Leila Hayes

Years active1971–1992, 2005 (film & television actress)SpouseRon ConnellyChildrenMelissa Connelly

Leila Hayes (born c.1941/1942)^[1] is an retired Australian actress, actors agent, radio presenter, playwright, producer, singer and drama teacher, she primarily featured in guest roles in soap operas and miniseries, prior to her regular role in 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters as matriarch Beryl Palmer (later Hamilton) appearing throughout its entire run, opposite Tom Richards as her husband David, in the series she was well known for her regular clashes with Rowena Wallaces iconic Patrica Hamilton.

Hayes was born in Dimboola, AustralIa around 1941-1942 and began her career as a singer before starting her acting career in the early 1970s in guest roles in Crawford Productions drama series Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, Bluey, Cop Shop, and The Sullivans.^[2]

Hayes also acted in television miniseries, including Power Without Glory (1976), and some TV movies. In 1981 she appeared in several episodes of Prisoner as brothel madam Jeannie Baxter and was in an early episode of A Country Practice. The same episode starred Peter Phelps who played her stepson John in Sons and Daughters only a few months later.

Hayes also acted on stage, taking the leading role of April Delaney in comedy Dimboola ran her and worked in talkback radio.

She has mainly retired from acting since 1992 (except for a short film in 2005) and lives a private life and rarely attending reunions or conventions. Since then she ran her own actors school called The Leila Hayes Drama Studio

Year	Title	Role	Type
1977	Blue Fire Lady	Old Lady	Feature film
2005	Chasing Down the Dawn	Margot	Film short

Year	Title	Role	Type
1971–76	Homicide	Mrs. Sullivan / Norma Franks / Policewoman Quinn / Joan Hansen / Gloria Mason / Libby Marshall	TV series, 6 episodes
1971–74	Division 4	Marge Reilly / Mrs. Darcy / Mrs. Arnot / Martha Moore / Pat Green / Dorrie / Mrs. Wright / Miss Hobbs / Smithy’s Mother / Jean / Alison Scott	TV series, 11 episodes
1971–74	Matlock Police	Natalie / Jean Stewart / Norma Richards	TV series, 3 episodes
1971-73	Penthouse Club	Herself - Singer	TV series, 3 episodes
1975	Cash and Company	Lola	TV series, Season 1, 1 episode
1976	The Professional Touch		Teleplay
1976	Bellbird		TV series, 1 episode
1976	Power Without Glory	Florrie Robinson	TV miniseries, Season 1, 6 episodes
1976; 1977	Bluey	Georgie	TV series, Season 1, 2 episodes
1978–79	Cop Shop	Mrs. Ward / Mrs. Selby / Marjorie Brown / Joan	TV series, 4 episodes
1978	The Truckies		TV series, Season 1, 1 episode
1978	The Sullivans	Anne Watson	TV series, 4 episodes
1979	Twenty Good Years	Joyce Fielding	TV series, Season 1, 1 episode
1981	Prisoner	Jeannie Baxter	TV series, Season 3, 4 episodes
1981	I Can Jump Puddles	Miss. Bryce	TV Miniseries; 1 episode
1981; 1990–91	A Country Practice	Sue Bushell	TV series, 2 episodes
1982–87	Sons and Daughters	Beryl Palmer / Beryl Hamilton / Ruby Hawkins	TV series, Seasons 1–6; 966 episodes
1982	M.P.S.I.B.	Judith Levine	TV series, Season 1; 1 episode
1984	Miss N.S.W 1984	Guest - Herself	TV special
1986	Punchlines	Herself	TV special
1989	60 Minutes	Herself (with Abigail)	TV series, 1 episode
1990–1991	A Country Practice Mrs. Burns	TV series, Seasons 1; 10–11; 3 episodes
1992	Boys from the Bush	Daphne	TV series, Season 2, 1 episode
1994	Good Morning Australia	Guest	TV series, 1 episode

• Leila Hayes at IMDb