Madge Ryan

Madge Ryan
in A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Born
Madge Winifred Ryan

(1919-01-08)8 January 1919[1]
Townsville, Queensland, Australia[1]
Died9 January 1994(1994-01-09) (aged 75)[1]
London, England[1]
OccupationsScreen and stage actress
ChildrenLyn Ashley[2]
RelativesEric Idle (former-son-in-law)

Madge Winifred Ryan[3] (8 January 1919 – 9 January 1994)[1] was an Australian actress, known for her stage and film roles in the United Kingdom.

Early life

Ryan was born on 8 January 1919 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia,[1] the youngest child of Michael Edward Ryan, a commercial traveller, and Sarah Josephine Ryan (née Brady) [3] Her father sang in the church choir, while her mother played the organ, becoming an accompanist for silent movies.[3] Ryan attended school at St Patrick's College and participated in plays, recitals, and elocution competitions.[3] After leaving school she worked for an insurance company.[3]

Career

Ryan began working in radio in Townsville during her teens, with an early role as the mother in One Man's Family.[5] After getting married, and starting a family, her career initially took a back seat. However, after the family moved to Sydney, Ryan established herself as a theatre actor, joining the Independent Theatre Company to perform in stage productions of The Seagull, The Barretts of Wimpole Street, and Children in Uniform.[5] She then toured Australia with John Nugent-Hayward in The Patsy, Fresh Fields and Claudia for four months.[5]

Back in Sydney, Ryan undertook further radio work. Her first role for the ABC was as Aunt Florence in a serial called Space Explorers. This led to frequent roles on ABC Radio, Lux Radio Theatre and Macquarie Radio Theatre.[5] She also performed in long-running serial Blue Hills.[6] She then returned to the stage, playing Birdie Hubbard in Doris Fitton's 1948 production of The Little Foxes[5] at the Independent and Melbourne's Princess Theatre.

In 1954, Ryan appeared as Pearl Cunningham in an Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production of Ray Lawler's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.[6] She emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1957 and starred in numerous British stage shows,[1] including a UK tour of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.[6] In 1958, she then appeared on Broadway in the role.[7]

In London, Ryan established a reputation as an actress who tackled challenging roles, including misfit and villains.[1] In 1964, she played Kath in the original London production of Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr Sloane. The Independent wrote, "as the dreadful Kath, ageing seductress and murderous landlady... Madge Ryan's cruel, cool but undeniably comic acting provoked one critic to describe her work... as 'something very close to perfection'."[1]

In 1965, Ryan played the lead role in Mother Courage at the Old Vic,[1] touring internationally. An international tour as Gertrude in Hamlet followed,[6] and she also played the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, both for the Bristol Old Vic.[1] Further stage roles included Maisie Madigan in Juno and the Paycock, Lizzie Sweeney in a 1967 London production of Philadelphia, Here I Come and Mrs Weston in Say Goodnight to Grandma.[1]

In 1968, Ryan returned to Australia to perform in a double bill of Black Comedy and The White Liars.[6]

Ryan played Dr. Branom in 1971 Stanley Kubrick classic feature film A Clockwork Orange, opposite Malcolm McDowell.[6] Other film appearances included Summer Holiday (1963), Frenzy (1972), and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978).

Ryan also appeared in television plays and serials including a 1966 BBC play of the month, Defection, playing Evdokia Petrov.[6] The same year, she appeared in a season 5 episode ("The Better Mousetrap") of television series The Saint as Bertha Noversham, a French Riviera jewel thief.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Ryan performed in repertory theatre, including playing Madam Arkadina in The Seagull (in Exeter), Mrs Warren in Mrs. Warren's Profession and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest (in Birmingham).[1] She also appeared in Ring Round the Moon in Chichester.[1] In 1975, Ryan played Rachel Lynde in a six-part television miniseries version of Anne of Avonlea.[6]

In 1993, the year before her death, Ryan appeared in a West End stage production of Medea, opposite Diana Rigg.[1]

Personal life

Ryan married Milton Lynn Rumble, a bank officer, on 31 January 1939 at Townsville's Sacred Heart Cathedral, although used her maiden name professionally.[3] The couple relocated to Toowoomba in 1940, and then to Sydney.[3] Her marriage ended in 1957.[3]

During the second World War, Ryan drove ambulances for the National Emergency Services.[3]

During her early career, Ryan lived in Epping, then a rural setting on Sydney's outer fringe.

