Lorrae Desmond Death – Dead, Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death, Passed Away: On May 22nd, 2021, InsideEko Media learned about the death of Lorrae Desmond through social media publications made on Twitter.
InsideEko is yet to confirm Lorrae Desmond’s cause of death as no health issues, accident or other causes of death have been learned to be associated with the passing.
This death has caused a lot of friends and family of Desmond so much hurt. It is in that mourning spirit that the concerned persons have taken to social media to share tributes to the deceased and condolences to the affected family.
Tributes To Lorrae Desmond
Across social media users’ timelines are statements that show respect, admiration, and gratitude towards Desmond as people mourn the passing.
It is with immense personal sadness that GYAV advises the passing of Australian entertainment legend, LORRAE DESMOND MBE OBE AM, this morning, May 23, 2021, aged 91. Lorrae was one of Australia’s most popular and accomplished television and stage entertainers. Born as Beryl Hunt in Mittagong on October 2, 1929, she commenced her career at the age of 16, working in nightclubs and theatres. By her late teens, she was ready to hit the bright lights of London. In Britain, she worked in cabaret, had her own television show and her own radio show on BBC, guest-starred on several variety shows, starred in pantomimes, and toured extensively throughout the UK. But it was as a recording artist that Lorrae made her greatest mark. Her contract with Decca, HMV, and Parlaphone brought her a string of hits through the ’50s and ’60s. Her record producer on Parlophone was George Martin, who also produced The Beatles albums. Then it was on to stage and TV performances with such greats as Jack Benny, Terry Thomas, Morecambe and Wise, Tony Hancock, and Eric Sykes. It was with Terry Thomas in particular that she honed her skills as a comedienne which became invaluable in her own variety days. When Lorrae returned home, it was not as a recording artist but rather as a television and cabaret performer. Her TV variety series “The Lorrae Desmond Show” received a LOGIE for the Best National Variety Show, and Ms. Desmond herself won the Gold Logie as Australia’s most popular television personality in 1962. Throughout this period of her life, Lorrae was commuting between Britain, Kenya, South Africa, and Australia, playing cabaret in Africa, and doing television and radio in Australia and Britain. During the mid-sixties she spent two years in America on the cabaret circuit, performing in Chicago, through Texas and New Mexico, and singing in Las Vegas for three months at the Tropicana Hotel. She also appeared on Coast to Coast television with the likes of Jack Benny, Steve Allen, and Ernie Ford. Despite requests for return performances, Lorrae felt it was time to come home once more. Back in Australia in the late sixties she appeared at Chequers, The Silver Spade etc, and co-wrote the stage musical Man of Sorrows with Peggy Mortimer and Enzo Toppano. Its success inspired her to write her own one-woman show which toured Australia for three years and took her away again to South Africa then on to Britain for cabaret, BBC radio-television talk shows, and more recording. At the request of the Australian Government, Lorrae made five tours of Vietnam during the late sixties and early seventies. She was subsequently awarded an MBE for service to the Australian Entertainment Industry and Welfare of Australian forces serving overseas. She is also the recipient of an OBE.
Lorrae’s guest roles in television drama began with a part in “Homicide”. Many guest appearances followed, but her main livelihood was still through singing until she landed a part in “Arcade”. She was noticed by James Davern who was then creating “A Country Practice”. He gave her the role of Shirley Gilroy. The series went to air in November 1981 and went on to become Australia’s longest-running and top-rating television drama. Lorrae received two awards for her role as Shirley – a PENGUIN for Best Sustaining Actress in a Series, and a LOGIE for Best Supporting Actress in a Series. She filmed her last episodes of “A Country Practice” in April 1992. Early 1992 saw the launch of Lorrae’s one-woman autobiographical show as part of the “Legends 92” season at Sydney’s Tilbury Hotel. This season also brought together Toni Lamond, Kerrie Biddell, and June Bronhill. One of our most beloved performers has taken her final bow. Vale beautiful lady. You will be missed.
VALE Lorrae Desmond who has died aged 91 after a short battle with illness. Her career spanned over 55 years but most Australians fondly remember her as Shirley in A Country Practice where she appeared in 816 episodes from 1981 to 1992. She grew up in Mittagong and moved to Britain with her family when she was 10. While forging a career she represented the United Kingdom in 1957 at the Eurovision Song Contest before returning to Australia in the early ’60s. The versatile performer had her own musical variety program The Lorrae Desmond Show from 1960 until 1964. She also won the TV Week Gold Logie in 1962.
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