmatic stock, so maybe that’s it.

Robert:             And what has been the craziest and enjoyable thing about your years in the entertainment industry? You’ve had lots of adventures. What would be the most exciting part? I think of Sammy Davis jr, and you go into his house, and you’ve just lived this life that’s been quite extraordinary.

Maggie:            It’s very funny you should say that, because it all seems very ordinary to me.

Robert:             Really?

Maggie:            Yes, indeed, the Sammy Davis jr fan thing was fantastic. Who wouldn’t be flattered by admiration from somebody like him?

Robert:             He approached you to come on the show. He wanted to come and see Prisoner, he wanted to see the making when he was in Australia. And then he invited you to his house.

Maggie:            Yeah. And to see him perform in Vegas where he was working with Bill Cosby and that was hysterical. I ached and ached from laughter. They were monstrous on stage together. A couple of naughty kids. And of course it was long before the proverbial hit the fan about Mr. Cosby, because I spent a very pleasant half hour in his dressing room having a drink with his manager and a couple of other guests, and talking about everything from show business to politics to whatever. So that was a fun time. And celebrating my birthday at his house with Altovise, his wife. But you talk about exciting things. I think being on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall and being booed by 5,000 people, it’s pretty damned exciting.

Robert:             So that was the Prisoner reunion?

Maggie:            No, it was the musical that I did on the west wend.

Robert:             Sorry, not the reunion. The Prisoner the musical is what I meant. My apologies.

Maggie:            And it was the annual Stonewall charity fundraiser, a big variety concert that Elton John, and Sir Ian McKellen are very much a part of. And because I was working with Lilly Savage or Paul O’Grady, and we were about to open the show on the West end, they asked if we would do a spot in this variety concert. Kylie Minogue sang a duet with Elton. Elton in a very drab frock and a shocking wig. And they did a number called sisters.

Robert:             I know the song. Kylie has often performed that with her sister, Danny.

Maggie:            Oh, right. Well, it was something else when she did it with Elton in a frog. So Paul and I, being ready to open the show later that week, I think. Off we went to do a number. And the idea was that Paul would be introduced and go on stage, and we were in costume. He was as Lily and I was as Joan Ferguson. And he went on stage, much cheering. I mean, he was so loved. Cheering and applauding and applauding.

Maggie:            And then I had to speak into a mic from backstage, as Joan Ferguson. Well, this hush went over the hall, and I strode on stage in Joan Ferguson fashion, and there was uproar. There were cheers. They were boobs. They went, “Oh.” And all I could do was pace up and down, snarling at Paul in character, while all this kerfuffle went on behind me.

Robert:             You were waiting for the audience to die.

Maggie:            And it must’ve been five damn minutes. It went on and on and on. I thought, “I’ve been booed by 5,000 people on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall.”

Robert:             Well, that’s an amazing moment. All because of this character played on TV.

Maggie:            I know, yeah. And yet it’s not my favorite character.

Robert:             Well, I was about to say, what is your relationship with Joan Ferguson?

Maggie:            Sometimes she’s a cash cow. Oh look, I don’t have any fondness for the character. I’m proud of what I did for four and a half years. I’m astonished that it is still going and people are still hooked on Joan Ferguson. 40 years nearly, down the track. It’s just crazy. I don’t think much about her at all, really.

Robert:             When you were playing the role, did you get a sense of how she was connecting with the audience? How long into the run?

Maggie:            No. I was contracted for three months, which was a kind of a standard procedure, but I think it might’ve been after the producer saw, and the network and Grundy saw perhaps two or three episodes, that they then approached me to extend.

Robert:             So they saw it straight away?

Maggie:            Apparently. I don’t know about the response.

Robert:             So has she become bigger over time?

Maggie:            Rather? Yeah.

Robert:             That’s amazing.

Maggie:            I don’t know why.

Robert:             You genuinely looked dumbfounded by it.

Maggie:            Yeah. It’s beyond me.

Robert:             Now. You say that you feel more at home on the stage than you do in front of the camera.