Ryan had two daughters, one of whom, Lyn Ashley[3] born on 18 March 1940, was also an actress.[3] Between 1969 and 1975, Eric Idle was married to Ryan's daughter, Lyn.[8]

Death

Ryan died in Westminster, London on 9 January 1994, one day after her 75th birthday.[1][3] A memorial service was held at St James's Church, in Piccadilly.[3] In their obituary for Ryan, The Independent wrote, "what set her apart from the others was a certain, often powerful, independence of spirit and humour... It was a fulfilled career."[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1959 Witness in the Dark Mrs. Finch Film [6]
1960 Upstairs and Downstairs Sergeant Tuck Film [6]
Hand in Hand George's Wife Film [6]
1962 Tiara Tahiti Millie Brooks Film [6]
The Shifting Heart Film [9]
1963 Summer Holiday Stella Winters Film [6][10]
Doctor in Distress Mrs. Clapper Film [6]
1964 This Is My Street Kitty Film [6]
1968 The Strange Affair Aunt Mary Film [6]
1970 I Start Counting Mother Film [6]
1971 A Clockwork Orange Dr. Branom Film [6]
1972 Frenzy Mrs. Davison Film [6]
Endless Night (aka Agatha Christie's Endless Night) Michael's mother Film [6]
1973 Yellow Dog Della's Mother Film
1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (aka Too Many Chefs and Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe) Beecham Film [6]
1979 The Lady Vanishes Rose Flood Porter Film [6]
1988 Kokoda Crescent Margaret Film [6]
1993 Splitting Heirs Woman with Dog Film [6]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1957 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Pearl Cunningham TV play, episode of Theatre Night
1958–1970 Armchair Theatre Mrs Weston TV play, 9 episodes including Say Goodnight to Your Grandma
1959 BBC Sunday Night Theatre Margaret Lord / Hilda Binns / Mrs Atkinson 3 episodes
The Flying Doctor Mrs Evans 1 episode
1959–1962 ITV Play of the Week Various roles 4 episodes
1960 A Night Out Mrs Stokes TV play, episode of Armchair Theatre [11]
A Holiday Abroad Sylvia Bates TV play, episode of ITV Television Playhouse
Probation Officer Ella Rhodes 1 episode
Flag Fall Maud – Taxi Dispatcher TV play, episode of Armchair Mystery Theatre
1962 Maigret Madame Machére 1 episode
Reunion Day Grace TV play [12]
The Slaughter of St. Teresa's Day Oola Maguire TV play [13]
The One Day of the Year Dot Cook TV play [14]
1963 Anna Christie Marthy Owen TV play
1963; 1964 First Night Various roles 3 episodes
1964 The Avengers Mrs Eve Turner 1 episode
Love Story Marion 1 episode
Emergency Ward 10 May Gorton 2 episodes
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Pearl Cunningham TV play, episode of Thursday Theatre
1965; 1970 Thirty-Minute Theatre Mrs Purgold / Janet Harford TV plays, 2 episodes
1965; 1971 Public Eye Mrs Sutton-Piper / Rose Mason 2 episodes
1966 Defection! The Case of Colonel Petrov Dusya TV play, episode of BBC Play of the Month
The Saint Mrs Bertha Noversham 1 episode
1968 Sherlock Holmes Lady Morcar Episode: "The Blue Carbuncle"
The Shifting Heart Momma TV play [9][15]
1969 Parkin's Patch Mrs Kenny 1 episode
Dixon of Dock Green Nancy Proctor 1 episode
1969; 1971 Paul Temple Genine Dalton / Linda Burgess 2 episodes
1970 Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Mrs Roden 1 episode
Manhunt Celestine Moussac 1 episode
The Best Things in Life Miss Rossiter 1 episode
1971 Budgie Connie 1 episode
Now Look Here Mother 7 episodes
Zinotchka Madame Sorin TV short play, episode of Full House
1971–1977 Play for Today Elizabeth/ Mother TV plays, 2 episodes
1972 The Man and the Snake Mrs Druring TV short
1969; 1973 ITV Saturday Night Theatre Jean's Mother / Simone / Mrs Pearce 3 episodes
1974 The Protectors Mrs Apsimon 1 episode
Cakes and Ale Mrs Barton Trafford 2 episodes
1975 Crown Court Bridget Behan 3 episodes
Anne of Avonlea Rachel Lynde Miniseries, 6 episodes [6]
Going, Going, Gone... Free? Mrs Dean Episode of Comedy Playhouse
Moll Flanders Mrs Oliver TV movie [6]
1976 Katy Bridget 3 episodes
Beasts Florence Raymount 1 episode
Angels Mrs Dutton 1 episode
1977 Beryl's Lot Miss Quillet 2 episodes
London Belongs to Me Mrs Vizzard 7 episodes
1978 All Creatures Great and Small Miss Harbottle 2 episodes [16]
A Horseman Riding By Arabella Codsall 4 episodes [6]
Shadows Nanny 1 episode
1979 S.O.S. Titanic Violet Jessop TV movie [6]
1982 Cymbeline Mother TV movie
1983 Bergerac Mrs Van Stratton 1 episode
