Carol Burns
| Carol Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Carol Ann Burns 29 October 1947 Brisbane, Australia |
| Died | 22 December 2015 (aged 68) Brisbane, Australia |
| Occupation | Actress, director |
| Years active | 1967–2015 |
Carol Ann Burns (29 October 1947 – 22 December 2015) was an Australian actress, director and patron of the arts. She worked extensively in film, television and theatre in Australia and the United Kingdom. In Australia she was a founding member of the Queensland Theatre Company. Burns was an original cast member, as Franky Doyle, in the serial Prisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H) during the first season in 1979, and although she only appeared in the first 20 episodes, she became a major breakout and much loved character, and gained cult status as a fan favourite.
Burns was born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland. Her mother Mary (née Langford) was a receptionist and her father William was a motor spare parts manager. She attended Milton State Primary School where her initiation into the world of theatre began with speech and drama classes in 1958. Burns acted with Brisbane Arts Theatre and also Twelfth Night Theatre, where she also tutored within the junior drama workshops, in Brisbane.
Burns' major television role was her performance in the cult television program Prisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H), in which she played the tough but affable lesbian bikie character, Frieda "Franky" Doyle. Although only appearing in the first 20 episodes, her character attained cult status, resulting in her winning a Logie Award for Best Lead Actress in a Series. Burns stated in a 2011 interview that she left the show due to very low pay and an increased workload as a result of the more rapid production of episodes. She also stated that it was her decision to be killed off as she did not want to be lured back. After Burns's departure from the series the producers released a telemovie titled The Franky Doyle Story which they compiled using footage from the episodes in which Burns had participated.
Burns, an experienced and versatile theatre actress, went to the UK and appeared in numerous West End productions and had roles in series such as The Bill, Taggart and Heartbeat. Burns also appeared in films including The Mango Tree, Bad Blood, Starstruck, and Strikebound.
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