Maggie:            Yeah.

Robert:             Obviously the camera beans you into hundreds, thousands, millions of homes, and has obviously led to the fame, but what is it about the stage you love?

Maggie:            Being in control, not at the behest of editors. Not having the safety net of another take when something goes wrong. If something goes wrong on stage, you deal with it. And the love affair with the audience. It’s that immediate response, be it a comedy or a musical or a drama, to feel their response straight away is much more satisfying than sitting at home and watching an episode of a television show that you’ve done six weeks before.

Robert:             And how do you feel when you sit back and watch yourself on TV?

Maggie:            Oh, I hate it. Oh, easy answer there, darling. Easy answer. No, I never look the way I think I do.

Robert:             Yeah. Your body language is fascinating while you think about these because you’re sort of curling up at the very idea of watching yourself. It’s like, “I don’t want to think about that.”

Maggie:            I do, rather. Whereas on stage, I can’t see myself, but I imagine myself as the person I’m portraying onstage. And she can be all kinds of people, which is probably one of the reasons why an over imaginative child became an actor.

Robert:             Well, especially growing up in Newcastle, you don’t think of that happening, do you?

Maggie:            No, but you’d be surprised at the talent that’s come from Newcastle.

Robert:             Is that right?

Maggie:            Oh, my word. Dancers, singers, actors. We’re out there,

Robert:             But did the parents like it? Did your mum like it when…

Maggie:            She didn’t mind? She certainly wasn’t a stage mum, and there was no encouragement needed. I just did it and I… When I started to take lessons, speech and drama lessons, she reduced my… What do you call it? My… That thing you pay kids every week?

Robert:             Allowance.

Maggie:            Yes. Reduced it from 10 shillings to five shillings, to pay for the tutoring.

Robert:             Well, at least she was paying for the tutor. That’s nice.

Maggie:            She just kind of went along. I think ultimately she was proud of me. I think almost till the day she died, she really thought I should have had a proper job. I think she would have perhaps liked to have seen me settle down and become the nurse that I wanted to be when I was quite small. Maybe marry a doctor or finish up as a wrinkly old matron of the hospital. I think she’d have been very happy with that.

Robert:             I don’t think you would have been happy with that. You’ve had a lot of sadness throughout your life. In the book, there’s a lot of people you seem to have lost along the way, and AIDS played a big part of that. You were obviously in the inner city scene. How did it affect you when that was spreading, and friends that you knew and loved –

Maggie:            Well, it was a terrible, terrible time. In the early eighties, occasionally some of the young men who worked in the studio, like makeup and hair people would get sick with a sort of a flu.

Robert:             Yeah.

Maggie:            And none of us knew anything about it. They were talking about having glandular fever. And then as it went on, and more and more of my colleagues and friends succumbed to HIV, the public perception of it was heartbreaking and terrifying.

Robert:             Because people were uneducated about it and they were fearful of it. People thought if you touched someone, and it wasn’t just someone with AIDS. The general-public began thinking if you touched a gay person… That was the hysteria that was going on.

Maggie:            There was all that hysteria, and I mean there were cases of even health workers leaving trays of food outside a ward door in a hospital.

Robert:             Is that right?

Maggie:            Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Robert:             We’ve come a long way.

Maggie:            Oh God. Australia just zoomed forward with research and awareness, and yes, I was part of that inner city situation because of Prisoner. Because Joan Ferguson had become a bit of a gay… I hate the word icon, but I just [inaudible 00:15:05].

Robert:             But she is.

Maggie:            Yeah. And so, through friends who owned premises in the gay community, pubs and shops and so forth… And I was working a bar at the time for one of those folks.

Robert:             While you were working on Prisoner?

Maggie:            No. After I’d finished Prisoner. So we’d come now to the late eighties, early nineties when it was still raging. And the late Dawn O’Donnell who owned several pubs and shops and adult toy shops and steam bars, and things like that… I was working in one of her pubs, in between jobs, and she saw some value in fundraising by having me judge a competition or pull a raffle or something. And so, it grew from there. And then I did work for the AIDS Trust of Australia and then for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, all a voluntary capacity. And it was about raising awareness, and all the while along the way, people were leaving me.

