Emotional memorial for iconic Neighbours star Janet Andrewartha on what would have been her birthday after she died aged 72
As I delve into the heartwarming tales of Janet’s life, it is impossible not to be moved by her spirit and zest for living. From Opal the dog receiving buttered sourdough toast on special occasions to road trips turned into adventures, it seems that every aspect of Janet’s existence was imbued with a sense of joy and wonder.
As a devoted admirer, I’ve been deeply moved to learn that our cherished Australian actress, renowned for being ‘one of the greatest actors of her time,’ was recently celebrated at a grand public tribute held in Melbourne. This heartfelt commemoration took place several months following her passing.
On July 29, Janet Andrewartha, famously recognized for portraying Lyn Scully on the show Neighbours, was bid a final farewell at a public memorial service held by her family on Monday.
Friends, relatives, and well-known figures from Australian television and stage remembered the lively and cheerful life of Janet, as they came together to express their sorrow over her passing.
In Melbourne, the city where her acting career commenced as a drama school student in the 1970s, a public memorial service was held on September 16 at the National Theatre located in St. Kilda.
It would’ve been her 73rd birthday.
Janet, famously recognized for playing Reb Keane in the series Prisoner: Cell Block H, sadly passed away tranquilly in her sleep, following a cancer diagnosis three months prior.
In a deeply moving ceremony spanning over two hours, Janet’s sibling, Kerry, and her child, Eloise, took charge of the heartfelt speeches.
‘Jan and I shared the appropriate amount of secrets for close sisters,’ Kerry began.
As the partner who’s shared 71 years with Janet, I proudly hold the distinction of her longest relationship. Each day, I find myself reflecting multiple times over, that our time together wasn’t nearly enough.
Janet’s younger sibling mentioned that Janet’s intense love for politics and exceptional abilities were evident even at a tender age, as she recounted the day Janet started at St Mary’s School in West Melbourne when she was just 4 years old. At this time, Janet herself was already 6 years old.
During the assembly, she grasped my hand and urged me to defend my own rights, and she consistently held onto her anger throughout her entire life, according to Kerry.
‘She was a political creature and a staunch and passionate feminist. If she were here today, she’d take your hand and tell you the same.’
As a teenager, it was common for Janet to arrive home from school and, without conscious thought, imitate the people she had encountered throughout the day.
She often mimicked the body language, tone, and speech patterns of her friends and instructors. My dad used to joke, “Who’s joining us for supper tonight?
Twenty years later, her capacity to portray different characters significantly contributed to Jan’s exceptional acting talent.
Didn’t you find that Jan’s innate ability was evident all along, and he was never deterred by the effort required to transform that ability into something truly enchanting?
The actress joined the long-running Australian soap Neighbours in 1999 as the Scully family matriarch.
She left the show in 2006 but returned multiple times, last appearing in Erinsborough in 2019.
Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan Kennedy on Neighbours, started her tribute by recalling that she initially encountered Janet back in 1978, as they were both budding actors studying drama together at the National Theatre.
In a touching and emotional message, the woman, aged 68 and currently residing in Italy, paid tribute to someone through a previously recorded video that was then shown.
She expressed her deep sorrow and sense of deception over Janet’s passing, mentioning that she missed her dearly, before recounting some cherished memories they shared as friends.
For seven years, Janet had a convertible, yet she only lowered the roof during winter and cranked up the heater simultaneously,” Jackie mentioned.
‘I loved how she would become so excited about chocolate-covered bullets and a cryptic crossword.
‘I love that in work and in life, she was never attracted to the predictable. Janet was always drawn to the lateral, the different, the outliers, the disenfranchised.
‘They were her people. When she had a project, she was in boots and all.’
The accomplished actor gave an example of the time Janet decided that all Australians should have access to exercise equipment in parks and green spaces, and ‘teed up a meeting with the Health Minister’.
She responded, “Why can’t we make that happen?” when he suggested it was impossible to install exercise equipment in every Australian park.
In my experience as a lifestyle advisor, I’ve often heard that phrase repeated by individuals, particularly when they encountered hurdles or were presented with reasons why their cherished pursuits seemed unattainable. Hearing it now, it stirred a deep emotion within me.
‘I loved her “why not-ness” as well.’
Actor Alan Fletcher from the show “Neighbours” stated that Janet served as a motivator for actors, encouraging them to reach greater heights and exhibit courage.
During his time playing Dr. Alan Kennedy on the Neighbours set, he commented that Janet’s genuinely humorous character made the set vibrant and lively.
