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Paula Duncan
Paula Margaret Duncan AM (born 15 September 1952) is an Australian actress, known for her television roles in Number 96 as Carol Finlayson, The Young Doctors as Lisa Brooks, Cop Shop as Danni Francis and Prisoner as Lorelei Wilkinson.
Duncan was born in Cooma, New South Wales, to publicans Rita and Robert on 15 September 1952. She was the youngest of four children, including brothers Bob and Warren, and sister, fellow actress,Carmen Duncan. When she was a young child, she got to present a posy to the Queen on the 1954 Royal Tour.
Duncan went to boarding school at Santa Sabina College in Sydney’s inner western suburbs, where she first developed her interest in arts and drama, with encouragement from the nuns. She subsequently auditioned for Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), but was told she was “too immature”. She was accepted into the school at a later date, but quit after two years.
Duncan has played several leading roles in various television series. Early roles were Carol Finlayson in Number 96 (1974–1975), in which her sister Carmen Duncan had previously been a cast member, followed by Nurse Lisa Brooks in The Young Doctors (1976–1977).
She left The Young Doctors to accept the role of Detective Danni Francis in Cop Shop in 1977 – a part created especially for her – and stayed in the role for the series' entire run until 1984, earning several Logie Awards, including twice winning the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress.
After Cop Shop ended, Duncan played Lorelei Wilkinson in Prisoner in 1986 and the same year, appeared in the drama film Jenny Kissed Me alongside Deborra-Lee Furness. This was followed by the role of Janet Bryant in short-lived soap opera Richmond Hill from 1988, for its entire run. She then appeared in an 8-episode recurring role as Bridget Jackson, mother of Emma Jackson (played by Dannii Minogue) in long-running soap opera Home and Away in 1990. She also had guest roles in Paradise Beach (1993–1994) as Joan Hayden and Breakers (1999) as Karen Fairbarn.
Duncan was featured in a surprise tribute on a 1996 episode of This Is Your Life, in part, organised by her mother, who died the day after it aired.
In 2004, Duncan starred alongside Paul Hogan and Michael Caton postmistress, Yvonne, in buddy comedy feature film Strange Bedfellows.
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Paula Duncan
Paula Margaret Duncan AM (born 15 September 1952) is an Australian actress, known for her television roles in Number 96 as Carol Finlayson, The Young Doctors as Lisa Brooks, Cop Shop as Danni Francis and Prisoner as Lorelei Wilkinson.
Duncan was born in Cooma, New South Wales, to publicans Rita and Robert on 15 September 1952. She was the youngest of four children, including brothers Bob and Warren, and sister, fellow actress,Carmen Duncan. When she was a young child, she got to present a posy to the Queen on the 1954 Royal Tour.
Duncan went to boarding school at Santa Sabina College in Sydney’s inner western suburbs, where she first developed her interest in arts and drama, with encouragement from the nuns. She subsequently auditioned for Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), but was told she was “too immature”. She was accepted into the school at a later date, but quit after two years.
Duncan has played several leading roles in various television series. Early roles were Carol Finlayson in Number 96 (1974–1975), in which her sister Carmen Duncan had previously been a cast member, followed by Nurse Lisa Brooks in The Young Doctors (1976–1977).
She left The Young Doctors to accept the role of Detective Danni Francis in Cop Shop in 1977 – a part created especially for her – and stayed in the role for the series' entire run until 1984, earning several Logie Awards, including twice winning the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress.
After Cop Shop ended, Duncan played Lorelei Wilkinson in Prisoner in 1986 and the same year, appeared in the drama film Jenny Kissed Me alongside Deborra-Lee Furness. This was followed by the role of Janet Bryant in short-lived soap opera Richmond Hill from 1988, for its entire run. She then appeared in an 8-episode recurring role as Bridget Jackson, mother of Emma Jackson (played by Dannii Minogue) in long-running soap opera Home and Away in 1990. She also had guest roles in Paradise Beach (1993–1994) as Joan Hayden and Breakers (1999) as Karen Fairbarn.
Duncan was featured in a surprise tribute on a 1996 episode of This Is Your Life, in part, organised by her mother, who died the day after it aired.
In 2004, Duncan starred alongside Paul Hogan and Michael Caton postmistress, Yvonne, in buddy comedy feature film Strange Bedfellows.