Robert:             Did that give you an insecurity… With people that you loved, leaving your life, where does that leave you as a person? What’s the word I’m looking for? It’s the consistency of friendship is being thrown all over the place.

Maggie:            Yeah. Fortunately, I still have some friends who have been friends for 50 years or so. I recently lost a friend who I had known for 60 years. He passed away a month or two ago. Lifestyle, emphysema and all that. The swinging sixties. He’d managed to escape the virus, but his lifestyle took its toll as it does with all of us. But these dear friends that I have for the past 50, 40, 30 years, I treasure. I’m very lucky.

Robert:             You seem like a very loyal person to me. And the loyalty that I saw is when you went through the whole court case, and that whole episode where… That’s a whole story in itself with everything you went through that. But when you were acquitted, there were lots of people wanting your story. You could’ve made some money off that. But Craig Bennett is a good dear friend of yours, was very supportive of you during that time, and who actually chose to do the interview, the first interview, with a little morning TV show called Studio 10 because of your friendship with Craig.

Maggie:            Exactly. I didn’t want to that go on those scurrilous other shows, because I didn’t know what I’d be in for. I’m extremely suspicious of some of those interview type shows, Channel Nine and Channel Seven, very suspicious. And I knew that I would be in good hands and it would be tasteful. And even publicizing the book, doing an interview for A Current Affair, it kept bringing back the court case, and having me looking out to sea, like some lost soul. And I kept trying to swing the interview back to the book or to the fun times. But no, they were… And so, I was very wise in 2015 not to do that.

Robert:             Yeah, I mean it was obviously a big exclusive for the show. It was a big deal for Craig. But it also gave you the chance to tell your story. Craig had always been very supportive and I think this is the thing… When you’re in the middle of a bubble like that, when we heard the story, the first thing people ask in talking to each other is, “Do you think she’s guilty?” Overwhelmingly people said, “No.” It’s not often that happens. But there was a genuine general sense within the industry, “This is just bullshit.”

Maggie:            Totally. And that, of course, was what the upshot was, to the point where the barrister for the prosecution shook my hand as we were walking out after the acquittal, and said, “This should never have come to court.” And I was dragged through the mud, and Joan Ferguson was on trial. Because in every instance, the images were of Ferguson, and the one that broke my heart was on the ABC News, and it was a clip from Prisoner of Joan Ferguson in handcuffs being led away by two policemen. And it was presented as a piece of news. It was not Maggie Kirkpatrick, it was Joan Ferguson. And that broke my heart. I thought, “What’s happened to the ABC?” I still watch, though. Some of it. But it was just awful. And of course, front page all over the place, and those ghastly News Limited people. And of course, when I was acquitted, I think there was a little bit on about page seven.

Robert:             Always the way.

Maggie:            Typical, isn’t it? So cruel, so cruel.

Robert:             It’s not sexy when you’re found not guilty, but a huge relief for you.

Maggie:            Yeah. And for my family. And truly, the support of my family and friends, and particularly friends in show business and fans of Prisoner. I don’t do Facebook for instance, but my family were very involved, and some of it was ugly and had to be dealt with, but they kept that from me. I didn’t see the ugly, but in the main it was extremely supportive. But there are nutters out there who would have their say.

Robert:             But as I say, within the industry, there were a lot of people sticking up for you, and that’s probably something you wouldn’t have known about.

Maggie:            No, except on the odd occasion when I went out. I think I went to a couple of opening nights or something. I was greeted with such love and warmth by my peers. It was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And I’m eternally grateful for that.

Robert:             I guess, and I don’t want to harp on this at all –

Maggie:            No, truly it’s part of my life, darling.

Robert:             Isn’t that the problem? That it is part of your life? It’s something you never wanted.