Nanny Lydia Crawford 4 episodes
Events in a Museum Narrator TV movie
Heartattack Hotel Mrs Todd TV movie
1988 Hills End Miss Elaine Godwin TV movie
1990 Families Ruby Davidson
1992 Screenplay Beattie 1 episode
Casualty Doreen Phillips 1 episode
1993 Comedy Playhouse Gloria 1 episode
The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries Lucy Lorrimer 1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
The Seagull Independent Theatre, Sydney [5]
1939 The Barretts of Wimpole Street [5]
Children in Uniform [5]
The Patsy Australian tour [5]
Fresh Fields [5]
Claudia [5]
1945 The Desert Song Theatre Royal Sydney [15]
1946-1948 The Little Foxes Birdie Hubbard Independent Theatre, Sydney, Princess Theatre, Melbourne [15][6]
1948 Anna Lucasta Independent Theatre, Sydney [15]
1951 Toad of Toad Hall [15]
1952 The Cocktail Party Lavinia [15][6]
Captain Carvallo Smilja [6]
1953 Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme [15]
1955 Hamlet Gertrude Phillip St Theatre, Sydney [15][6]
1955–1956 Happy Returns [15]
1956 The Rivals Mrs Malaprop Australian tour with J. C. Williamson's [15]
1956–1957 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Pearl Cunningham Australian tour with AETT [15]
1957 UK tour with AETT [15]
1958 Coronet Theatre, Fireside Theatre, New York with AETT [15]
The Shifting Heart Leila Pratt Theatre Royal, Hobart, National Theatre, Launceston, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with AETT [15]
1959 Golders Green Hippodrome, London, Duke of York's Theatre, London with AETT & St. James Players [15]
1960 The Pleasure Garden Dolly Pembroke Theatre, Croydon [6]
1961 The Dark at the Top of the Stairs Lottie Lacey [6]
Time and Yellow Roses The Nurse His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen, St. Martin's Theatre, London [6][17]
1962 The Glad and the Sorry Season Sarah UK tour [6][17]
1964 Entertaining Mr Sloane Kath UK tour [15][17]
1965 Mother Courage Mother Courage Old Vic Theatre, London with National Theatre Co [6][17]
1965–1966 Love for Love Mrs. Foresight Old Vic Theatre, London & Germany/Russia tour with National Theatre Co [6][17]
1966 Juno and the Paycock Mrs. Maisie Madigan Old Vic Theatre, London, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham with National Theatre Co [6][17]
1966–1967 Romeo and Juliet The Nurse UK/US tour with Bristol Old Vic Company [6][17]
Hamlet Gertrude [6][17]
1967 Measure for Measure Mistress Overdone [6] m[17]
Philadelphia, Here I Come! Lizzy Sweeney UK tour [6][17]
1968 The White Liars Sophie / Baroness Lemberg Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson's [15]
Black Comedy Miss Furnival [15]
1970 Colombe Madame Alexandra Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow [15][6]
1971 A Hearts and Minds Job Marjorie Hampstead, London [15][6]
1972 Traveller Without Luggage Madame Renaud Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead [6][17]
Epitaph for George Dillon Mrs. Elliot Young Vic Theatre, London with National Theatre Company [6][17]
1973; 1974 Say Goodnight to Grandma Mrs. Weston UK tour with Ray Cooney Productions [6][17]
1974 The Seagull Madame Arkadina Northcott Theatre, Exeter [6]
1975 Mrs. Warren's Profession Mrs. Warren Birmingham Repertory Theatre [6]
The Importance of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell [6]
1976 The White Devil Cornelia Old Vic Theatre, London with Bullfinch Productions [6][17]
1979 The Shadow Box Felicity Cambridge Theatre Company [6]
1979–1980 Oklahoma! Aunt Eller Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, Palace Theatre, London [15]
The Pirates of Penzance Bristol Hippodrome [17]
1982 Pass the Butler Lady Charles UK tour with Cambridge Theatre Company [17]
Star Quality Theatre Royal, Bath [17]
1982–1984 Aren't We All? Angela Lynton Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, Birmingham Repertory Theatre [17]
1986–1987 Australian tour [15][18][17]
1988 My Fair Lady Mrs Higgins State Theatre, Melbourne, Festival Theatre, Adelaide with VIC Arts Centre & VIC State Opera [15]
Ring Round the Moon Capulet UK tour with Chichester Festival Theatre Company [17]
1992–1994 Medea Nurse UK tour with Almeida Theatre Company [6][17]
1993 A Murder of No Importance Lady Clementina Beauchamp Theatre Royal, Windsor, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford [17]

