# Betty Lucas

Betty Helen Lucas (31 May 1924 – 7 April 2015), also known as Betty Lucas Peterson, was an Australian character actress and theatre director, known for her numerous roles on stage and television, starting from the post-WWII years in 1945.

## Early life

Lucas was born in the Sydney suburb of Coogee, New South Wales to Walter Lucas and Marion Gibson. She trained with May Hollinworth at her Metropolitan Theatre.

## Career

She moved to London in the early 1950s and appeared in stage roles, returning to Australia in 1965, she featured in TV serials, including played prominent roles in Prisoner as Clara Goddard in 1979, Taurus Rising as Faith Drysdale in 1982, and Richmond Hill as Mavis Roberts in 1988, Her numerous credits in TV roles in guest appearances in serials included Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, Certain Women, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Always Greener. and Packed to the Rafters

## Personal life

Lucas married in 1946 the actor, producer and writer Ralph Peterson, he died in 1996 and their son, Joel Peterson (1954–2017), became a cinematographer.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1957 | Three in One | Freda | Feature film (segment: "The City") |
| 1971 | 3 to Go | Mother (Segment "Michael") | Short film |
| 1971 | Girl in Australia | Train Passenger | Feature film |
| 1974 | Between Wars | Mrs. Trenbow | Feature film |
| 1980 | Rat Race | Regina | Feature film, FRANCE |
| 1983 | Stanley (aka Stanley: Every Home Should Have One) | Lady Dunstan | Feature film |
| 1984 | My First Wife | Helen's Mother | Feature film |
| 1990 | Wendy Cracked a Walnut (aka ...Almost) | Mrs. Taggart | Feature film |
| 1998 | They | Eight | Short film |
| 2005 | Feed | Janet | Feature film |
| 2006 | Jindabyne | Vanessa | Feature film |
| 2006 | Pass Time | Harriett | Short film |
| 2009 | The Ballad of Betty & Joe | The Fortune Teller | Short film |
| 2010 | Herman and Marjorie | Marjorie | Short film |
| 2011 | Cupid | Frida | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1957 | The Shadow of Doubt | | Teleplay |
| 1961 | Whiplash | Guest lead role: Jo Acton | TV series, episode: "The Legacy" |
| 1962 | ITV Play of the Week | Guest role: Rose Jameson | TV series, episode: "Lean Liberty" |
| 1965 | Dark Corridor | | Teleplay |
| 1967, 1970–73 | Homicide | Barbara Mason / Lisa Walters / Elsie Roberts / Florrie / Margaret Belmont / Shirley Barrett / Sybil Reid | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1968 | The Queen's Bishop | Queen Pauline | Teleplay |
| 1968 | Fiends of the Family | Virginia | Teleplay |
| 1969–73 | Division 4 | Rene Fisher / Mrs. McKenzie / Edie Suttle / Betty Parsons | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1971 | What For Marianne? | Mrs. Malden | TV film |
| 1971, 1973 | Matlock Police | Nora Gould / Bess Anderson | TV series, 2 episodes: "The End of the Road", "Poor Jacko" |
| 1974 | Things That Go Bump in the Night | Irene | TV series, episode: "I See a Dark Stranger" |
| 1974 | This Love Affair | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | Silent Number | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974–75 | Certain Women | Heather | TV series, 9 episodes |
| 1975 | The Seven Ages of Man | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1976 | Do I Have to Kill My Child? | Florence | TV film |
| 1976 | The Alternative | Melanie's Mother | TV film |
| 1978 | Case for the Defence | Fiona Malcolm | TV series, episode: "A Plea of Insanity" |
| 1978 | Cop Shop | Mary Reynolds | TV series, 2 episodes: "1.205", "1.206" |
| 1979 | Prisoner | Clara Goddard | TV series, 10 episodes |
| 1979 | The Young Doctors | Sophie Bertram | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Cop Shop | Mary Reynolds | TV series, 2 episodes: "1.205", "1.206" |
| 1981 | Bellamy | Rose | TV series, episode 9: "Hot Shot" |
| 1981 | Punishment | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981 | Homicide Squad | Shirley Niven | TV film |
| 1981; 1984; 1991 | A Country Practice | Mrs. Bourke / Nancy Holt / Dot Dalton | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1982 | The Don Lane Show | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1982 | Taurus Rising | Faith Drysdale | TV series |
| 1982 | Silent Reach | Sister Beatrix | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1983 | The Body Corporate | Joan Stelow | TV film |
| 1983 | All the Rivers Run | Janet Raeburn | TV miniseries, 2 episodes: "Part 4", "Part 7" |
| 1983 | Skin Deep | Betty Kennedy | TV film |
| 1984 | Runaway Island | The Hag | TV series, 2 episodes: "The Treasure of the Conquistadores: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1987; 1989 | The Flying Doctors | Ethel Cameron / Phillipa | TV series, 2 episodes: "Give a Dog a Bad Name", "A Rhyme for Reason" |
| 1987 | Willing and Abel | Lead guest role: Maisie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1988 | Richmond Hill | Mavis Roberts | TV series, episodes: "1.11", "1.35", "1.90" |
| 1988 | The Last Resort | | TV series |
| 1988 | The Dirtwater Dynasty | Land Lady | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Family Business | Regular role | TV series, 13 episodes |
| 1989 | Tanamera – Lion of Singapore | Lady Bradshaw | TV miniseries, 7 episodes |
| 1990 | More Winners | Mrs. Finkel | TV film series, episode: "Mr Edmund" |
| 1991; 1995 | G.P. | Elwyn Matthews / Miss Shepherd | TV series, 2 episodes: "Darby & Joan", "Those Who Can't" |
| 1993 | Seven Deadly Sins | | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1993 | Hey Dad..! | R.J. Thomas | TV series, episode: "Fishy Business" |
| 1993 | Joh's Jury | Evelyn | TV film |
| 1994 | Mother and Son | Mavis | TV series, episode: "The Lamingtons" |
| 1996 | Pacific Drive | Vonnie Wentworth | TV pilot |
| 1996 | Water Rats | Sybil Graham | TV series, episode: "Goldstein & Son" |
| 1996 | Heartbreak High | Violet Abernathy | TV series, episode: "4.16" |
| 1998 | Murder Call | Prudence Smith | TV series, episode: "Mix 'n' Match" |
| 1999, 2002, 2006, 2009 | All Saints | Sister Bernard / Hannah McNamara / Mae Mooney | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2000, 2003 | Blue Heelers | Mary Barton / Dorothy Falcon-Price | TV series, 2 episodes: "Welcome Back", "Father's Day: Part 2" |
| 2001–02 | Always Greener | Florence Holiday | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 2002 | Young Lions | Grace Beaumont | TV series, episode: "Asylum Seekers" |
| 2005 | The Surgeon | Miriam Beck | TV series, 2 episodes: "1.5", "1.7" |
| 2010 | Packed to the Rafters | Mrs. Luscombe | TV series, episode: "To Tell or Not to Tell" |