Dinah Shearing (AM)
Born
Dinah Hilary Shearing

12 February 1926
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died14 June 2021 (aged 95)
Erina, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationActress

Dinah Hilary Shearing AM (12 February 1926 – 14 June 2021) was an Australian actress, active in all facets of the industry, in particular theatre.

Early life and education

Dinah Hilary Shearing was born on 12 February 1926 in Sydney, New South Wales, to English parents.[1]

She attained honours in exams to A.Mus.A at Sydney Conservatorium in 1945.[2]

Career

Shearing appeared on stage, radio, television and films in a career that spanned more than 60 years.[2]

Subverted from her initial intention of becoming a commercial artist or a singer, she began acting with May Hollinworth's Metropolitan Theatre in Sydney after graduation. Soon, her "distinctively mellifluous voice" led to her being recruited into radio during its so-called "Golden Era" where she became a national favourite on serials such as "Dr Paul", "Tudor Princess" and Tudor Queen".[2]

From there, she was drafted into the Elizabethan Theatre Trust and later, the Old Tote Theatre Company and gave performances that "transcended her young years",[3] touring nationally from her Sydney base. Most memorably, she gave what critics called "the definitive" performance of Mary Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night.[4] She worked with the Sydney Theatre Company Melbourne Theatre Company, Independent Theatre and many others.

Her performances drew admiring reviews from Sydney critics, including Lindsay Brown, Harry Kippax, and Geoffrey Thomas.

Numerous radio serials, programmes and appearances on the Colgate Hour, The Macquarie Radio Theatre, Lux Radio Theatre, and most notably, work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, plus Dossier on Dumetrius, and Dr Paul (in which she played the leading character for ten years), Tudor Princess and Tudor Queen. These latter three were 1950s Grace Gibson productions.

Recognition, honours, and awards

She became a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1993.[5]

Recognition for her work included the following awards:

Personal life

At the peak of her career, and spurning an offer from the head of BBC drama in England to work there, Shearing married playwright and painter Rodney Milgate and retired from full-time acting. The couple had two sons.

Shearing was a speaker for Heart Research Institute from 1993 to 1999, and a volunteer reader for Royal Society for the Blind in the 1960s.

Later life and death

In later life Shearing resided at Erina, New South Wales, on the Central Coast, and was active in community arts programmes, volunteer work, and had also branched into directing not long before her death.[8]

She died on 14 June 2021, aged 95.[9][10]

Theatre

Shearing's work in theatre was extensive. She performed in the following productions: The Makropoulos Secret (Australian Opera) 2008, Morning Sacrifice 2001, A Cheery Soul 2000, Mother's Day 2000, A Delicate Balance 1998, Love Letters 1997, Medee (Australian Opera) 1995, Coriolanus 1993, The Old Boy 1993, The Winslow Boy 1992, The Hundred Year Ambush 1991, Great Expectations 1990, Shellcove Road 1989, Long Day's Journey into Night 1986 and 1960, Inside the Island 1980, Children 1980, Macbeth (first play performed in the Opera Theatre Sydney Opera House) 1974, What if you Died Tomorrow 1973, Richard II 1973, An Ideal Husband 1971-72, Butley 1971, Tiny Alice 1967, Stravinsky's Persephone (Sydney Symphony Orchestra) 1966, A Country Wife 1965, A Phoenix Too Frequent 1964 and 1952, Murder in the Cathedral 1960, Rape of the Belt 1960, Man and Superman 1959, The Relapse 1959, The Shifting Heart 1958, The Rivals 1956-57, 12th Night 1956-57, numerous theatre performances 1948-55 incl.: Winterset, Twelfth Night, Hotel Universe Country Wife, The First Joanna, Invitation To A Voyage, Deep are the Roots 1948-55, Amphitryon 38, King Lear, The Holly and the Ivy, Bell Book and Candle.

Filmography

Television

She appeared in some of Australia's earliest TV dramas.[11] She worked with the Nine Network, Crawford Productions, ABC, the Seven Network, Disney International, and many others.

Her TV roles include: Farscape (2000, 2002), All Saints (1997, 1999), Wildside (1998), G.P. (1988, 1994), Police Rescue (1993), Eye of the Storm (1991-92), Family and Friends (1991-92), E Street (1988, 1989), Rafferty's Rules (1988), A Country Practice (1985-90), Five Mile Creek (1984-85), Dancing Daze (1985), Saturday Saturday (1984), Special Squad (1984), All the Rivers Run (1983) as Aunt Hester, Learned Friends (1983), The Sullivans (1981-82), The Survivors (1970).

Film

Telemovies include:

Time and Tide (1999), A Family Matter (1989), Man of Letters (1983), Macbeth (1960), Sixty Point Bold (1958), A Phoenix too Frequent (1957) as Dynamene.

Film roles include:

The Long Wet (2001), A Spy in the Family (1985), Emmett Stone (1984), and Buddies (1982).

Directorial and other projects

  • Reader for Christchurch Camerata Orchestra (2012)
  • Director for Wilde Woman (play) (2010)
  • Stopover (play) Katandra Players (2009) and The Fortunates (play) (2008)
  • Poetry recitals for Gosford Regional Gallery (2003, 2008)
  • Director for Lettice and Lovage (play), The Actor's Forum (2007), Collected Stories (play) and The Actor's Forum (2006)
  • Two monologues for Gosford Regional Gallery and International Women's Day (2005).
  • Poetry recitals for SH Ervin Gallery La Serenissima: The Fascination of Venice (2003)
  • Director of Archibald Prize: The Play (jointly) (2003), Winners (play) The Actor's Forum.

References

  1. ↑ "Obituary: Dinah Shearing".
  2. 1 2 3 Lane, Richard (1994). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama, 1923-1960. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0522845568.
  3. ↑ Heseltine, Harry (2004). A Leader of his Craft, Theatre Reviews by HG Kippax. Currency House. ISBN 0958121354.
  4. ↑ Porter, Hal (1965). Stars of Australian Stage and screen. Rigby Ltd. p. 264.
  5. ↑ "Miss Dinah Hilary SHEARING". Australian Honours Search Facility. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia). Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "Macquarie Awards". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 929. 16 February 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 27 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. 1 2 "Awards". Glugs. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Shearing, Dinah (2013). Who's Who in Australia. Crown Content Australia. ISBN 978-1740951906.
  9. ↑ "Obituary: Dinah Shearing". TelevisionAU. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "MILGATE nee SHEARING, Dinah Hilary". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "The PRIVATE EYE of TV". ABC Weekly. 20 July 1957. pp. 4–5.

See also "National Library of Australia Collection". Papers of Shearing, Dinah. (Ref: MS 5186)-National Library of Australia, Canberra, ACT.

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