Sandy Gore (born 28 June 1950) is an Australian film and television actress, also with an extensive stage career in Australia.
Early life and education Gore's childhood dream was to study Veterinary Science but she wasn't as academically inclined as she had hoped, when it came to her Biology studies. In the last term of school, her English teacher recommended she audition for the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and after doing so, she was accepted into the course, graduating in 1966 with a Diploma in Acting.
Career On television, Gore appeared in the hit series Prisoner in 1980, as Kay White, the payroll-embezzling accountant who met a sticky end when her gambling addiction got the better of her. She starred as Mother Ambrose in the acclaimed 1991 miniseries Brides of Christ. She played Aunt Hecla in 1992 children's sci-fi series Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left. She also starred as Irene Carter, the depressive mother in 1993 Crawfords comedy series Newlyweds, alongside Annie Jones, John Wood and Cathy Godbold. She made guest appearances in series such as Grass Roots, Farscape and Rafferty's Rules.
Gore was nominated three times for the Australian Film Institute Award (now AACTA Awards) for Best Supporting Actress, for her work in the Australian films Norman Loves Rose (1982), Undercover (1983) and Street Hero (1984). She also appeared in Evil Angels (1988) and Lorenzo's Oil (1992). She played Anja in 1997 independent family comedy film Paws, alongside Nathan Cavaleri and appeared in the 2008 Baz Luhrmann epic Australia.
Gore has worked extensively with the Melbourne Theatre Company and the Sydney Theatre Company. Her stage roles include an acclaimed performance in the play Wit in 2000. She played Baptista in the 2009 Australian tour of The Taming of the Shrew with the Bell Shakespeare Company, while in 2010, she was cast as Maria in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, alongside Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh and reprised the role in 2012, when it transferred to New York at the New York City Center.
Personal life Gore was married to Mad Max director George Miller from 1985 to 1992.
Their daughter Augusta Miller, was born in the US when her father was working on 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick. Miller also studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) from the age of 19, graduating in 2008, and later became a documentary producer.
After Gore and Miller were divorced, Gore raised her daughter in the Sydney suburb of Mosman.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Type 1970 The Lady from Peking Marisa Russo Feature film1972 Pisces Dying Film short The Man Who Played With Boats Film short 1974 Petersen Suburban Housewife Feature film 1976 Eliza Fraser Lady Feature film 1978 The ABC of Love and Sex: Australia Style Narrator Feature film documentary 1981 The Stranger Film short1982 Momento Film short Dead Easy Frieda Feature film Norman Loves Rose Maureen Feature film1983 Moving Out Miss Stanislaus Feature film Night of Shadows Margo / Clare Neale / Lucy Film short1984 Undercover Nina Feature film Street Hero Bonnie Rogers Feature film Access Code Uncredited Feature film1988 Grievous Bodily Harm Barbara Helmsley Feature film Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark) Joy Kuhl Feature film1989 Luigi's Ladies Cee Feature film Minnamurra Maude Richards Feature film 1992 Lorenzo's Oil Murphy Family Feature film 1997 Paws Anja Feature film 1998 Kissing Katie Sandstrom Film short 2000 The Magic Pudding Frog on the Log (voice) Animated feature film 2006 Darklovestory Vera Feature film 2008 Australia Gloria Carney Feature film 2013 Only One Consultant Film short2015 Now Add Honey Diane Feature film Super Awesome! Clarice Zegrab Feature film Women He's Undressed Hedda Hopper / Louella Parsons documentary film 2021 Dust Cloud Francine Film short
Television Year Title Role Type 1967 Bellbird 1969–1973 Homicide June Higgins / Jenny Moloney / Ruthie Miles / Ruth Cross 4 episodes 1969–1974 Division 4 Josie Nash / Mary Roberts / Martha Baldwin / Marie 4 episodes1970 The Link Men Dale 1 episode The Juggler TV play 1972 The Norman Lindsay Festival – Dust or Polish? Rita TV play 1974 Matlock Police Evelyn Armstrong 1 episode1975 Cash and Company Madam 1 episode Quality of Mercy Sandy Episode: "Send Him On His Way Rejoicing" 1976 Taggart's Treasure TV movie1979 Ray Lawler Trilogy Nancy Wells / Pearl Cunningham 3 episodes Cop Shop Margaret Jamieson 1 episode Twenty Good Years Reba Cohen 1980 Prisoner Kay White 18 episodes1981 Bellamy Leanne Episode 25: "The Fizz" I Can Jump Puddles Miss Claws Miniseries, 1 episode 1984; 1991 A Country Practice Barbara Bolton / Meg Cullen 2 episodes1985 Fitness – Make It Your Own Business Herself Film documentary I Can't Get Started Jenny TV movie Remember Me Adele TV movie 1985; 1988 The Flying Doctors 2 episodes 1988 The Clean Machine Marcia Irving TV movie 1988; 1990 Rafferty's Rules Helen Hawthorne 2 episodes 1989 Chances Connie Taylor TV movie (unaired)1991 Brides of Christ Mother Ambrose Miniseries, 6 episodes A Country Practice Meg Cullen 4 episodes Chances 1 episode 