Sad news for TV fans with the death of an icon
Gold Logie winner Lorrae Desmond has died aged 91 after a short battle with illness TV Blackbox has confirmed.
Her career spanned over 55 years but most Australians fondly remember her as Shirley in A Country Practice where she appeared 816 episodes from 1981 to 1992.
Born Beryl Hunt, Lorrae grew up in Mittagong NSW but moved to Britain with her family aged 10.
After forging a career in the United Kingdom during the ’50s she returned to Australia and quickly established herself as an entertainer to be reckoned with.
The versatile performer had her own musical variety program The Lorrae Desmond Show from 1960 until 1964. She also won the TV Week Gold Logie in 1962.
Lorrae toured Vietnam during the conflict for which she was honoured with the MBE for services to entertainment.
Her many and varied appearances included programs such as s Homicide, Number 96 and Arcade in 1980,
Co-star Shane Withington tweeted:
Vale Lorrae Desmond. Enormous heart Enormous talent. We all loved her.
Vale Lorrae Desmond.
— Shane Withington. (@ripperriver) May 23, 2021
Enormous heart
Enormous talent.
We all loved her.
Wendy Strehlow, who played Judy Loveday alongside Lorrae, added:
She was my mentor, my friend and an unending source of wisdom, grace and style 💔
— Wendy Strehlow (@Strehlowwendy) May 23, 2021
How sad
She was a great actress
Thinking of her family
Very sad news 😢
this lady was awsome to watch growing up RIP⚘⚘⚘⚘
Fairwell Loraine thanks for showing us kids how to be strong
Robert writes “While forging a career she represented the United Kingdom in 1957 at the Eurovision Song Contest” … so you’re another one who got conned by using Wikipedia as your research source? No, she didn’t …
Hi CJ, yes wikipedia was one of my sources for some background but her Eurovision participation is noted here: https://web.archive.org/web/20120322091839/http://oneurope.biz/asfe/1950s/1957.htm
Nope, “Eurovision participation” is not “noted” in that source either … she was simply one of the singers in a program produced by the BBC called “Festival of British Popular Song”, the song that won that show, “All”, sung by Patricia Bredin, “participated” in Eurovision, Lorrae did not …
Fair enough – a good clarification
Lorrae was a very close friend, I spoke with her a couple of days before she passed. My late husband worked with Lorrae on her television shows in 1960-1961. He was a musician with the ABC. I have a photo of them with the band at the Celebrity Club in 1951. So much history of a life well lived. I shall miss you Lorrae and thank you for your friendship over the years. x
Thank you for sharing your story Sylvia and my condolences for your loss.