Cornelia Frances facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cornelia Frances
Frances at the 2011 Logie Awards
Born	Cornelia Frances Zulver (1941-04-07)7 April 1941 Liverpool, England
Died	28 May 2018(2018-05-28) (aged 77) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Other names	Corney Frances (nickname)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1959–2017
Notable work	Morag Bellingham on Home and Away Sister/Matron Grace Scott on The Young Doctors Barbara Hamilton on Sons and Daughters The Weakest Link as host
Spouse(s)	Michael Eastland (1969–?; divorced)
Children	1

Cornelia Frances Zulver, also known as Cornelia Frances, was an English-Australian actress. She was born on April 7, 1941, and passed away on May 28, 2018.

Cornelia started her acting journey with small parts in movies in England. Later, she moved to Australia in the 1960s. There, she became very famous for her roles in TV soap operas. She often played strong, sometimes "nasty" characters that people loved to watch.

She was especially well-known for playing Morag Bellingham on the popular show Home and Away. She joined the show when it started in 1988. Even after leaving, she would often return for special storylines.

Cornelia also played Sister Grace Scott on The Young Doctors from 1976 to 1978. Another big role was Barbara Hamilton on Sons and Daughters from 1982 to 1986. In the early 2000s, she hosted the Australian version of the quiz show The Weakest Link. She also worked in theatre and did voice-over work.

Early Life and Acting Start

Cornelia Frances was born in Liverpool, England. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

In her early career, she had small, uncredited parts in British films. These included Peeping Tom and The Queen's Guards. She also had a speaking role in the film Goodbye, Mr. Chips. She performed in various plays too, like The Trials of Oscar Wilde.

Her Career in Australia Flourishes

Cornelia's acting career really took off after she moved to Australia in the 1960s. She performed in plays at the Playhouse Theatre in Perth. She also hosted a TV show called Tom's TV Bingo on Channel 9.

After appearing in the 1975 film The Box, she became widely known. Her role as the strict Sister Grace Scott in the daily soap opera The Young Doctors made her a household name. After this show, she worked as a TV reporter for a current affairs program.

In 1980, Cornelia appeared as a lawyer named Carmel Saunders on the show Prisoner. Then, she took on another memorable role as Barbara Armstrong (later Hamilton) in Sons and Daughters. She played this character from 1982 to 1986.

On June 7, 1988, Cornelia first appeared as Morag Bellingham on Home and Away. Morag was a judge and the sister of Alf Stewart. She often argued with Alf and her other sisters, Celia Stewart and Colleen Smart. Cornelia played Morag as a recurring character for 29 years. She wished she could have played Morag full-time.

From 1997 to 1998, Cornelia was the voice of Tortoise in the children's TV series Magic Mountain. She also hosted The Weakest Link from 2001 to 2002. In the early 2000s, when acting jobs were slow, she even worked for a winery. Her book about her life, And What Have You Done Lately?, came out in 2003.

Later in her career, she did more voice acting in Milly, Molly. She also had a main role in the Australian stage play Calendar Girls. Her very last TV appearance was in an episode of Home and Away in 2017.

In 2019, Cornelia Frances was honored with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This award recognizes her great contributions.

Helping Others: Charity Work

In 2011, Cornelia Frances became the first Ambassador for the Australian Orangutan Project (AOP). She wanted to help people learn about how orangutans are in danger. She traveled to Borneo, Indonesia, to see how the cutting down of forests was affecting orangutans. She also saw how orangutans were being helped to recover.

In 2016, Cornelia made a large donation to a health organization. This was to help raise awareness about women's health.

Personal Life and Passing Away

Cornelia Frances married Michael Eastland in 1969. They later divorced but had one son together, named Lawrence.

In January 2018, Cornelia shared that she was battling cancer. Sadly, the cancer spread. She passed away on May 28, 2018, at the age of 77.

Many people paid tribute to Cornelia. The Seven Network, which shows Home and Away, said she was a "unique person." They said her acting inspired many and that her energy would be missed. Her co-stars, like Ray Meagher and Judy Nunn, also shared their sadness. A private funeral was held for her.

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

See also

In Spanish: Cornelia Frances para niños