1992 Six Pack Analyst Episode: "Mimi Goes to the Analyst"1993–1994 Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left Aunt Hecla 14 episodes Newlyweds Irene Carter 52 episodes 1995 Spirits of the Forest Narrator TV documentary 1999 Mumbo Jumbo Phyllis TV movie 2000 Murder Call Penny Satchwell 1 episode2000–2003 Farscape Nurse Vreena / Judge 3 episodes Grass Roots Dr. Salwah Mandikis 18 episodes 2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars Muoma Miniseries, 2 episodes 2014 Rake District Court Judge 1 episode 2016 Here Come the Habibs Tetta 2 episodes 2017 Diary of an Uber Driver Anne 1 episode 2021 The Unusual Suspects Jeannie Miniseries, 4 episodes2023 Totally Completely Fine Gloria 1 episode2023Faraway DownGloria Carney6 episodes2023-25 Bay of Fires George 3 episodes
Theatre
As actor Year Title Role Type Ref1968 Generation Halloran’s Little Boat Ann Rush St Martin’s Theatre, Melbourne The Judge The Little Foxes Alexandra Giddins The Living Room Rose Pemberton 1970 Widowers' Houses Miss Blanche Sartorius 1971 The Legend of King O'Malley Old Tote Theatre Company, Sydney 1973 Jugglers Three Australian tour with MTC 1974 The Removalists Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC Pericles Coralie Lansdowne Says No Coralie Lansdowne 1975 Much Ado About Nothing 1977 The Doll Trilogy: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll / Other Times / Kid Stakes Nancy / Pearl Theatre Royal Sydney, MTC Pygmalion Eliza Doolittle Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 Electra 1979 Makassar Reef Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney, Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC The Alchemist Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC The Rivals 1980 Cinderella Fairy Godmother 1981 Shorts at the Stables Stables Theatre, Sydney 1982 As You Like It Rosalind Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC Party Wall Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney A Happy and Holy Occasion Sydney Opera House with STC 1984 The Pillars of Society Miss Lona Hessel Extremities Marjorie 1985 Sons of Cain Nicole Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne with STC 1989 Uncle Vanya MTC Daylight Saving Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1989–1990 Big River Mrs Adela Learmonth Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1992 Antony and Cleopatra Cleopatra Blackfriars Theatre, Sydney with STC 1994 Gift of the Gorgon Helen Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1995 Les Parents Terribles Leo Sydney Opera House with STC 1996 Medea Medea Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1998 Chasing the Dragon Carol Amy's View Esme Sydney Opera House with STC 2000 Wit Vivian Bearing Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2001 Morning Sacrifice Portia Kingsbury Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC A Conversation Lorin Zemanek Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2004 Scenes from a Separation Margaret Molyneaux Sydney Opera House with STC 2005–2006 The Retreat from Moscow Alice Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2007 Love Lies Bleeding Toinette Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC The Normal Heart Rooted Earl Arts Centre, Launceston, Jane St Theatre, Sydney, Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney 2008 Travelling North Frances Playhouse, QPAC with QTC / Hit Productions 2009 The Taming of the Shrew Baptista Bell Shakespeare 2010 Uncle Vanya Mariya Sydney Theatre with STC 2011; 2012 Kennedy Center Washington DC, Lincoln Center, New York with STC 2012 Under Milk Wood Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard / Second Voice Sydney Opera House with STC Becky Shaw Susan Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2013 Small and Tired Clytemnestra Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Parramatta Girls Gayle Riverside Productions 2014 Calpurnia Descending Tootles / Maximilian Silvestri STC / Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2015 Footfalls Voice of Mother STCSA Shellshock: Gallipoli Tortoise June Lindsay Riverside Theatre Parramatta 2016 The Great Fire Alison Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney 2017 The Hakawati Hakawati #1 National Theatre of Parramatta Richard III Queen Margaret Sydney Opera House & Australian tour with Bell Shakespeare The Plant Sue Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Switzerland Patricia Highsmith Adelaide Festival Centre with STCSA 2019 Enright on the Night Genesian Theatre, Sydney 2024 Sparkling Darkly Monologue Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney with Sugary Rum Productions
As director Year Title Role Type Ref 2011 Love, Loss, and What I Wore Associate Director Sydney Opera House with RMI & Wayne Harrison Productions
Narration Year Title Role Type 2022 Black Bones, Red Earth Narrator Audiobook
Awards Year Work Award Category Result Ref 1982 Norman Loves Rose AFI Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1983 Under Cover 1984 Street Hero 1992 Brides of Christ Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama
References
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