Joan Sydney

Career: Theatre and television and film

Joan has had a long career in all genres of the entertainment industry, including radio, television, mini-series and made for television films, as well as prominent roles in many theatre productions including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Talking Heads and the comedy play Dirty Dusters. She remains best known for her long-running Logie Award winning television role as Margaret "Maggie" Sloan', the matron of the fictional Wandin Valley Hospital, with her trademark hair bun and clipped Cockney accent in A Country Practice between 1983-1990 on the Seven Network. In 1989 Sydney won the Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress for her performance as Maggie Sloan. She was parodied as hospital Matron Sloan. on satirical comedy Fast Forward by Magda Szubanski

In 1993, it was announced that after a lengthy run on Network Seven (1981-1993) that the series A Country Practice was being cancelled, and in 1994 that the series would be picked up by rival Network Ten, moving its production facility from (Pitt Town, NSW) to (Emerald, Victoria) and that Sydney would again be returning as Matron after a lengthy break in England, re-joining former late cast member Joyce Jacobs (Esme Watson), the Ten series was not as successful as its predecessor and was cancelled after 29 episodes. She went on to another popular soap opera, playing publican Mary Patchett in E Street. She has had guest roles in many programs including Something in the Air, Award-winning ABC Comedy Mother and Son, and All Saints and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. In 1987 she was in the pilot Sisterly Love.

Personal life

Sydney's son is Tony Braxton-Smith, CEO of Great Southern Rail.