Maggie:            It’s there. There are lots of things in our lives that we never want. We don’t want cancer, for Christ’s sake. But it’s there and unfortunately it’s always going to be there. It’s going to be in the back of my mind. It’s, no doubt, going to be in the back of some people’s minds. I would prefer if they let it go, I wish I could let it go. It’s not always there, but now and then there’s a lurching in my gut when it comes back. But that’s getting less and less. But it’s there, Rob.

Robert:             And obviously writing the book brought all this back up for you, and reading those pages was actually heartbreaking, I’ve got to say. Because I could feel it. I could feel… I can’t ever know what you went through, but I felt, reading those pages, I came as close to knowing as I possibly could. Especially when you received the first phone call and you’re by the side of the road. I did get a sense of how it deeply affected you.

Maggie:            Oh, it was horrible. Horrible. And it was two years, nearly. The best part of –

Robert:             That’s a long time to have a black cloud hanging over you.

Maggie:            The general consensus of opinion was that it would not go to trial.

Robert:             So do you think they were trying to claim another celebrity? We’d had Don Burt by then, had we? And they were really trying to…

Maggie:            I think that… What is it in Victoria? The DPP? I think it was a scalp to get… You know?

Robert:             Well, they failed.

Maggie:            Yeah. And you wonder how many other cases they’ve taken on, that really perhaps shouldn’t. There seems to be a general feeling of get a celebrity.

Robert:             Yes. The flip side, of course, could be that if they didn’t prosecute, the perception could have been that they let it go because it’s a celebrity.

Maggie:            Of course. I think that’s what they’re afraid of. If a complaint is made, however spurious, if it’s not acted upon, then I’m sure that the gutter press would just love to say, “Oh, it’s because so and so’s…” But anyway, it’s all by the by now.

Robert:             A happier part of your life has always been the theater. Talk to me about that feeling when you walk on stage.

Maggie:            Well, there are many feelings. Nerves are quite good up to a certain point, but if one feels a little under the weather or a bit tired or aching bones or whatever, you think, “I can’t do this?” And you walk on stage, and you just feel everything.

Robert:             The adrenaline kicks in.

Maggie:            Dr. Theater, we call it. And boy, have I had some beauties which you would have read in the book with the walking stick.

Robert:             Yes. You were hunched over. You walk on stage and you’re upright. No one would have every known.

Maggie:            Unspeakable pain.

Robert:             Was Wicked one of your favorite productions?

Maggie:            Oh God, yes. And it was also seven years work.

Robert:             Yes.

Maggie:            In the theater.

Robert:             Which is amazing. That doesn’t happen.

Maggie:            No, I’ve done a year, 18 months in the big musicals, but seven years. God.

Robert:             The experience seemed very happy except when they asked you to take a week off when the news was breaking out about the court.

Maggie:            I was a little miffed about that. Yeah.

Robert:             Yeah. And luckily you were able to go back.

Maggie:            Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Robert:             But you spoke very fondly of a lot of people, but one of the surprising things I did find in the book was your relationship with Bert Newton.

Maggie:            Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Robert:             What was the problem?

Maggie:            I had known Burt for a long time, and his morning show, I had done many times. Although I must say that I would be on his show promoting a play, and he always kept bringing the interview back to Prisoner and I’d have to push. Look, Burt’s a larger than life character. And not to take away from his extraordinary career, when we went through that awful time of Rob dying, just three months into the production.

Robert:             This is Rob Guest.

Maggie:            I had just begun to form the working relationship with Rob. And I thought, “Oh, this is going to be a buddy here. We’re going to have a lot of laughs together and enjoy each other’s company. He and his lovely lady, Kelly.” And then bingo, he’s gone, like that. Well, as I said…

Robert:             And you found out after a performance, didn’t you?

Maggie:            No, just before. No, they didn’t tell us until after the matinee. So we had that…

Robert:             The news had broken before, but you didn’t get told until after.

Maggie:            No. I was on my way into the theater for the matinee when the stage manager said that Rob was off for the matinee. And I thought, “Oh, I didn’t he’d be off.” And then she informed me that our musical director, his partner Kelly, was also off. I thought, “Oh, it must be a family problem.” So, let it go. But all through of the matinee, I had a very ugly feeling. and poor old John Frost had to tell us after the show. We were told to wait on stage, and it was heartbreaking.

