Carmen Duncan facts for kids

Carmen Joan Duncan (born July 7, 1942 – died February 3, 2019) was a famous Australian actress and activist. She worked in movies, TV shows, and on stage for over 50 years. Her career took her from Australia to the United States.

Carmen was nominated for a big award, the AFI Award for Best Actress, for her role in the 1980 movie Harlequin. She was also well-known for the film Don't Let It Get You. Other movies she appeared in include Touch and Go (1980) and Turkey Shoot (1982). Many people remember her as Iris Wheeler in the American TV show Another World from 1988 to 1994.

Carmen Duncan also performed in many theatre plays between 1970 and 2015.

Early Life and Acting Career

Carmen Duncan was born in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, in 1942. She studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney and finished in 1961.

Australian audiences knew Carmen as a character actress. This means she was great at playing many different kinds of people in TV, movies, and on stage. She also appeared in TV commercials. Some of her early TV roles included the series Hunter in 1967. She played Helen Sheridan in the TV show Number 96 in 1973. Later, she had a regular role in Skyways and was a guest star in A Country Practice. Her film roles included Turkey Shoot (1982) and its remake in 2014.

In the 1980s, Carmen moved to the United States to act on TV. From October 1988 to September 1994, she played Iris Carrington Wheeler in the American TV show Another World. She took over the role from another actress. Carmen had a distinct Australian accent, which made her stand out on American TV.

After leaving Another World in the mid-1990s, Carmen returned to Australia. She continued to act in guest roles on TV shows. In 2000, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and received treatment. In 2003, she appeared as Anna Denton on CrashBurn. In 2004, she went back to the United States for a short time. She filled in for another actress, Eileen Fulton, playing Lisa Grimaldi in three episodes of As the World Turns.

Carmen Duncan became a member of Actor's Equity in 1962. This is a group that protects actors' rights. She also joined the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance.

Helping Others: Activism

Carmen Duncan stopped acting in 2006. She then became a manager for the GO Fund. This charity in New South Wales helps people with gynaecological cancer. She also worked as an ambassador for the Breast Care Centre at the Royal Hospital for Women. This shows she cared deeply about helping people, especially those with cancer.

Personal Life

Carmen Duncan lived in Sydney, Australia. She had two children. Her younger sister, Paula Duncan, is also an actress.

Carmen Duncan passed away on February 3, 2019, at the age of 76. She died from breast cancer.

Film and TV Roles

Carmen Duncan had many roles in movies and TV shows throughout her long career. Here are some of her notable appearances:

Movies

• Don't Let It Get You (1966)
• You Can't See 'round Corners (1969)
• Harlequin (1980)
• Touch and Go (1980)
• Turkey Shoot (1982)
• Now and Forever (1983)
• Platypus Cove (1983)
• Run Chrissie Run! (1984)
• Bootleg (1985)
• Allie & Me (1997)
• Liquid Bridge (2003)
• Turkey Shoot (2014) - a remake of her earlier film
• Hotel Mumbai (2018)

Television Shows

• Homicide (1966-1973)
• Hunter (1967)
• You Can't See 'Round Corners (1967)
• Riptide (1969)
• Number 96 (1973)
• Certain Women (1974-1975)
• Cop Shop (1978-1981)
• Skyways (1979)
• A Country Practice (1982; 1986)
• The Flying Doctors (1987)
• Another World (1988-1994)
• All Saints (2000)
• Farscape (2000; 2002)
• Water Rats (2001)
• CrashBurn (2003)
• As the World Turns (2004)
• Winners & Losers (2011-2012)
• Ash vs Evil Dead (2016)
• Pulse (2017)

Stage Plays

Carmen Duncan performed in many plays, including:

• Make Me a Widow (1963)
• Hamlet (1963)
• A Man for All Seasons (1965)
• Cactus Flower (1972)
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1973)
• Romeo and Juliet (1974)
• Bedroom Farce (1978)
• Blithe Spirit (1987)
• Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced (2013)

See also

In Spanish: Carmen Duncan para niños