NEED TO KNOW
- Australian acting legend Lorraine Bayly has died aged 89.
- A triple Logie winner, Lorraine was an original presenter on Play School and appeared in hit series including Carson’s Law, A Country Practice and Neighbours.
- One of her best known roles was playing matriarch Grace Sullivan in The Sullivans.
- Her death on February 28 came after years of gruelling health issues.
Lorraine Bayly, the beloved Australian actress best known for playing matriarch Grace Sullivan in The Sullivans, has passed away at the age of 89.
Her death was announced by New Idea’s very own contributor, Craig Bennett, at the request of Lorraine’s family. He and the actress were close long-time friends.
Lorraine had been in poor health for several years. She passed away in the morning of February 28, at a care home in Sydney.
“Sad to say we’ve lost another showbiz legend, a bonafide star of stage and screen, a triple Logie winning TV treasure and beautiful friend to many,” Craig penned in an obituary posted to social media after her death.
What was Lorraine Bayly’s cause of death?
“Lorraine Bayly AM passed away earlier this morning at a care home in Sydney,” Craig’s post continued.
“Her much-loved nephew Brad Connelly and his wife Janelle called with the news, and asked me, as a close friend, to make the announcement on behalf of the family, and to post some beautiful words.
“Lorraine had enjoyed a stellar 62-year career on stage and screen, until her retirement 10 years ago.
“She told me as a kid growing up in Narrandera, she’d sing and dance around draped in the curtains.
“She trained at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre in the 50’s, played piano on radio, and made her TV debut on The Bobby Limb Show in 1962.”
What was Lorraine Bayly known for?
In 1966, Lorraine became an original presenter on Play School. Then, Craig shared, came an “avalanche of stage and screen roles”.
Most notable was Grace in the WWII-set Australian drama The Sullivans.
After leaving The Sullivans, Lorraine went on to have roles in Carson’s Law, which was created especially for her, The Challenge, A Country Practice and Neighbours. She also worked with Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas in The Man From Snowy River.
“Little known fact: she hosted her own morning TV show, Clean As You Slim with Lorraine!” Craig added. “Her big love was the stage, where she starred in over 50 plays and musicals.
“Lorraine turned 89 last month. She loved spending time with Brad, Janelle and their kids Laura and Patrick on the farm at Maclean Ridge.
“Vale to a most kind and beautiful person. After years of gruelling health issues, she’s now free and off onto her next wild adventure. Big block of chocolate in hand! LB was a self-confessed chocoholic!”
What happened to Grace in The Sullivans?
Lorraine decided to leave The Sullivans in 1979.
Grace’s death in a bombing attack, while in London to reunite with her long-lost son John, is still considered one of the saddest character deaths in Australian TV history, alongside Claire in McLeod’s Daughters, Patrick in Offspring, Molly in A Country Practice and Maggie in Blue Heelers.
Lorraine fondly recalled her time playing Grace on The Sullivans, when she sat down with New Idea for the last time in June 2021.
Lorraine was still in touch with co-stars Andrew McFarlane and Steven Tandy, who played two of her sons, and said the death of her on-screen husband Paul Cronin in 2019 had broken her heart.
“Playing Grace was a joy… it seems like yesterday I was whirling my hair up into Grace’s famous victory roll,” Lorraine told us.
“Not a day goes by when someone doesn’t stop me to say how much they loved The Sullivans. We were like a real family.”
What happened to Lorraine Bayly?
In her final interview with New Idea, Lorraine also opened up about her health woes, saying the “past few years have been a nightmare as I lurched from one serious health issue to the next.”
Lorraine was diagnosed with pneumonia in 2018, leading to a partially collapsed lung. The following year, she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and underwent a right breast mastectomy. Her surgeon also removed five lymph nodes.
The cancerous mass was “the size of a peach”, Lorraine said at the time.
Lorraine also told us that her health setbacks were the reason she decided to retire.
“For more than 80 years I’ve been in tip-top health, so to suddenly find myself ailing with an array of maladies was confronting. That’s when I made the decision to retire … bringing the curtain down on a 62-year showbiz career I’ve loved immeasurably.”
The Sullivans cast pay tribute
Steven Tandy, who played Lorraine’s son Tom on The Sullivans, shared a tribute to the actress following news of Lorraine’s death. This November marks 50 years since The Sullivans premiered.
“I have so many cherished memories of Lorraine,” Steven wrote on a Facebook post.
“She was the most giving of people – always down to earth and affectionate, yet not without a certain almost girlish vivaciousness.
“I truly loved and admired her and was so grateful for the close friendship we shared. Fly high, lovely lady. Your work is done. May love and beauty surround you always.”
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