Robert:             Were you glad they waited.

Maggie:            Well, we still had to do the night show, but we at least had a couple of hours break to get ourselves together. And so, on the Burt issue, I was kind of disappointed that he was cast. Only because, as I’ve said in the book, his personality overshadowed any depth that the wizard might’ve had, in contrast to other wizards that we had, like the great Reg Livermore, who had a really interesting underscoring of the character. Simon Galahurt was a different one again.

Maggie:            And because it impacted on me, I found it really difficult to be truthful with my relationship with the wizard. And that, frankly, was simply because of his larger than life personality that just wiped away any underscoring of characterization.

Robert:             So really, when people were there, they weren’t seeing the wizard. They were seeing Burt Newton.

Maggie:            And it was frustrating. And then I discovered his offstage behavior. This was before the me too movement. Everything was sexual innuendo. And it was tedious. I wasn’t offended, I found it tedious and childish, to the point that pronouncements were being made during the curtain call for charity drives that we frequently had, bearing in mind a theater full of 2000… At a family show. And still, this innuendo was coming at me, standing beside him, sexually innuendo.

Robert:             Why you?

Maggie:            Well, I was standing beside him and I’m a female. I don’t know. And it finally got to me in Adelaide, and I just let him have it.

Robert:             When you say, “Let him have it, what does that mean?”

Maggie:            I just said words.

Robert:             Expletives?

Maggie:            Well, it wouldn’t be me without expletives, would it?.

Robert:             You’ve been very good so far.

Maggie:            The tone of it was, “I’m not here to be your stooge on that stage. I’m here to play a role.” And his response was, “Oh, get a sense of humor.” Or “Where’s your sense of humor?” And I just stormed off.

Robert:             Were you surprised then, or maybe you weren’t surprised, when at the Logies, his routine didn’t go down well and there was a bit of backlash about that?

Maggie:            No. Not surprised at all. Not surprised at all. Look, there’s a generational thing with some men.

Robert:             Well, that’s the thing, that’s his humor. He’s built a whole career of it.

Maggie:            Yeah.

Maggie:            Like Benny Hill.

Robert:             Fair point.

Maggie:            It’s silly and it’s puerile. And it’s not funny anymore.

Robert:             So how do you continue working with someone after you’ve had it out? You’ve made your position clear?

Maggie:            Make my point. Yeah.

Robert:             Which is very fair enough.

Maggie:            I just put up with it until the end came. But the end was nigh. I think it was when… I didn’t go to Singapore because I was having a hip replacement. So lovely Anne Wood went to Singapore for the season there. And I think it was there that Burt unfortunately got quite ill.

Robert:             That’s right.

Maggie:            Yeah. And so, after the hip came Adelaide… No.

Robert:             You’d just done Adelaide when you had it out with him.

Maggie:            Yeah. I don’t know what came… God, the memory’s going, love.

Robert:             Well, you were doing so many. I can’t believe you remember where you were. It’s Tuesday, I must be in Sydney.

Maggie:            I had the hip done in Brisbane, then went to Adelaide. And after that I think it was Perth? Where I no longer spoke at all, just ignored. And that’s very easy to do, because I hope I’m not a hypocrite.

Robert:             I don’t think anyone would accuse you of that. It’s interesting, working with you personally on Studio 10 and only a handful of times. I was very impressed with your professionalism, and I think that really stood out. You were the kind of person, because when we had those fifth panelists, a whole variety of people came in. Some people took it very seriously. Some people just didn’t know what they were doing. You did the prep, you knew what you were talking about, and you wanted advice on how to make things better. Is that the way you’ve approached your entire career?

Maggie:            Pretty much so. I’m certainly not backward in seeking advice if I don’t… It was logical. Rather than make a cock-up of something.

Robert:             Yeah, but a lot of people get to a point in their life where they don’t want advice, because they want to be seen as the Oracle.

