Talking Prisoner

Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 43 Interview with Wendy Playfair Inmate Minnie Donovan
Welcome to Episode 43 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Wendy Playfair who played Minnie Donovan. Ken and Matt spoke with Wendy about her childhood growing up and her love for her parents and what it was like for Wendy at school and her love for Chocolate. Wendy spoke about where her love for acting came from and why she loves and adore acting and gave some amazing advice about acting. Wendy spoke about her real age and a funny story about how she lied about her age when she appeared on tv and her children’s reaction to when they found out their Mums real age. We spoke to Wendy about her stellar career in Radio where she first started and the radio plays that she starred in and what it was like to work in radio compared to Television and what her technique for learning her lines were. Wendy was living in Sydney at the time of getting the part on Prisoner and talks about how Grundy’s flew her down to Melbourne for the part as Minnie Donovan and what her audition was like and why Wendy changed the character of Minnie once she started. Wendy spoke about Shelia Florance and how much she enjoyed working with the crew. Wendy had a funny story about a scene she shot with Maggie Kirkpatrick on Prisoner and how much she adored Maggie.  Wendy spoke about her time on Packed to the rafters and Accidents Happen with Geena Davis. Wendy spoke about her love and affection for her seven grandchildren. Wendy also shares a special message for all the fans. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
 
#wendyplayfair #cellblockh #prisoner #radio #minniedonovan

Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 42 Part 2 Interview with Desiree Smith Officer Delia Stout
Welcome to Episode 42 Part 2 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Desiree Smith who played Officer Delia Stout. Desiree appeared in forty two episodes of Prisoner and also appeared in Neighbours and in Australian movie the Delinquents alongside Kylie Minogue. In part 2 Ken and Matt talked more about Prisoner including some of the funny places that Desiree was recognised in public and a very funny fan story with a German man. Desiree talks about who she is still friends with from the show today and her special friendship with Prisoner star Shery Munks who played Brumby Tucker and Maxine Klibingaitis who played Bobbie Mitchell. Desiree talks about how surprised she is at how popular the show is so many decades later and the legion of fans that still watch the show. Desiree was able to answer all fan questions including what Desiree thought about her storylines becoming boring towards the end of the show and what some of her favourite storylines were. We spoke about the episode of Neighbours she appeared in alongside David Clencie and Darius Perkins and why there was no romance with Marty Jackson on Prisoner. Desiree spoke about the time she went back to visit the Wattle where they filmed the iconic boat episodes of Prisoner. Desiree is a passionate supporter of National Reconciliation Week which we discuss in detail. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
 
#desireesmith #neighbours #prisoner #cellblockh

Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 42 Interview with Desiree Smith Officer Delia Stout
Welcome to Episode 42 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Desiree Smith who played Officer Delia Stout in the final year of Prisoner. Desiree appeared in forty two episodes of Prisoner and also appeared in Neighbours and in Australian movie the Delinquents alongside Kylie Minogue. Ken and Matt discussed with Desiree her life growing up, everything from home life and school and how she was able to get into acting. Desiree appeared in the 1989 Australian movie called the Delinquents which was directed by Chris Thomson and was Kylie Minogue’s first movie, Desiree spoke to Ken and Matt about this movie in great detail and how she got the part of Mavis and what it was like to work alongside Kylie Minogue, we then moved on to Neighbours, Desiree played Angela in Neighbours in 1985 and we spoke about Desiree’s time on Neighbours. Desiree was able to share with Ken and Matt about her time on Prisoner and how she got the part of playing Officer Delia Stout and what she thought about the officers uniform. Desiree was able to share with us what it was like to work with Philip Hyde who played Officer Rodney Adams and Michael Winchester who played Officer Marty Jackson and the storyline she would have liked to have seen for Delia and Marty. Desiree shared with us a story about Maggie Kirkpatrick and the Non-Smoking Green Room. Desiree talks about the similarities between her and Delia and we also spoke in detail about the work experience boat episodes and the sports day episodes. Desiree spoke about her favourite episode and storyline and what it was like to work with Rosanne Hull-Brown who played Merle Jones. Desiree was also able to share her memories on working with cast and crew who are no longer with us anymore such as Gerda Nicholson, Joy Westmore, Taya Straton, Justine Saunders, and Kendal Flanagan. We also spoke about why Delia Stout just disappeared from Wentworth. You will all be pleased to know that there is a part 2 in where Desiree is able to answer all fan questions. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
#desireesmith #kylieminogue #neighbours #cellblockh