‘She epitomises what it is to be a star.’
Australian columnist, author, and performer Elly Varrenti oversaw a profoundly moving event, which was additionally broadcast online for those who couldn’t physically be there.
Actress Raylene Pearce, who played Phyllis Hunt in the soap opera inspired by corrections, reminisced about Janet’s small terrace house in West Brunswick filled with people on Friday evenings following filming, as everyone tended to be quite lively and a bit unhinged.
Raylene mentioned that Kerry, Janet’s sibling, is commonly recognized as The Drover’s Wife due to an incident where she beheaded a venomous brown snake that was discovered within her home at Venus Bay.
While the actor’s daughter, Eloise, mentioned that when her mom began working on Neighbours, it was significant since they gained a consistent income stream.
But she joked that didn’t mean the actor began teaching her about how to make ‘smart financial decisions.’
She detailed how when she was little, Janet used to take her to ‘fancy hotels’ and treated her to room service, massages, and other treats.
‘Whenever I spoke to mum on the phone she would ask, “How’s my dog?”‘ Eloise said.
‘She was in love with my dog Opal. Opal is on a very strict organic diet. But whenever Opal would visit mum, she would get buttered organic sourdough toast for breakfast.’
In another touching anecdote, she revealed her mother’s excitement after realising she had gotten lost while driving on a road trip, in the midst of telling her daughter a ghost story.
Eloise remembered that she was startled, while she was excited, but Eloise found it hard to believe. She told me she actually enjoys getting disoriented! It signifies discovering new sights you’ve never encountered before.
‘Mum prepared buttered sourdough toast suitable for dogs, room service for a 9-year-old, and enjoyed getting lost on purpose.’
It has become evident to me that her lessons enlightened me about discovering happiness in all aspects of life, rather than hoarding it for future use.
Towards the end of the memorial service, many well-known Australians from the world of theater and cinema expressed their condolences for a cherished associate and friend. While some tributes were spoken live, others were read aloud.
Blue Heelers actor Belinda Davey described Janet as ‘simply joyful,’ in her tribute.
In my line of work, I’ve had countless memorable moments, but one that will forever stand out is the evening spent at a dear friend’s kitchen table, sipping bottomless glasses of rosé. We were on opposite ends, yet we were united in our quest to make sense of the world, and we even shared a few beauty rituals – plucking eyebrows and chins together. As I look back, I realize just how much she meant to me, and I can still hear her words: “I loved you very deeply.
In a delightful turn of events, the multi-talented actor Richard Piper (known for his roles in Neighbours, Wentworth, and Pirates of the Caribbean) expressed gratitude for having had the opportunity to collaborate with Janet for the first time back in 1987, and then reuniting with her thirty-five years later.
Renowned actor Kerry Walker (known for The Piano and Looking For Alibrandi) stated that Janet was fueled by a blazing fury towards inequalities and commended her final project, the SBS drama Safe Home, which tackles domestic violence, before she passed away.
In this, she radiates both radiantly beautiful and painfully poignant. She remains vibrant with energy. I will surely miss her joyful chuckles.
In my fervent enthusiasm, I’d like to share that I recently learned a fascinating tidbit about our beloved actor: in her downtime, she’s been passionately advocating for the implementation of a school play on Domestic Violence (DV) in Australian educational institutions!
Additionally, it was disclosed that during her leisure moments, the actor was advocating for Australian educational institutions to incorporate a stage play on domestic violence as part of their curriculum.
At Janet’s drama school graduation, casting director Jane Russ (who later worked on the rebooted prison drama Wentworth and Neighbours) noted: “Watch out for this girl. Pay close attention to her.
‘And I did,’ she said on-stage.
In my fangirl enthusiasm, I’d rephrase it like this: “Russ shared that he was determined not to stereotype the role of Reb Kean, Janet’s Prisoner character, whom he envisioned as a rough-around-the-edges, biker type – far from the usual casting choice.
‘I felt that character needed a little bit of softness. She nailed it.’
In 1999, Russ asked Janet once more to be part of the Neighbours cast as he needed an actress to portray the family matriarch with many complexities.
In a statement, Russ mentioned, “She walked in, performed her audition, and from that moment, she became Lyn Scully.” He played every character assigned to her with such conviction that it seemed as if she truly embodied each one.
In a different turn of phrase, Chris Connelly, a fellow actor from the prison setting, expressed that Janet was “a versatile individual for various people” and to him, she was an exceptionally talented artist.
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2024-09-17 10:44