Maggie:            Oh, no. I could never be like that. I’ve often been asked to teach or direct, but I have no desire to do either. As far as teaching goes, I use the old adage, those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach. But when I’m working, I know instinctively what’s wrong. I think I’m pretty much an instinctive actor, actually. Although there is research and study to go along with it, but it’s pretty much a gut thing with me. And no highfalutin intellectual stuff. But I can see when things are wrong, but it’s not my place to tell people.

Robert:             That’s interesting.

Maggie:            Yeah. I may mention it to the powers that be. But to say to another actor, “Oh look, that’s not right. You should really try such and such.” No. But on occasions when I have been asked… I was asked once by a company manager to help someone in Wicked who was in an important standby position, and she’d been cast because she had a fabulous voice. But she had no acting experience.

Maggie:            She didn’t know how to digest a script or anything like that. So I quite happily sat down with her and took her through the script and said, “This is this, this is this. Da-de, da-de, da. And this is where you’re going here, and that’s what so-and-so said about you.” And then I said, “And when you’re standing up on that rostrum…” I said, “Don’t close your eyes. Look at the other actors down below you.” Well, the improvement was immense.

Robert:             That’s brilliant.

Maggie:            And I was so proud of her and even more proud when I went to see her in a show, and in the program notes was a dedication to me.

Robert:             No. That’s when you know you’ve had a real influence on someone.

Maggie:            And I’ve been kind of chuffed by little cards and mementos that people I’ve worked with… Young people I’ve worked with have given me, who said, “I’ve learned so much from you.” Well, I haven’t taught them anything. Perhaps they’ve just done what I did, and learned from my betters. Just perhaps about etiquette, theater and stage etiquette.

Robert:             Yes.

Maggie:            Things like that, that seem to be lacking in the smart drama schools.

Robert:             So there’s a generational change?

Maggie:            Very much so. They seem to come out of some of these places with a big star over their heads, because grandma or mommy have told them they’re brilliant.

Maggie:            And then they get… It’s a bit like driving a car, you get a license and then you really learn to drive. And you graduate from some fancy drama school and then you really learn how to act.

Robert:             It’s interesting what you talked about, having a gut feeling of what’s right and what’s wrong, because you did mention that even during the Prisoner days, they had a storyline for Joan that you just thought was completely wrong.

Maggie:            Silly, stupid. Ballroom dancing? Hello?

Robert:             But at least they listened to you.

Maggie:            Oh yeah. And the result was very disappointing because it was my suggestion that she take up golf, because golf is a social thing. And the idea, the writers and the producers wanted Joan to try and have a bit of a life outside Wentworth. And so I thought, “Hmm, golf.” Because when I was quite small I had a couple of favorite aunts who played golf. And I thought, “Oh, I used to love trailing around the golf course with them. Maybe they’ll get me a really nice set of golf clubs, and I can actually take it up when it’s over.” No, they got a very tired, old set of clubs from our lovely floor manager.

Robert:             They didn’t even hire any?

Maggie:            He loaned them and then he got them back. So golf was never a part of my life, I’m afraid.

Robert:             Wasn’t meant to be.

Maggie:            No, it wasn’t meant to be.

Robert:             Talking about Prisoner one last time. Obviously you’ve talked about the fans and you have such a great relationship with them, and you’ve been to England for that, with the musicals and all that kind of stuff. There was a reunion recently, but you weren’t part of that. What happened there?

Maggie:            Rumor has it that I was unwell.

Robert:             Yes.

Maggie:            That’s not the case.

Robert:             I wondered.

Maggie:            A certain original member was not even notified of the event.

Robert:             You weren’t told about it?

Maggie:            No, a certain original member in the very first episode and in the very last episode was not even notified of the event, let alone invited to it. And then when I saw where profits were going I thought, “No, that’s not fair, it should go to the actors’ benevolent fund.” So there were all sorts of stories around that I was unwell, that I was working.

Robert:             Well, there’s a specific quote that I read today that said that you were in at one point, but you were too unwell to attend.

