Leila Marion Hayes (12 January 1940 – 19 January 2025) was an Australian actress, talent agent, radio presenter, singer, drama teacher, playwright, theatre producer and author. She primarily featured in guest roles in television soap operas and miniseries, prior to her regular role in which she became internationally renowned in the 1980s

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

'' Sons and Daughters'' as matriarch Beryl Palmer (later Hamilton) appearing throughout its entire run, in 950 episodes.

Life and career

Hayes was born in Dimboola, Victoria, Australia on 12 January 1940. She began her career as a singer in rural Victoria and often appeared on variety shows and national telethons Her acting career started in the early 1970s where she became a staple in

Crawford Productions Crawford Productions is an Australian Media (communication), media production company, focused on radio and television production. Founded in Melbourne by Hector Crawford and his sister, actress and voice artist Dorothy Crawford, the company, a ...

drama series in guest roles including ''

Homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...

'', ''

Division 4 ''Division 4'' is an Australian television police drama series broadcast by the Nine Network and created by Crawford Productions airing between 1969 and 1975 for 301 episodes. Synopsis The series was one of the first to follow up on the enor ...

'', ''

Matlock Police ''Matlock Police'' is an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for The 0-10 Network (now known as Network 10) between 1971 and 1976. The series focused on the police station and crime in the Victorian town of Ma ...

'', '' Bluey'', ''

Cop Shop ''Cop Shop'' is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes. Synopsis The show revolved arou ...

'', and '' The Sullivans''.Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) ''The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz'', Sunshine Books, 1984. p 86 Hayes also acted in television miniseries, including '' Power Without Glory'' (1976), and some TV movies. In 1981 she appeared in several episodes of cult series ''

Prisoner A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a Sentence (law), se ...

'' as brothel madam Jeannie Baxter and was in an early episode of ''

A Country Practice ''A Country Practice'' is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 ...

''. The same episode coincidently starred

Peter Phelps Peter Phelps (born 20 September 1960 in Sydney) is an Australian actor, singer and writer. He is notable for his role as Trevor Cole in ''Baywatch''. Phelps is also known for his roles in the internationally successful Australian series '' Son ...

who played her stepson John in '' Sons and Daughters'' only a few months later. The role in Sons and Daughters, made her internationally renowned, as the series was popular in several countries including the United Kingdom, and she toured Belgium with her daughter in 1988, she appeared in 950 episodes as Beryl Palmer, primarily alongside Tom Richards who played her husband David, Peter Phelps and

Stephen Comey Stephen Comey (born 1963) is an English Australian actor. Biography Comey was born in London, England to Irishmen Albert Comey and his Australian wife Dennise Lee. The Comey's came to Australia in 1969 . and he appeared in the Crawford Produc ...

, who played her son Kevin, her character was noted for her numerous clashes with Rowna Wallace icon Patricia "Pat the Rat' Hamilton and in later episodes she marries her former husband Gordon Hamilton ( Brian Blain). Hayes also acted on stage, taking the leading role of April Delaney in comedy '' Dimboola'' and worked in talkback radio. She retired from acting in 1992 (except for a short film in 2005) and lived a private life and rarely attended reunions or conventions. She ran her own actors school called Leila Hayes Drama Studio. Although she left acting, she enjoyed life out of the limelight, but continued to write and published a children's book Hayes died after a long period of ill health in

Frenchs Forest, New South Wales Frenchs Forest (pron. frenches) is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Frenchs Forest is 13 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Northern Beaches Coun ...

, on 19 January 2025, at the age of 85.

Filmography

Film

Television

Notes

External links

* * 1940 births 2025 deaths Australian soap opera actresses {{Australia-tv-actor-stub