Jane Harders

Jane Harders
Born
Queensland, Australia
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art
OccupationsActress, narrator, voice coach
Years active1969-2020
AwardsHelpmann Award

Jane Harders is an Australian actress. She has appeared in film and television, on stage and radio as a narrator and as a voice dialect coach. She played Janet Weiss in the original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show in 1974.

Early life and education

Harders is originally from Queensland.[1] She is a graduate of Sydney's NIDA, with a diploma in Voice Studies and gained early acting experience in student productions. In the late 1960's, she began her career at Sydney's Old Tote Theatre Company,[2] and was one of the original members of the Nimrod Theatre Company. She has appeared in numerous musicals and revues.[1]

Career

Harders has appeared in several films including Caddie (1976), Flirting (1991) and Mao's Last Dancer (2009). Her television credits include 1984 cricket miniseries Bodyline (alongside Hugo Weaving and Gary Sweet), The Alien Years (1988), teen series Heartbreak High, drama series Doctor Doctor and Spirited.[3]

Harders is also a voiceover artist, having narrated for ABC Radio, television documentaries on SBS, and audio adaptations of classic literature. She has also been a voice and dialect coach for stage and screen.[3]

Harders has worked extensively in theatre, for Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, and Melbourne Theatre Company. She has starred in The Importance of Being Earnest, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Arcadia, The Cherry Orchard, Away, and the original 1974 Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show, in which she played Janet. She received a Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Copenhagen.[3]

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Shirley Thompson vs. the Aliens Shirley Thompson
1976 Caddie Vikki
1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Mrs. Healey
1979 The Journalist Wendy Morris
1980 The Earthling Molly Ann Hogan
1991 Flirting Miss Silvia Anderson
1994 The Roly Poly Man Jane Lewis
1999 Trust Me Short film
2007 The Uncertainty Principle Elisabeth Short film
2009 Mao's Last Dancer Senator's wife

