Jill Perryman

Perryman was born in Melbourne to a family notable for its achievements in theatre and entertainment. Her father, William Thomas Perryman, was an actor and performer, with notable credits from 1919 until 1938[4] and her mother Dorothy Eileen (formerly Duvall), born in Adelaide was an actress and singer, who appeared in a few productions from 1923 until 1932.[5]

Her older sister, Diana Perryman (1925–1979), was prominent in Australian theatre and also appeared in television roles.[6] Her husband is Western Australian dancer-choreographer Kevan Johnston, and they have a son Tod Johnston, who is a media personality, radio and television presenter, and musician. Diana Perryman was posthumously awarded an MBE.[7]

Perryman in 1952, then aged 19, joined the company of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd as a member of the chorus and in the following year was understudying leading roles in stage musicals, under Evie Hayes in a local production of Call Me Madam.[8]

Perryman was strong in voice and personality, and a long series of understudy and small roles eventually led her, through the recommendation of John McCallum (who was then joint managing director of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd), to take the lead in the key Australian production of Funny Girl, a performance that won her an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions.

These included I Do! I Do! in 1969; The Two of Us in 1971. No, No, Nanette in 1972 won her another Erik Award for Best Actress for her role as Lucille Early, then in 1973 she starred in A Little Night Music.[9] In 1976 she played Gladys Zilch in Leading Lady, a musical production created especially for her. She also toured during 1977 in Side by Side by Sondheim. She played Miss Hannigan in Annie in 1978.

Perryman won the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1980.[10]

She toured in the musicals Chicago in 1988 and The Boy From Oz in 1998[1]

source= AusStage[1]

• Jill Perryman Collection, in the Performing Arts Collection and Arts Centre Melbourne.