Val Jellay
{{Short description|Australian actress, author and TV personality (1927-2017)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|image= TV WEEK LOGIES 2011 (5679026955).jpg
|birth_name=Valerie Muriel Jelly
|birth_date={{birth date|df=yes|1927|9|25}}
|birth_place=Sydney, NSW, Australia
|death_date={{death date and age|2017|5|6|1927|9|25|df=yes}}
|spouse=Maurie Fields (1960–1995)
|children=Marty Fields
|occupation={{hlist|Actress|vaudevillian|soubrette|singer|dancer|author}}
|years_active = 1931-2010
}}
Valerie Muriel Jellay (born Valerie Jelly; 25 September 1927 – 6 May 2017) was an Australian vaudevillian, actress, soubrette, dancer, author and TV personality. At the time of her death, she was the widow of fellow Australian vaudevillian, actor and comedian Maurie Fields; together they were in general considered to be a duo act in the entertainment industry. She was the mother of comedian and actor Marty Fields.
Her early career had been in vaudeville and on stage before becoming a staple on the small screen in 1957. She started performing at just four years old and was still performing in her 80s.
Career
Jellay's life in show business began in vaudeville, working with the Tivoli circuit in Australia. Her career began with dance lessons in 1931. She later moved into comedy and drama in the different media of stage, radio, film and television.
She appeared together with husband Maurie Fields as comedy regulars on HSV 7's Sunnyside Up, along with Hal Lashwood, Syd Heylen and Honest John Gilbert, then later as husband and wife in the television series The Flying Doctors.
She was also a regular on Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton, reviewing the latest movies, and also appeared on Hey Hey It's Saturday with her son Marty.
She appeared in serial Prisoner in four different character roles most notably as landlady Mabel Morgan, and in Neighbours as Connie O'Rourke.{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=Val+Jellay+and+neighbours&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news000417_0047_2402|title=Another round, another dream|last=Courtis|first=Brian|date=16 April 2000|work=The Age|access-date=6 May 2017}} She appeared in many guest roles in Australian soap operas.
Personal life
She married Australian actor Maurie Fields in 1960 and was married until his death in 1995.
Death
Jellay died on 6 May 2017 after having slipped into a coma and being on life support arising from complications of pneumonia; she was 89.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-06/the-flying-doctors-star-val-jellay-dies/8503492 |title =Val Jellay: The Flying Doctors actor dies of pneumonia aged 89 |publisher=ABC News |date=6 May 2017 |access-date=6 May 2017}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Year ! Role ! Type | |||
| 1979 | Dimboola | Aggie | Feature film |
| 1999 | Sweet Coincidence | Film short |
=Television=
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Year ! Role ! Type |
| 1963-1964
| Guest (with Maurie Fields) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1966-1975
| Homicide | Guest roles: Mrs. Roberts / Mrs. Callaghan / Florence Fraser / Mrs. Tucker / Landlady / Jane Clark / Hilda Lorenzo / Joyce Wright | TV series, 9 episodes: "No Licence to Kill", "Don' Be Lonely", "I Had a Dream", "The Last Bastian", "An Axe for Tommy", "Assassin", "I Couldn't Sleep...I Couldn't Sleep at All", "The Last Enemy" |
| 1970
| Guest role: Landlady | TV series, episode: "Whispers in the Mic" |
| 1971-1975
| Guest roles: Neighbour / Mrs. O'Hara / Murna Johnston / Mrs. Stone / Lydia Benton / Gary's Mother / Neighbour's Wife / Neighbour / Mrs. Moore | TV series, 10 episodes: "They Walk the Night", "Deadfall", "Unfit to Plead", "Sat'dy Arvo", "The Munich Job", "Talk Back", "Once a Crim", "Simon Says", "Room for Danger", "The Oracle" |
| 1973-1975
| Guest roles: Mrs. Allenby / Mrs. Cartini / Mrs. Mac / Mrs. Clark | TV series, 4 episodes: Jeff's Missing", The Highwayman", They'll Fix You Up, "No Worries", "The Great Equalizer " |
| 1976
| Regular role | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1977
| Bluey | Guest roles: Ida Berry / Mrs. Bonnici | TV series, 2 episodes: "Final Devotion", "Stop the Press" |
| 1977
| Guest role: Mrs. Foster-Lloyd | TV series, episode: "Ostrich Philosophy" |
| 1978-1981
| Cop Shop | Guest roles: Margaret Kirby / Mrs. Flannigan / Landlady / Beryl | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1979-1986
| Prisoner | Guest roles: Mabel Morgan / Saleswoman / Mrs. Bessie / Mrs. Gibson | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1981
| Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1983
| Guest role: Mrs. King | TV series, episode: "A Family Concern" |
| 1983
| Guest (with Maurie Fields) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984
| Guest role: Margaret Abernathy | TV series, episode: "Melting Moments" |
| 1985
| Regular role: Nancy Buckley | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1986
| Guest (with Maurie Fields) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1986-1992
| Regular role: Nancy Buckley | TV series, 189 episodes |
| 1988-1992
| Herself | TV series |
| 1989
| Couchman in Australia | Guest - Herself with Jan Adele, Rosie Sturgess & Wendy Harmer | ABC TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989; 1990
| Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990
| Tonight Live with Steve Vizard | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990
| TV Celebrity Dance Party | Guest performer (singing "Only Way to Go" with Maurie Fields) | TV special |
| 1992
| Celebrity gardener (with Maurie Fields) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1993
| Guest movie reviewer | TV series |
| 1993-1994
| R.F.D.S. | Regular role: Nancy Buckley | TV series, 13 episodes |
| 1994
| Herself | TV special |
| 1995
| Guest performer (singing "Only Way to Go" with Maurie Fields) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1995
| The Crawford Story | Herself | TV special |
| 1996
| 40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now | Herself | TV special |
| 1999
| Funny By George: The George Wallace Story | Herself | TV special |
| 2000
| Guest (with Bud Tingwell) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2000
| Recurring role: Connie O'Rourke | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 2005
| Guest role: Marjorie Price | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2006
| Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2007
| Contestant (with Toni Lamond, Noeline Brown & Val Lehman) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2007
| Audience member | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010
| Guest role: Senior Citizen | TV series, 1 episode |
Bibliography
{{cite book|last1=Jellay |first1=Val |title=After You've Gone: My Life after Maurie Fields|publisher=Spectrum Publications|place=Richmond, Victoria|date=1998|ISBN=0-86786-268-3|url=https://www.bookfinder.com/book/9780867862683}}
{{cite book|last1=Jellay |first1=Val |title=So You Want To Be in Showbusiness|publisher=JoJo Publishing|year=2009|isbn=0980283639|url=https://www.bookfinder.com/book/0980283639/}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0420582|name = Val Jellay}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jellay, Val}}
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Actresses from Sydney
Category:Deaths from pneumonia in New South Wales
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