Comments on: Von Ryan’s success

By: rob

rob — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:56:05 +0000

i worked for years as an “extra” on All SAints…Judith McGrath was the best…always pleasant,professional..and a very good actress..and never a snob….
good luck to her

By: David Knox

David Knox — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:38:56 +0000

Nic, perfectly summed up.

By: nic

nic — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:37:27 +0000

Great interview and love that she has quite a funny/dry humour streak, obviously – by her comments on mahogany row and watching herself. She’s one of those characters that has always made me chuckle on All Saints, due to her honesty and wit that she has never ever changed and manages to state the bleeding (pun) obvious in such a plum in mouth way. She’s always been Von from day one. No rubbish, just straight up. It’s also been good that she has been given decent character development over the years. Thanks Jude!

By: tasmanian devil

tasmanian devil — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:06:05 +0000

@franz chong, has it occured to you that perhaps not all All Saints viewers are Packed To The Rafters or Ladette To Lady viewers? Maybe let them choose for themselves.

By: Marco

Marco — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:05:25 +0000

Steve, watching the Prisoner DVDs at the moment, I’ve noticed McGrath appeared in Prisoner right from the very first year, but just in the odd episode here and there whenever a spare screw was needed. She then became a fully fledged cast member as you say when Vera left.

By: franz chong

franz chong — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:05:12 +0000

It is sad to lose a great show.

I find those American Medical Programs far too heavy and intensive to watch but things like this or RPA or Scrubs are ideal.

Wonder what the All Saints viewers will do for a 9:30pm show now.

My suggestion is switch to Nine after Rafters for Ladette to Lady.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:45:21 +0000

Yeah excellent actress and for me as well she will always be best remembered as the tough but fair officer Colleen “Poface” Powell from Prisoner. She was initially the nasty screw that took over when Vera left and mellowed as time went on. Loved her time in the show and she will not be forgotton!

By: Marco

Marco — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:37:07 +0000

Hey, I said she was lookin’ good! 67′s close to 70…but yes, if I was 67 I wouldn’t want to be thought of as 70 so point taken!

By: Mr. Do-Bee

Mr. Do-Bee — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:11:48 +0000

According to wiki, Judith is 67.

By: David Knox

David Knox — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:53:16 +0000

That figure strikes me as harsh, Marco. But we did have a nice chat about ‘Po-Face’ and she enjoyed her visit to the reunion this year.

By: Marco

Marco — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:48:13 +0000

Mr Do Bee, it’s amazing what sticks with us from our childhood huh? That scene certainly does. And it’s surprised me upon watching the recent release of Prisoner DVDs (110 episodes down, 582 episodes to go (it will take a little while)) that Jim Fletcher’s wife and sons were disposed of with a bomb as well – nice re-use of a storyline when it happens later to Po Face’s family. Given McGrath was in Prisoner 30 years ago, she’s got to be around 70 now – and lookin’ good!

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:36:42 +0000

thank god it’s over, the show started to linger like the smell of dead fish. But with what the other networks are producing lets hope that australian tv can take a big step forward, it needs to.

By: Johnson

Johnson — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:49:52 +0000

Another great interview David (and the story title is a good take on the World War II movie Von Ryan’s Express). All Saints will be sadly missed.

By: Mr. Do-Bee

Mr. Do-Bee — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:30:30 +0000

What a great actress but no matter what other roles she plays I still have the image of Mrs. Powell’s husband and children being blown to smithereens by that car bomb in Prisoner. Scarred me for life. Serves me right for watching violent adult drama when I was a kid.

By: catherine

catherine — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:41:09 +0000

Still can’t believe after tomorrow night there will be no more All Saints. It’s just wrong.I m glad you never left Judith otherwise we would have missed your witty comments and great work. Thankyou All Saints for a wonderful 12 seasons.

By: Jonno

Jonno — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:34:14 +0000

very sad to lose a great show. We didn’t they just go back to basics and get rid of the rescue unit. It would have been much cheaper and what fans love about the show.