This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.Find sources: "Val Lehman" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Val Lehman

AM
Born
Valerie Kathleen Willis

(1943-03-15) 15 March 1943 (age 80)
Perth, Western Australia
OccupationActress
Years active1967–present
Known forPrisoner (also titled Prisoner: Cell Block H)
Spouses
  • Frank Lehman
Charles Collins
​
​
(m. 1989; div. 2002)​
Children3

Valerie Kathleen Lehman AM (née Willis; born 15 March 1943) is an Australian actress and director, best known locally and internationally for her role as the antagonist "Top Dog" and self-styled Queen Bea Smith in the Australian TV series Prisoner (known internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H) for the first five series from 1979 until 1983.

Biography

Early life and personal life

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2023)

Lehman was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 15 March 1943, she relocated to Melbourne to study arts at the RMIT University.[1] Lehman was twice married her first husband was Frank Lehman, she married Charles Collins in 1989 but divorced in 2002. She has two daughter's both whom appeared on "Prisoner", her daughter Cassandra Lehman, played her drug-addicted on-screen daughter Debbie and her other daughter Joanne also appeared as Yvonne, the schoolgirl neighbour of Valerie Richardson with whom Bea Smith stayed with whilst on the run. Val also has a son, Jason.

Honours and awards

In 2021 she was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) "for significant service to the performing arts and wildlife conservation".[2]

She received three Logie Awards for her performance; Best Lead Actress in a Series, Most Popular Actress in 1982 and Best Lead Actress in a Series in 1983. Lehman decided to leave the series towards the end of season five after becoming tired with playing the character, and she recorded her final scenes on 13 May 1983, making her final appearance in episode 400.

Career

Lehman has appeared in many other Australian television productions, mostly in guest roles. Prior to Prisoner she acted in the television series Bellbird and Tandarra. After Prisoner she appeared in The Flying Doctors, Army Wives, Something in the Air, Blue Heelers, All Saints and City Homicide.

In 2016, Lehman was a contestant on the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. On 6 March 2016 she was evicted from the jungle.

Lehman had a guest role on Neighbours in December 2017 as Joanne Schwartz, which reunited her with her former Prisoner co-star Colette Mann.[3]

