Vale: Cornelia Frances
Legendary actress Cornelia Frances, best known for The Young Doctors & Home and Away, has died.
- Published by David Knox
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Legendary actress Cornelia Frances, best known for The Young Doctors, Home & Away and The Weakest Link, has died, aged 77.
News Corp reports she is understood to have been surrounded by close family and friends when she died overnight in Sydney, following a battle with bladder cancer.
Frances, known for a string of classic Aussie soaps, was diagnosed during a general check-up at Royal North Shore Hospital, which was also a location for Albert Memorial Hospital in The Young Doctors.
“I discovered I had bladder cancer. This then spread to my hip bone which fractured, and then I almost died from loss of blood due to an ulcer in my throat. Despite all this, I am still here, as the old song goes,” she said in January.
Channel Seven said in a statement, “Cornelia Frances was a unique person. Her on screen presence inspired a generation of actors. This gift was coupled with an ability to bring a sense of dignity and presence into each room she entered. Her energy and character will be missed.”
UK-born Frances has been a regular on Australian TV since she emigrated to Australia in 1970.
Early credits included Dynasty, Catwalk, Boney, Ryan, Silent Number, Matlock Police, Homicide, The Lost Islands, Cop Shop & Skyways.
But it was as the sharp-tongued Sister Scott on Nine’s 1976 soap The Young Doctors that she became a household name, a role she continued for three years.
The role of Morag Bellingham on Seven’s Home and Away would become her longest-running role, appearing first in 1988 as the sister of Alf (Ray Meagher). It was a role she would continue, at various times, for 29 years. She also played Barbara Armstrong for 4 seasons on Sons and Daughters.
Ray Meagher said: “Cornie was an incredibly loved and valued member of our cast over many, many years. We had a moment of silence for her on set this morning and she’ll be sadly missed by both cast and crew.”
But she also varied her work, whether as a reporter on current affairs show Peter Couchman’s Melbourne, or famously as the matronly host of The Weakest Link, staring down contestants.
Her other credits include Prisoner, Kingswood Country, Punishment, Bellamy, GP, Pizza, and Always Greener.
Film credits included The Box, Return to Snowy River, Outback, and Ned.
Frances was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2017 before being told it had spread to her hip.
She recently spoke to A Current Affair, saying “I’ve been very lucky, and I thank all the producers who hired me,” she said.
She’s been Australia’s favourite small screen villain for almost half a century. But TV legend Cornelia Frances is now facing a very real villain of her own. #9ACA https://t.co/t6FRB8Po0t pic.twitter.com/s5KHZqLcBz
— A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) February 28, 2018
34 Responses
So sad she is gone. I loved watching her as morag. And she was fantastic on the weakest link. I hope home and away do a tribute to her. They did say she died at the end of tonights Ep but I think she deserves a bit more then that. RIP you will be missed.
This is indeed sad news. Eerily enough, earlier today Cornelia’s send off line on The Weakest Link – “You are the Weakest Link. Goodbye!” – got stuck in my head. Not that I watched The Weakest Link, but Mum did so I know how the game was played. Anyhow, rest in peace Cornelia.
I’d like to offer her family and friends my sympathy in their loss. Her scenes in Sons & Daughters oppositie Pat the Rat has become the stuff of television legend. R.I.P.
Oh agree. They were so good together. She was great in her many roles. A sad loss.
yes that was a great role she played but somewhat under rated, she was just as good a bitch as Rowena Wallace, & i mean that as a compliment!
Such a sad loss. Condolences to her family and friends. Rest in Peace Cornelia xx
Very sad news today. RIP Cornelia. I remember watching her in The Young Doctors so long ago when I was little. Very talented actress in so many roles.
Lovely article David and so many lovely comments from readers.
Now reported by Hollywood Reporter.
Touching tribute from them, thanks for linking to it, David. Judging by the comments here Cornelia was much loved.
Very sad news. She will be sadly missed. I hope that Home and Away have a fitting tribute to Morag & acknowledge her passing. Even though she was used so sparingly over the years she could elevate even the most mundane scene & script. Her scenes with Ray Meagher always sparkled. R.I.P. Cornelia.
Sad news. I hope Home and Away do a tribute to her character.
RIP Cornelia you played a bitch to perfection in shows like the young doctors as sister Scott Morag bellingham in home and away as host of the weakest link but you also played nice characters to perfection like Barbra armstrong/hamilton in sons and daughters who could be a but if a bitch when she liked but to only people who deserved it like wayne or patrcia and a small part as pat oconnels lawyer in prisoner you were a true acting legend
true her s&d character was only a bitch to those who deserved her wrath, a selective bitch i suppose you could say, which takes alot of acting skill to be able to switch between nice & nasty like that.
An icon of the industry. An industry that will never be the same again without her.
Rest easy beautiful lady, thinking of your boy Lawrence along with your extended family, friends and colleagues today.
Thank you David Knox…well put together….Goodbye dear lady…I am sad….
I was sorry to hear of the death of Cornelia. She was a great host for The Weakest Link. RIP.
Goodbye dear Cornelia, to so so many of us you gave so much delight and entertainment over the years. You definitely was never the weakest link.
Very sad news! Loved her sharp wit and caustic tongue in all the characters she portrayed. Vale lovely lady!
What an extraordinary actress! It takes genuine talent to be able to make a villain likeable and Cornelia did it over and over. Her scenes were memorable all these years later. She adapted for Weakest Link and achieved great success. That her loss is touching so many viewers is a testament to the remarkable ability she had to connect with viewers through the screen. May she rest in peace.
She was great in Number 96, The Weakest Link but for me Morag Bellingham, her popular and arguably globally best known long time recurring role (she was last in it only a year or two ago wasn’t she?)
Actually, come to think of it, I think I may be confusing her with someone else with Number 96.
Fell in love with her as Sister Scott on TYD, cheered with her as Barbara Hamilton on Sons & Daughters, loved watching her pull wayward teens into line on Home & Away and adored her cutting them down to size in The Weakest Link! She was in a class of her own. Vale, dear Cornelia.
A true Aussie TV Icon, a real survivor in such a cut throat industry.
I am actually in the middle of Sons and Daughters all over again and her portrayal of Barbra Hamilton was so spot on.
Id love to be able to watch her in The Young Doctors but that doesn’t seem to be available anywhere.
RIP Corny
Gone too soon. Loved her as Sister Scott and she was rather good on The Weakest Link as well.
A great loss to the industry, and to her family and friends. So sad to hear this news.
Vale Cornelia.
When my daughter was little her favourite saying was “You are the weakest link…. goodbye”.
Great memories, condolences to her family and friends.
Me and my step sister used to love saying that line too. So much fun!
Played the villain part to perfection maybe too well!
So sad, She was an incredible actress. No one played a bitch like her. She will be missed.
That is very sad, she was a distinctive look and voice in the industry. Her ‘Sister Scott’ on The Young Doctors was my introduction to her. She will be greatly missed
So sad. She was an amazing actress and a wonderful person. May she rest in peace.