Welcome to EP 41 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Glenda Linscott who played inmate Rita Connors. Glenda graduated from NIDA and has worked in all aspects of the performing arts industry. Alongside her considerable acting credits, she has not only been in theatre shows, but also directed them as well. Glenda is also a performance coach, actor trainer and voice-over artist. Her TV credits include: Mennotti, The Sullivans, Patrol Boat, The Cowra Breakout, A Country Practice, The Miraculous Mellops, Big Ideas, Janus, Soldier, Soldier, Murder Call, All Saints, Back Berner, Fergus McPhail, MDA, McLeod's Daughters, Underbelly: Infiltration, Winners and Losers, Neighbours, and the Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. We spoke to Glenda about her life growing up and what lead her into acting and her time and NIDA and what it was like to study at NIDA. Glenda currently teaches at the Western Australian Academy of Performing arts (WAAPA) and spoke to us what it is like to teach. We spoke to Glenda about her time on the various TV shows that she has appeared on and how she got the part on Prisoner and what the audition was like for her. Glenda was able to share her memories of playing Dr Imogen “Tootsie” Soames in Murder Call and what it was like preparing for that role. We spoke in length about Glenda’s time on Prisoner and how she got the role of Top Dog Rita Conners and what the audition was like. Rita wore many tattoos on the show and she told us why they ended up showing less of her tattoos later in the show. Glenda shared with us about her heavy workload on the show and fainting on set one day from exhaustion and how tiring it could be playing Rita. Glenda shared some stories and memories of working with Ian Doig who played slasher and filming those scenes with the CB radios. We broke down some iconic scenes that Glenda appeared in including the fight against Joan Ferguson in the Lou Kelly Riot episodes and what it was like to film those episodes and we also discussed the Blackmoor period and working with Ray Meagher.
 
#glendalinscott #ritaconnors #cellblockh #wentworth

Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 40 Interview with Colette Mann Inmate Doreen Anderson

Welcome to EP 40 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Colette Mann who played inmate Doreen Anderson. Colette has also been in many Australian TV shows and films, including The Champion, Between Wars, Cop Shop, Kitty and the Bagman, Always Afternoon, Outback Bound, The Flying Doctors, Stark, Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, The Client, JAG, Party of Five, The Dish, MDA, Blue Heelers, H.M.S. Pinafore and Fisk. Her theatre credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert. She is also very well known for another big role as a series regular in Neighbours as Sheila Canning. We spoke to Colette about her life growing up and how she first got into acting and what it was like to work on shows like the Don Lane show and Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton and her time on Talkback radio. Colette was also in a three woman troupe called the mini Busettes with her Prisoner co stars Betty Bobbitt and Jane Clifton and spoke to us about how that troupe formed and what it was like working with Jane and Betty. We spoke in great length about her time in the movie Kitty and the bagman which Colette appeared in alongside Val Lehman. Colette told us about her first time on Neighbours in 1995 when she replaced Prisoner co star Caroline Gilmer who played Cheryl Starke who fell ill at the time. Colette also played Sheila Canning for over ten years on Neighbours and told us how she got the part and what it was like to work on Neighbours and why she left Neighbours (Talking Prisoner Exclusive). Colette also told us how she got the role of Doreen Anderson on Prisoner and what the audition was like. We discussed why she chose to leave the show and why she decided to come back for a guest appearance in 1984. Colette was able to share some beautiful memories of working alongside Sheila Florance and what it was like to shoot the escape scenes with Carol Burns who played Frankie Doyle dressed as nuns. Colette was also able to tell us why the Cameo of her, Fiona Spence and Val Lehman was not used on Wentworth. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

