Kate Fitzpatrick, 1978 (printed 2017)

Kate Fitzpatrick (b. 1947), actor and writer, grew up in Adelaide before moving to Sydney to attend the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). After graduating in 1967 she worked as a television interviewer before winning roles in a number of key Australian television series of the 1970s, including Certain Women, Rush, Ben Hall, Boney and Homicide. Meanwhile, she acted in stage productions including The Legend of King O'Malley (1970), The Rocky Horror Show (1974), The Season at Sarsaparilla (1976), Big Toys (1977) - the latter written by Patrick White with Fitzpatrick in mind – and The Lady of the Camellias (1979). Florence Broadhurst painted her for the Archibald in 1975. A cricket enthusiast, in 1983 she became the first woman to commentate cricket on Channel Nine; her essays on cricket have been included in various sports anthologies. For four years she worked as a speechwriter for the NSW minister for the arts, and she served two terms on the board of NIDA. Her recent television credits include Something in the Air (2000-2002), Neighbours (2005-2006) and Packed to the Rafters (2008-2009). Amongst her books are Name Dropping (2004) and Airmail (2005).

Robert McFarlane photographed Kate Fitzpatrick backstage at the Paris Theatre, Sydney.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2017