Anne Haddy facts for kids

Anne Haddy (born 5 October 1927 – died 6 June 1999) was a famous Australian actress. She was also a TV presenter and a voice artist. Anne worked in many areas of entertainment, like radio, stage, and television.

She was best known for her roles in popular TV shows. These included Alice Hemmings in Prisoner and Rosie Andrews in Sons and Daughters. Her most famous role was Helen Daniels in the long-running show Neighbours.

Anne Haddy was also a well-known children's entertainer. She was one of the first presenters of the Australian Play School. She also lent her voice to animated movies like the "Dot" series.

Anne Haddy's Early Life

Anne Haddy was born in Quorn, South Australia, on 5 October 1927. She went to Adelaide High School. While working at the University of Adelaide's book room, she acted in radio plays. She also performed in school broadcasts. Later, she studied acting at the Sydney Theatre Company.

In the 1950s, Anne moved to the United Kingdom to find acting jobs. However, she ended up working as a secretary for Kellogg's. She married her first husband, Max Dimmitt, before returning to Australia. They had two children together. In 1960, Anne and her family moved to Sydney. After her first marriage ended, Anne married actor and scriptwriter James Condon. They even acted together twice on Neighbours.

Anne Haddy's Acting Career

Anne Haddy became one of the first presenters of Play School. This children's show helped many Australian actors start their careers. In the 1960s, she appeared in many TV movies. She also had guest roles in TV shows like Wandjina! (1966) and Dynasty (1970–71).

From the late 1970s, Anne's roles in TV soap operas became more important. Her first big role was in Prisoner. She played the mother of a character named Doreen Anderson. From 1982 to 1985, she played Rosie Andrews in Sons and Daughters.

In 1986, Anne took on her most famous role. She became Helen Daniels in Neighbours. She played this character for 12 years, appearing in 1,162 episodes. At that time, she was one of the longest-serving actors on the show.

Anne Haddy's Health and Retirement

Anne Haddy faced health challenges for the last 20 years of her life. In 1979, she had a heart attack. This led to four bypass operations. Soon after, she broke her hip. She also found out she had stomach cancer, but it was treated successfully.

In 1983, she had another heart procedure. More health problems and another broken hip led to kidney issues. Because of her health, Anne retired from acting in 1997. She once joked that she would like her real-life funeral to be shown on Neighbours.

Other Achievements

In 1988, Anne Haddy's popularity was recognized. Students at Oxford University made her an honorary member of Corpus Christi College. This showed how much people admired her work.

Anne Haddy's Death

Anne Haddy passed away at her home in Melbourne on 6 June 1999. She was 71 years old and died from a kidney-related illness. The day after her death, an episode of Neighbours was shown in the UK. It ended with a special message honoring her memory.

Filmography