Marg Downey
Encyclopedia
Career
Downey first rose to prominence in the sketch comedySketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
program The D-Generation
The D-Generation
The D-Generation was a popular and influential Australian TV sketch comedy show, produced and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for two series, between 1986 and 1987...
on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in the late 1980s. She subsequently appeared in later sketch comedy series with other members of The D-Generation, including Fast Forward, Full Frontal
Full Frontal
Full Frontal may refer to:* Full Frontal , an Australian sketch comedy series which debuted in 1993* Full Frontal , a 2001 film by Kyle Schickner* Full Frontal , a 2002 film by Steven Soderbergh...
and Something Stupid
Something Stupid
Something Stupid was a short-lived Australian sketch comedy series which aired in 1998 on the Seven Network. The program was produced, written and performed by much the same team that was behind the Fast Forward series...
. In these, she was known for her portrayals of a news anchor
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
, a stern SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
presenter and for her spot-on impression of current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
host Jana Wendt
Jana Wendt
-Early life:Wendt was born to Czech parents who emigrated to Australia in 1949, and was educated at the University of Melbourne.-Career:Wendt's television career began as a news presenter for ATV-10 evening news...
. Her spoof of "The What's On SBS Presenter" satirised the eccentricity of SBS programming, displaying grim masochistic determination to "not miss a moment of this scintillating entertainment".
In 2005, Downey was cast as a regular player in Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's live comedy sketch show Let Loose Live
Let Loose Live
Let Loose Live was an hour-long Australian live sketch comedy television programme that was loosely based on Saturday Night Live. It was broadcast on the Seven Network on Sunday nights at 8:30 PM. It was axed after just two episodes due to disappointing ratings...
, but the show was cancelled after just two episodes due to low ratings. The following year, she appeared in the sketch show Magda's Funny Bits
Magda's Funny Bits
Magda's Funny Bits was a television comedy featuring Magda Szubanski that was broadcast on the Nine Network, Australia in early 2006. The Nine Network commissioned five episodes, four of which were aired prior to the 2006 Commonwealth Games.-Format:...
alongside Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski is a British-born Australian actress, comedian, television presenter, radio host and author.Szubanski's career began while she was studying at university and she progressed to television sketch comedy, as both a writer and performer...
. In this show, she recreated her role as infomercial host Janelle, first developed on Fast Forward.
Downey's television roles are often authority figures or professional women with slightly eccentric personalities, such as the relationship-counsellor she played in comedy series Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
.
On Fast Forward, Marg Downey appeared in a lot of sketches with Steve Vizard, such as Eyeball News, The Midday Show, Candid Camera, The Cosby Show and Get Smart.
Downey also played Clancy in the Skippy Send-up and appeared in send-ups of I Dream Of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
, Mr Ed and Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
.
Select filmography
- Very Small BusinessVery Small Business (TV series)Very Small Business is an Australian television comedy series first broadcast on Wednesday 3 September 2008 on ABC1. The series is written by Wayne Hope, Gary McCaffrie, and Robyn Butler, and produced by Hope and Butler. It comprises of six half-hour episodes.-Synopsis:Don Angel is the small...
(2008) - Magda's Funny Bits (2006)
- Let Loose Live (2005)
- Kath & Kim (2002–2004)
- Under the Radar (2004)
- The Real Thing (2002)
- Blue HeelersBlue HeelersBlue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
(1995–2002) - Queen of the DamnedQueen of the Damned (film)Queen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart...
(TalamascanTalamasca CasteThe Talamasca Caste is a fictional secret society described in the works of Anne Rice.- Background :The Talamasca Caste is described as a secret society set up to watch over and keep track of the paranormal, in particular, witches, spirits, werewolves and vampires...
) (2002) - The Bob Downe Show (2001)
- Sit Down Shut Up (2000)
- The Late ReportThe Late ReportThe Late Report was a short-lived news satire show on Australia's Seven Network during 1999. Hosted by Richard Stubbs, the show also featured John Safran. It appeared at 10.30 on Tuesdays before being merged with The Big News....
(1999) - Something StupidSomething StupidSomething Stupid was a short-lived Australian sketch comedy series which aired in 1998 on the Seven Network. The program was produced, written and performed by much the same team that was behind the Fast Forward series...
(1998) - Economy Class (1994)
- Full Frontal (1993)
- Bligh (1992)
- The D Generation Goes Commercial (1988–1989)
- Fast Forward (1989)
- The D Generation (1986–1987)