ON THE INSIDE – An intimate portrait of Sheila Florance
By Helen Martineau

Sheila had a soft spot for Lizzie, the character that brought her worldwide fame. She also spoke of Lizzie with an ironic smile, because before Prisoner there had been fifty years of experience and hard work in the acting profession. It culminated just days before her death at seventy-five with the Australian Film Institute Best Leading Actress award for her last film, A Woman’s Tale. She was even recommended for an Academy Award nomination but died before it could happen.

I was seventeen when my new boyfriend Peter (whom I later married) took me to meet his mother, the actress. I was nervous. From Peter’s descriptions I expected someone formidable, yet it was her laughter that made the first strong impression on me. Sheila had an unforgettable laugh that bubbled up like a hidden spring and opened into a Niagara Falls of uninhibited delight. It was irresistible. You had to join in.

Sheila and Helen enjoying a joke, 1980s

Sheila was invariably the centre of attention - whether partying at home, backstage after a show or waiting on the set. She was extravagant, theatrical, a teller of tall tales and very funny. Her biography is packed with lively anecdotes from onstage and ‘behind the scenes’.

It is also a very personal account of her eventful private life, her courage despite obstacles and sadness, her fights for justice, her anger and loves. On the Inside, with its humour, drama and tragedy on a grand scale, is the story of a memorable and inspirational woman.

Published March 2005 by
Australian Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne Australia
ISBN 1-74097-078-0

For enquiries email: helen.cm@bigpond.net.au