{{for|the American actress|Elizabeth MacRae}} {{Short description|New Zealand actress (born 1936)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Elizabeth McRae | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}} | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Elizabeth Helen Kersley | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1936|08|01|df=y}} | birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Actor | education = | alma_mater = Victoria University College | years_active = 1955–present | height = {{convert|1.64|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="JohnsonLaird">{{cite web |url=http://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1199/1199_actor_biography.pdf |title=Elizabeth McRae: actor biography |publisher=Johnson&Laird |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref> | known_for = ''Shortland Street'' | spouse = | children = | parents = | relatives = }}
'''Elizabeth Helen McRae''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} (née '''Kersley'''; born 1 August 1936) is a New Zealand actress, best known for her portrayal of Marjorie Brasch (née Neilson) in the television soap opera ''Shortland Street'', and, in the last decade, as Jean Marlowe, in the internationally distributed TV series ''The Brokenwood Mysteries''.
==Biography== Born in Wellington in 1936,<ref>{{cite news | url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19360801.2.2 | title=Births | date=1 August 1936 | work=Auckland Star | accessdate=14 January 2015 | page=1}}</ref> McRae was educated at Wellington Girls' College from 1950 to 1954 and was head prefect in her final year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wellington-girls.school.nz/hall-of-fame/elizabeth-mcrae |title=Hall of Fame: Elizabeth McRae |publisher=Wellington Girls' College |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref> She graduated from Victoria University College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958<ref>{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university13.html |title=NZ university graduates: I–K |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref> and married architect Don McRae in Wellington the following year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/49SCAGLSCevidence9146_1451a/bb9f6561f30b3e2d5c2f9f7ae68b3fb9b8a369e8 |title=Further submission on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill |date=9 July 2009 |publisher=Mt Eden Planning Group |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref> The couple's children include actress, scriptwriter and director Katherine McRae.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/shortland-street/behind-scenes-meet-directors-4342000 |title=Behind the scenes: meet the directors |publisher=Television New Zealand |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref>
Her first theatrical role was in Nola Millar's 1955 production of ''Richard II'' at Wellington's Unity Theatre, which also featured Tim Eliott in his acting debut.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gaitanos |first=Sarah | title=Nola Millar: a theatrical life |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=paTZ94MMq6EC |accessdate=14 January 2015 |year=2006 |publisher=Victoria University Press |location=Wellington |isbn=978-0-86473-537-9 |page=160}}</ref>
McRae made her television debut on the NZBC in the children's mini-series ''The Games Affair'' in 1974,<ref name="Harbour News">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/auckland-city-harbour-news/9017074/Elizabeth-only-dotty-on-the-job | title=Elizabeth only dotty on the job | date=9 August 2013 | work=Auckland City Harbour News | accessdate=15 January 2015 | first=Emma | last=Whittaker}}</ref> and went on to appear in many other New Zealand television programmes including ''Mortimer's Patch'',<ref name="Scoop">{{cite news | url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0609/S00288/double-honour-for-mcraes.htm | title=Double honour for McRaes | date=13 December 2006 | work=Scoop News| accessdate=15 January 2015 }}</ref> ''Mercy Peak'',<ref name="Scoop"/> ''Terry and the Gunrunners'',<ref name="NZOS">{{cite web |url=http://www.nzonscreen.com/person/elizabeth-mcrae |title=Elizabeth McRae |publisher=New Zealand On Screen |accessdate=15 January 2015}}</ref> and ''Go Girls''.