Maggie:            Not my words, Rob.

Robert:             No.

Maggie:            No.

Robert:             So, is there a fractured relationship between some of the cast of Prisoner?

Maggie:            There probably is. I don’t see too many. I’m in touch with Elsbeth Ballantine constantly and Betty Bobert, and until recently, Anne Phelan very important in my life. And we lost Danny a couple of weeks ago. If there’s any contact to be made, there are some that I’m happy to pick up the phone and chat to. Some of them I was friends with before Prisoner.

Robert:             Interesting your term there, because you’re the kind of person who picks up the phone to anyone in most circumstances.

Maggie:            I’m well known for it.

Robert:             So if you’re not picking up the phone, that speaks volumes to me, I will say.

Maggie:            Me and Puphern.

Robert:             I think I rang you for some directions and we had a 40 minute chat or something. But in all seriousness, the idea for a Prisoner reunion appeals to the fans and they would love that. And obviously you were such an important character, so they would feel a bit disappointing.

Maggie:            So were the others.

Robert:             Of course.

Maggie:            So were the others.

Robert:             I’m not disputing that at all.

Maggie:            I have recently been back, yet again, to the UK just last week.

Robert:             That’s right.

Maggie:            And that’s fine. That’s fine. I just wonder sometimes about all that, those appearances and things. I mean, I try to do it with as good grace as possible, but sometimes I want to say get, “Get a life.”

Robert:             People have lives, but they also have a part of them… And I’m a Doctor Who fan, so I can talk about this.

Maggie:            I’ve got a mate in the UK who was, too.

Robert:             Right. So, Doctor Who is my Prisoner. And so, we get excited by it. Now, I don’t go to the level of other Doctor Who fans who dress up in character.

Maggie:            Oh, my god, yes.

Robert:             And they are desperate to go to events. But the idea of meeting one of the Doctors is huge. And I’ve actually met a few over the years.

Maggie:            Good.

Robert:             And that would be the feeling these people get from seeing you. And it’s hard for you to put yourself in that position. But just think about the time you met Sammy Davis, jr. That’s how these people are feeling when they get to see you and get to hear your story.

Maggie:            It’s really strange, because aside from meeting Sammy and working on stage with Topol, Susanna York, I can be a fan girl too. But I would no more approach somebody than fly over the moon. I actually was very embarrassed the other day at the gold coast airport, because that fabulous group of chaps, Human Nature were there at the baggage check. And one of them, I don’t even know their names, but I think they’re extremely talented young men. And one of them is the husband of a young actor I worked with, and I thought, “Oh, bugger it.” Because I had read that they were married and had kids and all. So I went over and I just tapped him on the arm and he turned around, and I knew in an instant he was hating me being there.

Maggie:            And I said, “Look, I’m sorry to bother you, but your partner, Darren.” He said, “My husband?” I said, “Yes, your husband was a colleague of mine. We work together, and I would very much like you to give him my love and wish him a Merry Christmas.” And then his face softened and said, “Oh yes, I remember.” I gave him my name and he said, “Yes, I remember.” But I saw that look.

Robert:             That first look. “Oh, here we go.”

Maggie:            Oh, shit. Here we go. Who’s this old fool? Bloody old geriatric coming.

Robert:             I don’t think anyone would call you a fool.

Maggie:            Well, an old geriatric.

Robert:             I have really enjoyed chatting to you.

Maggie:            I have, too.

Robert:             The enthusiasm you bring to what you do, it’s exciting being in a room, talking with you.

Maggie:            Oh gosh, that’s lovely.

Robert:             I genuinely mean that. And I think that your career is something to be admired. And it’s great for people to hear your stories. So I genuinely say go and get The Gloves Are Off, because it is a great book and a great read, and you won’t be disappointed.

Maggie:            Thank you. Thank you, Rob.

Robert:             Absolute pleasure. Thank you for being on McKnight Tonight.

Maggie:            Bye.

Robert:             It’s as easy as that.

Maggie:            Yeah.