Filmography

Television

Title Year Role Network Notes
1967 Bellbird Guest appearance ABC TV series
1972 Homicide Nurse Seven Network TV series, Season 9, 1 episode
1976 Tandarra Dinner Guest Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
1976 Power Without Glory Woman in Lane ABC TV miniseries
1979–1983 Prisoner Bea Smith Network Ten TV series, Seasons 1–5, 376 episodes
1981 Prisoner in Concert Herself / Bea Smith Network Ten TV special (Cast performance at Pentridge prison)
1981; 1983 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1981 Outbreak of Love Mrs. Montaubyn ABC TV miniseries
1982 The 24th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself Nine Network TV special
1982 The Saturday Show Guest ABC TV series, 1 episode
1983 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1983 Melbourne Cup Carnival Herself (with daughter Joanne) Network 10 TV special
1983 Parkinson In Australia Guest Network 10 TV series, 1 episode
1985 The Ernie Sigley Show Guest Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
1985 A Fortunate Life Bert's Mother Nine Network TV miniseries
1986 Kids 21st Birthday Channel Ten Telethon Guest - Herself as taped appearance with Prisoner cast: Colette Mann, Elspeth Ballantyne, Glenda Linscott & Jane Clifton TV special
1986 The Flying Doctors Val Bates Nine Network TV miniseries, 1 episode
1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself with Bruce Ruxton, Sings "Flottsam Jettsam" (from 'Bea') with Jon Finlayson Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
1989 In Melbourne Today Guest - Herself Nine network TV series, 1 episode
1989 TV AM Guest (with Carol Burns & Fiona Spence) BBC1 TV series UK, 1 episode
1989 This Morning Guest ITV TV series UK, 1 episode
1990 Wogan Guest (with Amanda Muggleton) BBC1 TV series UK, 1 episode
1990 The Great Escape Guest Video UK
1991 Ring My Bell Guest TV series UK
1993 Celebrity Squares Contestant BBC TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Ken Dodd: An Audience with Ken Dodd Audience member (uncredited) TV special UK
1994-2002 Good Morning Australia Guest Network Ten TV series
1994 Law of the Land Fran Weber Nine Network TV series, Season 3, 1 episode
1995 Burke's Backyard Celebrity Gardener Nine network TV series, 1 episode
1995 Sale of the Century: Battle of the TV Classics Guest Nine network TV series, 1 episode
1996 Wilderness Vet ITV TV miniseries UK
1996 40 Years of TV Stars... Then and Now Herself Nine network TV special
1997 Where Are They Now? Guest (with Carol Burns, Gerard Maguire, Lynne Hamilton & Lynda Stoner) Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
1998 The Big Breakfast Herself TV series UK
1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys Rose Kinsella Nine Network TV series, Season 2, 1 episode
1998; 2001 Blue Heelers Bonnie Crossing Seven Network TV series, Season 5, 1 episode
1998 Denise Herself Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
2000 Pizza Bea Smith SBS TV series, season 1, 1 episode
2000–2002 Something in the Air Joyce Cassidy ABC Seasons 1 & 3, 5 episodes
2001 Blue Heelers Ivy Henderson Seven Network TV series, Season 8, 1 episode
2001 I Love the 1980's Herself TV series UK
2002 The Best of Aussie Cop Shows Herself Seven Network TV special
2002 MDA Rita O'Reilly ABC TV series, Season 1, 1 episode
2003 The Salon Herself TV series UK, 1 episode
2005 After They Were Famous Guest TV series UK, 1 episode
2006 Temptation Contestant Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2006 Where Are They Now? Guest (with Prisoner cast: Peta Toppano, Amanda Muggleton, Carol Burns & Maggie Kirkpatrick) Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
2007 20 to 1 Herself Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2007 What a Year Herself Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2008 Bert's Family Feud Contestant Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2009 All Saints Maggie Brooks Seven Network TV series, Season 12, 1 episode
2009 Mornings with Kerri-Anne Guest Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2009; 2011 A Current Affair Guest Nine Network TV series, 2 episode
2009 9am with David & Kim Guest (with Amanda Muggleton & Peta Toppano) Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2010 City Homicide Dorothy Denzel Seven Network TV series, Season 4, 1 episode
2011 A Current Affair Guest (with Carol Burns, Elspeth Ballantyne, Fiona Spence, Patsy King, Jane Clifton, Judith McGrath & Margaret Laurence) Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2011 Kerri-Anne Herself (with Amanda Muggleton) Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2012 Today Tonight Herself with Rowena Wallace, Brian Wenzel & Gerard Kennedy TV series, 1 episode
2012 The Strange Calls Elaine ABC2 TV miniseries, 1 episode
2013; 2020 The Morning Show Guest (with Prisoner cast: Carol Burns, Fiona Spence, Patsy King, Colette Mann & Elspeth Ballantyne) Channel Seven TV series, 1 episode
2014 Secrets & Lies Patricia Network Ten TV series, Season 1, 1 episode
2016 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Contestant Network Ten TV series, 31 episodes
2016 The Project Guest Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2016 All Star Family Feud Contestant Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2016; 2018 Today Extra Guest Nine Network TV series
2017; 2018 The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode
2017 Neighbours Joanne Schwarz 10 Peach TV series, Season 33, 2 episodes
2018; 2021 Today Guest (with Amanda Muggleton) Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2018 Today Extra Guest (with Amanda Muggleton) Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2018; 2019; 2021 Studio 10 Guest Network Ten TV series, 3 episodes
2018 The Daily Edition Guest Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
2019 Studio 10 Guest Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2019 Wentworth New Prisoner Fox Showcase Season 7 (cameo, scene deleted)
2019; 2021 Studio 10 Guest (with Amanda Muggleton) Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2020; 2022 The Morning Show Herself Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
2020 The End Kelly Showcase Season 1 (recurring, 4 episodes)
2021 Studio 10 Herself Network Ten TV series, 1 episode
2021 Today Extra Herself Nine Network TV series, 1 episode
2021 Talking Prisoner Podcast Herself YouTube Webseries, 2 episodes
2022 The Morning Show Guest Seven Network TV series, 1 episode
2022 Irreverent Delaunay Netflix TV series, Season 1, 10 episodes

Film

Title Year Role Notes
1977 The Idyll Short film[4]
1979 The Dolebludgers Mrs. Price TV movie
1979 The Franky Doyle Story Bea Smith TV movie
1982 Kitty and the Bagman Big Lil Feature film
1985 I Live with Me Dad Marge TV movie
1987 Army Wives Jill's Mother TV movie
2002 Secret Bridesmaids' Business Colleen TV movie
2008 Smitten Violet Short film[5]
2008 Lapse Rose Short film[6]
2009 Charlie & Boots Bowling Lady Driver Feature film
2017 The Veiled Edith Short film[7]
2018 Holt Old Vyner Gillespie Short film[8]
2022 The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay Wendy Feature film
2022 Hitched The Boss Lady Short film

Awards and honours

Association Award Year Work Results
Logie Awards Best Lead Actress in a Series[9] 1982 Prisoner (Season 3) Won
Logie Awards Most Popular Actress[9] 1982 Won
Logie Awards Best Lead Actress in a Series[9] 1983 Prisoner (Season 4) Won
Australian Government Member of the Order of Australia[2] 2021 Honoured

References

  1. ^ "Val Lehman".
  2. ^ a b Knox, David (26 January 2021). "Australia Day Honours 2021: Lorrae Desmond, Val Lehman but Kerry O'Brien declines". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  3. ^ Knox, David. "Val Lehman to guest on Neighbours". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  4. ^ "The Idyll (1977)". goldposter.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Smitten (2008)". goldposter.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Lapse (2008)". goldposter.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  7. ^ "The Veiled". letterboxd.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  8. ^ "holtshortfilm". instagram.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Logie Awards". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 8 February 2022.

External links

Logie Award for Most Popular Actress
Authority control databases: National
Categories