<ref name="NZOS"/> However, it is for her recurring role as receptionist-turned-MP Marjorie Brasch on the long-running New Zealand television soap opera ''Shortland Street'' that she is most well-known.<ref name="Harbour News"/> McRae played the role from the soap's first episode in 1992, speaking the show's first line,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/shortland-street---first-episode-1992 |title=Shortland Street – first episode |year=1992 |publisher=New Zealand On Screen |accessdate=15 January 2015}}</ref> until 1996, with further appearances in 1998,<ref>{{cite news | title=Marj rules out a permanent return | date=26 July 1998 | work=Sunday News | page=27 | first=Louisa | last=Cleave}}</ref> 2002,<ref>{{cite news | title=Nick and Waverley say I do | date=1 October 2002 | work=Dominion Post | page=3}}</ref> and on the 20th anniversary episode in 2012.<ref>{{cite news | title=Plot twists mark soap's birthday | date=29 April 2012 | work=Herald on Sunday | first=Bevan | last=Hurley | page=22}}</ref>
McRae's film acting credits include ''Never Say Die'' (1988), ''An Angel at My Table'' (1990), ''30 Days of Night'' (2006) and, in 2010, ''Rest for the Wicked'', in which she played the lead role of Lillian.<ref name="JohnsonLaird"/>
McRae was named best actress in a radio drama production at the 1982 Mobil New Zealand Radio Awards<ref name="Scoop"/> and was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre, in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2006 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2006 |date=5 June 2006 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1982 |''{{sortname|The|Scarecrow|The Scarecrow (1982 film)}}'' |Mrs. Peacock | |- |1985 |''Hot Target'' |Mrs. Harris | |- |1987 |''{{sortname|A|Death in the Family|nolink=1}}'' |Aunty Pam | |- |1988 |''Never Say Die'' |Daisy | |- |2000 |''Jubilee'' |Agnes Morrison | |- |2002 |''All About Reinalda'' |Marge Brasch | |- |2004 |''My Father's Shoes'' |Cynthia |Short |- |2007 |''30 Days of Night'' |Helen Munson | |- |2008 |''Journey to Ihipa'' |Gladys Matenga |Short |- |2011 |''Rest for the Wicked'' |Lilliam | |- |2011 |''Check Out'' |Enid Cartwright |Short |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1981 |''Mortimer's Patch'' |Mrs. Higgins |Episode: "Fighting Johnny Fuller" |- |1982 |''One of those Blighters'' |Lydia Kingsbeer |TV film |- |1984 |''Iris'' (aka ''Out of Time'') |Augusta Wilkinson |TV film |- |1985 |''{{sortname|The|Adventures of Terry Teo|nolink=1}}'' |Mr. Camper |Episode: "Terry and the Gunrunners: Part 2" |- |1985 |''Hanlon'' |Mrs. Hornby |Episode: "In Defence of Minnie Dean" |- |1987 |''Steel Riders'' |Ms. Blake |Episode: "Hacking" |- |1989 |''Hot Shotz'' |Billie Travis |Episode 2 |- |1990 |''Shark in the Park'' |May |Episode: "The First Cut is the Deepest" |- |1992–1996, 1998, 2002, 2012, 2017 |''Shortland Street'' |Marjorie Brasch |Regular role |- |2002 |''Mercy Peak'' |Mitzy Geers |Episode: "Fear and Loathing" |- |2006 |''Power Rangers Mystic Force'' |White Tribunal (voice) |Episodes: "Dark Wish: Parts 2 & 3" |- |2007 |''{{sortname|The|Man Who Lost His Head}}'' |Mary |TV film |- |2009 |''Go Girls'' |Mavis Boyle |Episode: "Less Than Zero" |- |2013 |''{{sortname|The|Blue Rose}}'' |Beryl |Episode: "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" |- |2014 |''Agent Anna'' |Edith |Episode: "2.6" |- |2015–2019, 2021 |''{{sortname|The|Brokenwood Mysteries}}'' |Jean Marlowe |Recurring role (series 2–7) |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0574432}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McRae, Elizabeth}} Category:1936 births Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Wellington City Category:People educated at Wellington Girls' College Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni Category:New Zealand television actresses Category:New Zealand film actresses Category:New Zealand stage actresses Category:New Zealand voice actresses Category:New Zealand soap opera actresses Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Category:20th-century New Zealand actresses Category:21st-century New Zealand actresses