FILMOGRAPHY
2004] The Scree
1997]
"Frontier" (mini)
1997] Joey
1995] Lilian's Story
1994] Spider & Rose
1992] The Importance of Being Earnest (TV)
1989] Kokoda Crescent
1988] Emerald City
1986] Alice to Nowhere (TV)
1983] "The Dismissa" (mini)
1883] Molly
1983-94] "Mother and Son"
1981] The Best of Friends
1979] "Golden Soak" (mini)
1978] The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
1978] The Night, The Prowler
1977] The Singer and the Dancer
1975] "Ben Hall"
1973] "Seven Little Australians" (mini)
1972] The Cousin from Fiji (TV)
1970] That Lady From Peking
1968] Fiends of the Family (TV)
1967] "I'm Alright Now"
1963] "Smugglers Beware"
1959] Smiley Gets a Gun
LINKS
Born 6 July 1925 Maitland, New South Wales, Australia - Died: 13 May 2002 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. (respiratory illness)
Married Eric Phillips (25 June 1957 - 1998) (his death) 3 children: Anna, Jane and Jonathon. And 7 grandchildren.
Educated at North Sydney Girls High School.
Has honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Queensland University of Technology.
Cracknell first visited a theatre, the St James Hall in Phillip Street, at the age of 17. In 1945 she left her job at the Ku-ring-gai Council for her first acting job, in radio.
At the age of 27, while in England, she was offered an alternative profession, with an import-export company
Published her autobiography, A Biased Memoir, in 1997.
Published a second autobiographical book, entitled "Journey From Venice", beginning with the funeral of her husband, and detailing their last holiday together.
In 1948 she joined the John Alden Company and played in King Lear, Measure For Measure and The Tempest.
In 1998 Ruth was named by the National Trust as one of the 100 Australia's Living National Treasures.
Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1980
In 2001 Ruth was inducted into the Gold Logie Hall of Fame
It was with her role as Maggie Beare in ABC television's Mother and Son that Cracknell established herself as a national figure.
Won a Silver Logie for most popular comedy personality and for most outstanding actress
Henry Szeps on Ruth:
''Some big names try to hog and they keep all the glory to themselves, but she didn't. She called herself 'truth Ruth'. She had such focus and such strength, and that my memory of her is so strongly with that strength makes nonsense of death. It doesn't compute that a person so strong could die."
Garry McDonald on Ruth:
''She was just such a wonderful woman. Just so strong and just so generous and such a wonderful comedian. A gag depends on two people - the one who throws it and the person who catches it - and Ruth could always work with what we gave her. Even though her nickname was The Dame, it was never like we were working with someone we had to kowtow to. She was just extraordinarily generous."
She was variously known as Crackers, Dame Crackers, Ruth, St Ruth, and, more recently, Dame Ruth, she was blessed with what admirers called ''the gift of pausation".