#colettemann #prisoner #cellblockh #wentworth #neighbours

Welcome to Episode 39 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the amazingly talented Anna Hruby who played inmate Paddy Lawson. Anna has appeared in many Australian TV shows and Movies including Seven Little Australians, The Evil Touch, The Outsiders, The Sullivans, The Young Doctors, Chopper Squad, Case for the Defence, Skyways, Cathy's Child, The Journalist, The Restless Years, Cop Shop, Sporting Chance, Bellamy, Sons and Daughters, Rafferty's Rules, The Harp in the South, Fields of Fires, Poor Man's Orange, Fragments of War: The Story of Damien Parer, E-Street, The Flying Doctors, Big Ideas, A Country Practice, G.P., Janus, Police Rescue, Heartbreak High, Children's Hospital, Fireflies, All Saints and Blood Brothers. She is also very well known for her role as Headmistress, Judith Ackroyd in Home and Away from 1999-2000. We spoke to Anna about her life growing up and what it was like to come from such a big showbusiness family with her Mum being Joy Hruby who was a Actress, Producer, Film Maker, Author, Entertainer, Comedian and Agent with a career spanning more than 50 years. Anna was able to share her memories of working on Seven Little Australians and working with Len Teale and Ruth Cracknell. We then discussed her role on The Sullivans and playing Sandy Pearce on the Young Doctors, a role that led to Anna being expelled from school. We discussed her role as Tracy Kingsford on Sons and Daughters and one her well known roles as Judith Ackroyd on Home and Away and her memories of working on that show. Anna is also a very well known voice over artist and is also known as the Telstra lady, Anna also performed a Telstra voiceover message for us live on this interview. Anna shared her memories of working on Prisoner playing Paddy Lawson and how she got the role and some very funny stories about her first day on set and an even funnier one about Sheila Florance. We talked about the great fire escape episodes and the traumatic death scene with Nola killing Paddy. Anna told us why she left Prisoner even after she was asked to stay longer and renew her contact. We covered lots about Prisoner and Anna answered all fan questions. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
 
#annahruby #joyhruby #cellblockh #prisoner #telstra #wentworth

Welcome to Episode 39 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the amazingly talented Anna Hruby who played inmate Paddy Lawson. Anna has appeared in many Australian TV shows and Movies including Seven Little Australians, The Evil Touch, The Outsiders, The Sullivans, The Young Doctors, Chopper Squad, Case for the Defence, Skyways, Cathy's Child, The Journalist, The Restless Years, Cop Shop, Sporting Chance, Bellamy, Sons and Daughters, Rafferty's Rules, The Harp in the South, Fields of Fires, Poor Man's Orange, Fragments of War: The Story of Damien Parer, E-Street, The Flying Doctors, Big Ideas, A Country Practice, G.P., Janus, Police Rescue, Heartbreak High, Children's Hospital, Fireflies, All Saints and Blood Brothers. She is also very well known for her role as Headmistress, Judith Ackroyd in Home and Away from 1999-2000. We spoke to Anna about her life growing up and what it was like to come from such a big showbusiness family with her Mum being Joy Hruby who was a Actress, Producer, Film Maker, Author, Entertainer, Comedian and Agent with a career spanning more than 50 years. Anna was able to share her memories of working on Seven Little Australians and working with Len Teale and Ruth Cracknell. We then discussed her role on The Sullivans and playing Sandy Pearce on the Young Doctors, a role that led to Anna being expelled from school. We discussed her role as Tracy Kingsford on Sons and Daughters and one her well known roles as Judith Ackroyd on Home and Away and her memories of working on that show. Anna is also a very well known voice over artist and is also known as the Telstra lady, Anna also performed a Telstra voiceover message for us live on this interview. Anna shared her memories of working on Prisoner playing Paddy Lawson and how she got the role and some very funny stories about her first day on set and an even funnier one about Sheila Florance. We talked about the great fire escape episodes and the traumatic death scene with Nola killing Paddy. Anna told us why she left Prisoner even after she was asked to stay longer and renew her contact. We covered lots about Prisoner and Anna answered all fan questions. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
 