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Andersen Monogatari Voice
1972 Quartet Anthology series, 1 episode
1973 The Aunty Jack Show Woman on Television Season 2, episode 1
The Three Musketeers Voice Animated TV movie
1975 Silent Number Mrs Lucas 1 episode
Shannon's Mob Mira 1 episode
King's Men Constable Maple Brown 1 episode
1976 Rush Jessie Farrar 10 episodes
Alvin Purple Guest
1977 Hotel Story [4]
1978 Young Ramsay Lillian Payntor 1 episode
Tickled Pink Marianne 1 episode
1979 Cop Shop Norma Blake 2 episodes
A Place in the World Polly Paget Miniseries, 1 episode
The Mismatch Marsha Harrington TV movie[5]
TV Follies Linda Zimmerman
1980 Australian Theatre Festival Episode: "A Toast to Melba"
1982 Jonah 4 episodes
1983 The Weekly's War Tilly Shelton-Smith Miniseries, 2 episodes[6]
1984 Mother & Son Matron 1 episode[3]
Bodyline Mrs Jardine Miniseries, 2 episodes
1984–1993 A Country Practice Bronwyn Gibson / Sarah Fitzgerald 4 episodes[3]
1986 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Becky Thatcher / Aunt Polly (voices) Animated TV movie
1987 Rob Roy Voice Animated TV movie
1988 The Alien Years Edith Miniseries[7][3]
1989 The Flying Doctors Helen 1 episode[3]
1994 Heartbreak High Maureen Milano 3 episodes[3]
1997 The Hostages Marcia TV movie
1997; 1999 Murder Call Dr Lois Fisk / Mrs Henderson 2 episodes[3]
2007 The Starter Wife Wealthy Matron Miniseries, 1 episode[3]
2008 All Saints Connie Mosdell 1 episode[3]
2010–2011 Spirited Rita Seasons 1–2, 17 episodes[3]
2011 The Jesters Aunty Jane 1 episode[3]
2018–2019 Doctor Doctor Helen 5 episodes[3]
2020 The End Jillian Regan 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1969 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Dello, a wife of Atahuallpa [8]
1970 The Legend of King O'Malley Old Tote Theatre, Sydney
Oedipus [9]
A Delicate Balance Edna STC [3]
Biggles Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney [10]
1971 Endgame
Flash Jim Vaux
1972 Measure for Measure
Shadows of Blood
1973 ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore Old Tote Theatre, Sydney [11]
1974 The Rocky Horror Show Janet Weiss Harry M. Miller [12][3]
1977 Inner Voices Anna / Princess / Ali / Baby Face Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney [13]
1981 The Man from Mukinupin Clarrie Sydney Opera House with STC [2][14]
1982 You Can't Take it With You [2]
1983 The Cherry Orchard Madame Ranevskaya [3][15]
1985 Arms and the Man Raina Seymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod [16][2]
Six Characters in Search of an Author First Actress [2]
1986 Benefactors Sheila Northside Theatre, Sydney [2][17]
1987 What the Butler Saw Mrs Prentice Australian national tour [1]
1988 Away Coral US tour with STC [3][2]
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Olive [3]
1990 Rumors Cookie Cusack Australian national tour [2]
1991 Master Builder Aline Solness Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [3][18]
1993–1994 Kafka Dances Julie / Mother Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company / STC [3]
1994 Things We Do for Love Barbara Marian St Theatre, Sydney [3]
Arcadia Lady Croom STC [3]
1996 Heretic Monica Freeman STC / MTC [3][19]
2002 Copenhagen Margrette Bohr Australian national tour with STC / QTC / MTC [20]
2005 The Woman with Dog's Eyes Penny Boyce Griffin Theatre Company [21]
2008 The Importance of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell QPAC with QTC [22]
2012 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Madame de Rosemonde Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [3][23]
The Cripple of Inishmaan Mammy STC [3]
A Flea in Her Ear Raymonde STCSA [3]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2000 Australian Council for the Arts Fellowship Won[3]
2003 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Copenhagen Won[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "What the Butler Saw". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Rumors". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac "Jane Harders". Liberty Artist Management. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  4. ^ Salter, June. June Salter: A Pinch of Salt. Angus & Robertson: Pymble NSW, 1995. ISBN 0-207-18188-8 p 133-4.
  5. ^ "Channel 3". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 095. 19 October 1979. p. 26. Retrieved 17 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ O'Brien, Denis (27 September 1983). "Just how The Weekly went to war". The Australian Women's Weekly. 103 (5384): 40.
  7. ^ "The Alien Years". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. University of Queensland. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  8. ^ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  9. ^ Bentley, Paul (4 October 2019). "When Sir Tyrone Guthrie launched the Sir John Clancy Auditorium, Part 1". www.unsw.edu.au.
  10. ^ "Biggles". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  11. ^ Hoad, Brian (24 March 1973). "Bloodless Bloodletting". The Bulletin Vol. 095 No. 4846 via Trove.
  12. ^ "The Rocky Horror Show". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Inner Voices". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  14. ^ "The Man from Mukinupin". Home Education: Journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Vol. 62 No. 04 via Trove. 2 March 1981.
  15. ^ "'Cherry Orchard' withered". The Canberra Times, page 8 via Trove. 21 August 1983.
  16. ^ "Arms and the Man". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Benefactors". Home Education: Journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Vol. 67 No. 04 via Trove. 10 March 1986.
  18. ^ "Belvoir Street Theatre: poster – Master Builder – by Henrik Ibsen". www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  19. ^ "Heretic". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Copenhagen". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  21. ^ Boland, Michaela (2004). "The Woman With Dog's Eyes". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  22. ^ "The Importance of Being Earnest". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  23. ^ Sierra, Gabrielle (13 February 2012). "The Importance of Being Earnest". www.broadwayworld.com.
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