Radio

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1930s One Man's Family Mother 2CH / 3XY [5]
1942 Space Explorers Aunt Florence ABC Radio / 2FC [5]
1948 Consulting Room ABC Radio [5]
1940s–1950s Medical File [19]
1951 A Town Like Alice Jean Paget ABC Radio [20][21]
1952 Ticket of Leave Molly Dooker ABC Radio variety show on 2FC [20]
1954 Fat Man 2UW [22]
1954–1955 Reach for the Sky 2UE
1955 White Coolies Sister Blanche Hempsted 5KA / 5AU / 5RM [23]
1956 The Clock Lili Episode 30: "The Island Paradise" [24]
Tight Spot [25]
Blue Hills [6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Benedick, Adam (20 January 1994). "Obituary: Madge Ryan". The Independent. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  2. ^ Ryan, Madge; Rae-Ellis, Vivienne (1984), Madge Ryan interviewed by Vivienne Rae-Ellis, retrieved 19 January 2019
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Bosworth, Michal (2021). "Madge Winifred Ryan (1919–1994)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 19. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Women's letters". The Bulletin. 69 (3546): 19. 28 January 1948 – via Trove.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "People Behind the Voices: Madge Ryan made the most of early opportunities". ABC Weekly. Vol. 10, no. 23. 5 June 1948. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia / Trove.
  6. ^ 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 ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc "Madge Ryan – Actor". pahst.com. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Summer of the 17th Doll". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
  8. ^ McFarlane, Brian; Slide, Anthony, eds. (2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film (Fourth ed.). Manchester University Press. p. 1994. ISBN 9781526111968.
  9. ^ a b Vagg, Stephen (7 June 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: The Shifting Heart". FilmInk. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Summer Holiday (1963)". StudioCanal. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  11. ^ Duguid, Mark. "Night Out, A (1960)". www.screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  12. ^ Lever, Susan. "Peter Yeldham's Reunion Day: An Anzac Day Play on British Television". Sydney Open Journals. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  13. ^ Vagg, Stephen. "Forgotten Australian Television Plays: The Slaughter of St. Teresa's Day". FilmInk. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  14. ^ Vagg, Stephen (10 December 2025). "Forgotten Australian Television Plays: The One Day of the Year". FilmInk. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Madge Ryan". AusStage. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Calf Love – All Creatures Great and Small". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "Madge Ryan". Theatricalia. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Aren't We All?". Theatregold. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Australian radio series (1930s–1970s)" (PDF). National Film and Sound Archive. p. 129. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  20. ^ a b "Women's Interests On The Air Today: One Woman In Show". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 November 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 6 March 2026 – via National Library of Australia / Trove.
  21. ^ "No Title". ABC Weekly. Vol. 13, no. 32. 11 August 1951. Retrieved 7 March 2026 – via National Library of Australia / Trove.
  22. ^ "Fat Man – (Australian)". www.australianotr.com.au. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  23. ^ Grieve, Ian (19 April 2015). "White Coolies". www.australianotr.com.au. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  24. ^ "The Clock". www.australianotr.com.au. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  25. ^ "Tight spot (Radio play) [sound recording]". WorldCat. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
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