Esme Melville facts for kids

Esme Melville was an amazing Australian actress who worked in theatre, on television, and in movies for a very long time. She was born on 23 July 1918, with the full name Esme Grace Mount-Melville, and she passed away on 14 September 2006.

Esme was well-known for her many roles, including playing different characters in the popular TV show Neighbours. She even won an award for Best Actress at the Tropfest awards in 2003 for her role as Granma in the short film Forbidden. She was also nominated for another award in 2007 for her role as Miss Collard in the movie Romulus, My Father.

Esme Melville's Early Life and Career

Growing Up in Australia

Esme Grace Mount-Melville was born in Norwood, South Australia, on 23 July 1918. She spent her childhood there. Her mother's name was Margaret Mount-Melville.

Starting Her Acting Journey

Esme began her acting career in theatre in Adelaide in 1939. This was just before World War II started.

Serving Her Country

During World War II, Esme joined the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service. She enrolled on 11 May 1944 and worked as a transport driver. She was honorably discharged on 13 September 1946 in Melbourne.

Life in Melbourne

After her service, Esme stayed in Melbourne. From 1956, she worked at St Martins Theatre for eight years, continuing her passion for acting on stage.

Esme Melville's Television Appearances

Guest Roles in Popular Shows

Esme Melville appeared in many Australian TV shows during the 1970s. She often had guest roles in police dramas like Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, and Bluey. She also appeared in the adventure series Ryan in 1973 and the miniseries Power Without Glory in 1976.

Later TV Roles

As her career continued, Esme appeared in many other television series. Some of these included Cop Shop (1978), Sons and Daughters (1982), The Flying Doctors (1986), and Round the Twist (1993). She also had roles in The Man from Snowy River (1994), SeaChange (2000), and The Secret Life of Us (2001).

Playing Multiple Characters in Neighbours

Esme was well-known for her frequent appearances in the popular soap opera Neighbours. She played four different characters on the show! Her first role was Mrs. York in 1986. Later, in 2006, she played Rose Belker, a character who was a bit hard of hearing. She also appeared in Prisoner and Blue Heelers multiple times.

Esme Melville's Theatre Performances

Key Stage Roles

Esme Melville had a long and successful career in theatre. She played Mrs. Bedwin in the musical Oliver!, which is based on the famous book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. She performed this role in 1961–62 and again in 1966–67. Another notable role was Mrs. Grey in the comedy The Secretary Bird in 1969.

Working on Stage Until Later Years

Esme continued to work in theatre until 2005, just a year before she passed away. This shows how much she loved acting and how dedicated she was to her craft.

Esme Melville's Film Career

Acting in Feature Films

Esme Melville also acted in many feature films throughout her career. Some of her film roles included Alvin Purple Rides Again (1974), Dimboola (1979), and Squizzy Taylor (1982). She also appeared in Annie's Coming Out (1984), Spotswood (1992), and The Heartbreak Kid (1993).

Award-Winning Performances

In 2003, Esme won the Best Actor – Female award at the Tropfest awards for her role as Granma in the short film Forbidden. This was a big achievement! She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards for her role as Miss Collard in the film Romulus, My Father.

Other Film Work

Besides feature films, Esme also worked on student films and independent short films. She even did voice-overs and appeared in TV advertisements. Esme Melville passed away on 14 September 2006, at the age of 88, after a short illness.