Sheila Florance

Sheila Mary Florance (24 July 1916 – 12 October 1991) was an Australian theatre, television and film actress. She played numerous roles in the Crawford Productions before playing Dossie Rumsay in the rural series Bellbird but became best known internationally for her performance as elderly, alcoholic convict Lizzie Birdsworth in the television series Prisoner.

Florance, born in Melbourne, Victoria, married an Englishman in 1934 and sailed to London. She spent World War II in England. Her early career was based on the London stage. Her first husband died in action following the 1944 Normandy landings.

Returning to Australia in 1948, where she started performing locally as a theatre actress, before entering films and television series. Florance had a reputation as a teller of extraordinary stories and in the 1950s she was known for her house parties. Florance died in 1991 from lung cancer, a week after receiving the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her final film.