#annahruby #joyhruby #cellblockh #prisoner #telstra #wentworth

Welcome to Episode 34 of Talking Prisoner. Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with the talented Script Writer/Script Editor/Storyliner and Story Editor Coral Drouyn. In this final episode with Coral we discussed why Coral was really sacked from Prisoner, this has never been public knowledge and we broke it first on Talking Prisoner. We also broke down episode 399 (The Death of Hazel Kent) and why Coral came up with that storyline and what the reason for it was to have Hazel written out of the show and how hard it was for Coral to write those scenes. In this episode Coral answered every fan question that was asked of her including other Tv shows she would have liked to have worked on, her time on the short lived soap “Arcade” Why Reylene Pearce (Phyllis Hunt) was written out the way she was, what Coral considered to be the Golden Era of Prisoner, why the disappearance of Nora Flynn and what she thought of Nora as Top Dog, Coral gave us her own personal insight as to why she wrote the scene for Kate Petersons “Tick Tick Tick” solitary scene and what she drew on for that scene, something she has never shared publicly before, This is a ground breaking Episode of Talking Prisoner with so much behind the scenes information that has never been made public before. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
 
#coraldrouyn #prisoner #cellblockh #wentworth #arcade

Welcome to Episode 38 of Talking Prisoner.  Hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten sat down with Terrie Waddell who played inmate Lisa Mullins. Terri was in the final year of Prisoner and in the very last episode 692. Terrie has also appeared in Neighbours, A Country Practice, A Cry in the Dark, Golden Braid, Wedlocked, The Dame was loaded and Prisoner. We discussed Terries life growing up as a child and where her love for acting came from. Terrie told us about her time on Neighbours and her thoughts on the recent axing of the show. Terrie shared with us why she left acting and to become a Professor in the Department of Creative Arts and English, she shared with us her passion for writing and writing the book “The Lost Child Complex in Australian Film. We discussed Prisoner in great depth and what it was like for Terri to take over the character of Lisa Mullins from Nikki Paul and how she felt about getting the part and how quick it all happened. Terri had many scenes with Rosanne Hull-Brown who played Merle Jones and discussed with us what it was like working with Rosanne and working with Philip Hyde who played Officer Rodney Adams and gave us some behind the scenes on the attempted Rape scene with Peter Lindsay who played Spud. Terrie shared her memories of what it was like to work on Prisoner in its final year and how heavy the workload was with the long hours, We also asked Terrie if the show was to continue would she have like to have continued on longer as Lisa Mullins. Terrie had some scenes with the late Taya Stratton and shared her memories about Taya who played Spider Simpson. There has been lots of speculation and Rumours over the years that Terrie was pregnant when she was on Prisoner and Terri confirms with Ken and Matt the true story on Talking Prisoner. We also spoke about her memories on the last day of Prisoner working on Episode 692 and her scenes with Glenda Linscott, Terrie is a huge fan of Wentworth and shares her thoughts about the re-imagining of Prisoner, We spoke about so much more, Terrie was able to answer all fan questions. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel
 
#terriewaddell #prisoner #cellblockh #wentworth

Talking Prisoner “Presents” Neighbours Interview with Morgana O’Reilly (Bonus Easter Episode)
Welcome to our bonus Easter Episode of Talking Prisoner “Presents” EP 9. Host Matt Batten sat down with Morgana O’Reilly who is a Television and Film actress, Stand up Comedian and Playwright. Morgana is well known for her role in Neighbours playing Naomi Canning and Narelle Stang in Wentworth, she has also appeared in The Jaquie Brown Diaries, A Thousand Apologies, Piece of my heart, Sunny Skies, Housebound, Rake, Offspring, Secret Bridesmaids and is currently touring her new show “Stories about my body”. Morgana spoke to us about her life growing up, school life, what her parents thought about her getting into the industry. We spent some time talking about her hobbies, what life was like in lockdown for her and what it was like to work with Rebecca Gibney in “Wanted”. Morgana spoke to me in length about her time on Neighbours and what it was like working with Colette Mann and Stefan Dennis both who appeared in Prisoner and Ryan Moloney who plays Toadie, we spoke about her first day on set and her audition and why she did not want a long contract on the show. We then moved on to Wentworth and talked about her role as Narelle Stang and what it was like to work on the show and working with cast like Pamela Rabe, Kate Atkinson and her close friendship with Danielle Cormack. We spoke in great length about her new show Stories About My Body which is a new show that Morgana is touring at the moment and performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and what it is like working as a stand up comedian. We spoke about so much more and we are also going to giveaway two free tickets to Morgana’s show to two lucky viewers. Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
#morganaoreilly #wentworth #neighbours #comedy #comedian