Val Lehman
- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Val Lehman began her acting career with a brief stint at the National
Theatre Drama School, and then wrote, directed and performed a revue
whilst studying towards an Arts Degree at The Royal Melbourne Institute
of Technology. Put her acting ambitions on hold after her marriage to
raise three children though during this period worked extensively with
amateur acting groups in various parts of Australia, in Singapore and
in England, UK. Turned professional, working initially as an extra in
television productions, and spent five years touring with the
Children's Arena Theatre, playing in 'Dimboola' and several other
productions. Next won several small featured roles in television series
such as rural serial Bellbird (1967) and Tandarra (1976), in TV-movie Outbreak of Love (1981), and
mini-series Power Without Glory (1976). In 1978 Val Lehman scored the plumb role of tough
"inmate boss" Bea Smith in a new sixteen part women's prison television
serial called Prisoner (1979). The series became an instant hit and the sixteen
episodes were soon extended and the series became an indefinitely
running serial. Bea Smith quickly emerged as the central character in
most of the storylines and Lehman became one of the most popular
Television actresses of the period. During the four and a half years
she played the role Val Lehman won three Logies as Most Popular and
Best Lead Actress in a television series. Left the series in 1983 and
appeared in play Trafford Tanzi, and television mini-series A Fortunate Life (1986).
The Producers of "Prisoner" asked Lehman to return to the series on
three occasions though she always refused, saying she had taken the
character as far as it could go. Several other television appearances
followed, however, like many soap stars before her, Val Lehman found
that the expected meaty roles and long-running fame failed to
materialise, with Bea Smith remaining the highlight of her career.
During the 1990s Lehman spent several years living in England, where,
as had been the case in Australia, she was unable to find much work as
she was so recognisable through her work in "Prisoner". In the late
1990s returned to Australia where she had guest roles in television
programmes Blue Heelers (1994) and Good Guys Bad Guys (1997).