Colleen Hewett (born 16 April 1950) is an Australian actress and popular singer. She is perhaps best known to international audiences for her 1984 guest role in the television series Prisoner as Sheila Brady.
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Career
Pop Singer
Born in the central Victorian city of Bendigo, Hewett began her career at the age of 12 when she sang with The Esquires at the Bendigo YMCA. During the 1960s she toured Australia with a number of groups including the Laurie Allen Revue. She began her recording career in the early 1970s with the release of her debut single "Superstar" and self-titled album Colleen Hewett. Cast in the musical Godspell, at the original Playbox Theatre in Melbourne, she received a gold record for "Day by Day" (1972), her song from the show. These successes led to her being crowned Queen of Pop two years running. She later achieved two further gold records for "Dreaming My Dreams With You" (1980) and her version of "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1983).
Hewett became guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins in 1985 for a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins, which peaked at Number 10 on the Australian Kent Music Report in December.
Stage And Theatre
Hewett's other musical theatre credits include Pippin, the rock opera Tommy and Return to the Forbidden Planet. While performing in Pippin, she and her co-star John Farnham also hosted the television variety show It's Magic, moving between the studio during the day and the theatre at night.
Television
During her music career in the 1970s, Hewett was also performing in a number of television dramas including Homicide, Matlock Police, The Truckies, Carson's Law, Division 4, Young Ramsay, Cop Shop, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors, many of which had an international release.
Present
As of 2000, Hewett has been in semi-retirement, spending time in Melbourne, Bendigo and Fiji with family and friends. In 2006 she played Marion Woolnough, the mother of Peter Allen, in the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz headlined by Hugh Jackman. She also had a role as Matron "Mama" Morton in the musical Chicago with Caroline O'Conner and Craig McLachlan. In the 2011 movie The Cup she plays Pat Oliver, the mother of jockeys Jason and Damian Oliver.
Discography
Albums
Original Australian Cast
March 1972, Godspell-Original Australian Cast (Festival Records) (Australia #18)
Colleen Hewett
October 1972, Colleen Hewett (Festival Records) Aust#28-1
May 1974, Greatest Hits - Colleen Hewett (Festival Records)
June 1974, M'Lady (Atlantic Records) (Australia #44)
Original Australian Cast
July 1974, Pippin-Original Australian Cast (EMI) (Australia #60)
Colleen Hewett
November 1974, Hits (Summit Records)
May 1983, Colleen (Avenue Records) (Australia #48)
June 1986, Power Of Love (J&B Records)
July 1997, Tenterfield Dreams The Musical Journey of Peter Allen (MRA Records) (Australia #67, Melbourne #52, Sydney #89, Brisbane #45, Adelaide #55, Perth #47)
December 2001, Bulamama (Colossal Records)
Singles
Laurie Allen Revue (lead vocal- Colleen Hewett- A Side only)
June 1968, "As Long As I got You/Not Born To Follow" (Festival Records) (Australia #88)
Colleen Hewett
June 1971, "Superstar / More Today Than Yesterday" (Festival Records) (Aust #32, Syd #24, Melb #13, Brisb #29, Adel #30)
November 1971, "Day By Day (Incorporating 'Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord') / By My Side" (Festival Records) (Aust #2, Syd #6, Melb #1, Brisb #1, Adel #3)
October 1972, "Carry That Weight / Danny Boy" (Festival Records) (Aust #2, Syd #9, Melb #28, Brisb #6)
June 1973, "Waltzing Matilda / Mother" (Festival Records) (Aust #80, Syd #37)
September 1973, "A Wish to Wish / It's Gonna Be a Long Time" (Festival Records)
November 1973, "Sit Yourself Down / Can't Sit Down" (Festival Records) (Aust #94, Brisb #38)
March 1974, "Pippin / I Can't Fly" (Atlantic Records)
July 1974, "I Believe When I Fall In Love / Seldom Seen Sam" (Atlantic Records) (Aust #51)
November 1974, "If You Could Read My Mind / Haven't We Met Before"
November 1979, "Dreaming My Dreams With You / One Eyed Man" (Wizard Records) (Aust #2, Syd #2, Melb #1, Brisb #1, Adel #2)
October 1981, "Gigolo / You Keep Walking Back" (Avenue Records) (Aust #28, Melb #14)
September 1982, "Hearts / Take Me In Your Arms"
February 1983, "The Wind Beneath My Wings/Constantly" (Aust #52, Melb #19)
July 1983, "I Hope I Never / Sleepless Nights"
1984, "If You Ever Feel The Need / Love Is Not Easy"
1996, "Street Angel" (CD Single)
2000, "Reconciliation" (CD Single)
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