Elisabeth Kirkby

Elisabeth Wilma Burton Kirkby (born 26 January 1921), alternatively Elizabeth Kirkby, is a British Australian retired politician. Kirkby entered politics serving with the Australian Democrats in the New South Wales Legislative Council as State Parliamentary Leader from 1981 to 1998, after which she served a seat on local government, as a councillor for Temora from 1999 and 2004. Prior to her political career Kirkby worked in film, television and theatre, starting from 1938 as an assistant stage manager in her native England before becoming a radio broadcaster, producer, director and screenwriter in Malaysia. She emigrated to Australia, where she became known for her small screen role as Lucy Sutcliffe in the serial Number 96. Early life Born in Bolton, Lancashire, (now part of Greater Manchester) north-west England to James Burton Kirkby and Frances Robinson Kirkby's performance career began in the United Kingdom during the second world war, where she spent three years working for the war effort with the woman's branch of the British Army the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and as an entertainer, writer and producer for Stars in Battledress. Entertainment career She appeared in telemovies in her native United Kingdom including Mr. Bolfrey and the televised play Love from a Stranger, based on a stage production written by Frank Vosper from a novel by Agatha Christie. Kirkby emigrated to what was then British Malaya in about 1950, where she spent 15 years writing, producing and directing for radio and the arts. She then relocated to Sydney, Australia in 1965, where she wrote and produced documentaries and educational programs for the ABC, after Kirkby's stint at the ABC, she moved to commercial television in guest starring drama roles. These included Rip Tide, The Rovers, in Crawford Productions' espionage drama Hunter and their police drama Homicide and in the serial The Group. Her next role was that of Lucy Sutcliffe in the soap opera Number 96. The character of Lucy was devised by writer David Sale, who had previously cast her in The Group. He based her and her husband Alf Sutcliffe (played by James Elliott) after his own parents from Lancashire, England, even naming the character of Lucy after his mother.