Woman Ashton, Queenie

AM

Occupation
Radio actor and Stage actor

Written by Kathryn Mcleod, National Film and Sound Archive

Queenie Ashton was born in London, England in 1903. She began her radio career in 1924, at Radio 2LO in London, singing brackets of classical songs. Her performance in several London productions earned her recognition abroad, and in 1927 she was offered work in the musical Sunny at the new Empire Theatre in Sydney.

During the 1930s, Queenie Ashton worked on a number of ABC radio musical comedies, including 2GB's program Oh Quaite! In 1939, she was cast as the lead in the serial Marie Antoinette, her first role as an actress in a radio drama. Later in her career, Ashton was cast in the radio drama Blue Hills. The series ran from 1948 to 1976 and established Ashton as one of Australia's leading and most loved radio performers. Like other women in early radio, Ashton's career is significant as it came at a time in Australian history when most women were encouraged to become housewives and mothers. In 1980, Ashton was awarded the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) for her services to the performing arts. She died in 1999.

Archival Resources

National Film and Sound Archive

  • Ashton, Queenie: Interviewer Unknown: Oral History, 1982, 6383; National Film and Sound Archive. Details
  • East Lynne. Eps. 13 - 14, 1939, 332146; National Film and Sound Archive. Details
  • Interview With Queenie Ashton 1972 [By Peter Wilknson About Ep. 5,000 Of Blue Hills], c. 30 September 1976, 229028; National Film and Sound Archive. Details
  • Marie Antoinette Eps. 02 - 03, 1939, 509367; National Film and Sound Archive. Details

Published Resources

Online Resources

See also

Digital Resources

Title
Queenie Ashton
Type
Audio
Publisher
National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA)

Details