{{Short description|English actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Lisa Armytage | image = | birth_place = Somerset, England | occupation = {{Hlist|Actress|voice artist}} | years_active = 1979–present | children = 2 }} '''Lisa Armytage''' is an English actress, known for her roles in Australian film and television. After moving to Australia, Armytage appeared in ''Cop Shop'' for three months as the girlfriend of Constable Tony Benjamin (Gregory Ross). She guested in ''Prisoner'' and starred in the ABC radio play ''Footmarks in the Sand''. In 1986, Armytage co-starred in her first Australian feature film ''Cool Change'' as cattle farm owner Joanna Regan. She had to learn to ride a horse and muster cattle for the role. She then appeared in the Nine Network miniseries ''The Lancaster Miller Affair'' as Anne Lancaster. From 1987 until 1989, Armytage played Dr Beverly Marshall in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''. Her character was introduced as a love interest for series regular Jim Robinson (Alan Dale). After leaving ''Neighbours'', Armytage appeared in various stage productions and television dramas, including ''The Flying Doctors'' and ''The Miraculous Mellops''. She returned to the UK in 2003, where she became a voice artist for commercials, audio dramas, and audio books. She joined the cast of audio soap ''Riverside'' in 2022, which is based on a series of stories originally published in ''The People's Friend''.
==Early and personal life== Armytage was born in Somerset, England. She has three brothers and a sister.<ref name="O'Connor">{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19880714/085/0013|title=Doctor earns top marks|last=O'Connor|first=Coral|date=14 July 1988|work=Daily Mirror|access-date=15 December 2024|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription}}</ref> She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and had a season with the National Youth Theatre.<ref name="O'Connor"/><ref name="Spotlight">{{cite web|url=https://app.spotlight.com/5415-8977-5605|title=Lisa Armytage|publisher=Spotlight|access-date=13 December 2024}}</ref> She also appeared at the Bristol Old Vic.<ref name="O'Connor"/>
Armytage met her husband-to-be, an Australian lawyer, during her last years of classes.<ref name="Fidgeon"/> They married after a nine week relationship and emigrated to Melbourne. They have two daughters.<ref name="O'Connor"/><ref name="Fidgeon">{{cite magazine|last=Fidgeon|first=Patrice|date=5 April 1986|title=Great expectations|magazine=TV Week|page=25}}</ref> Armytage studied a Bachelor of Arts degree in Australia and had intentions of becoming a teacher.<ref name="Webster2"/>
==Career== Armytage admitted that it took time to find work after she and her husband moved to Australia in 1979.<ref name="Fidgeon"/> In 1981, she had a 12-week stint in ''Cop Shop'' as Jennifer Grant, the girlfriend of Constable Tony Benjamin (Gregory Ross).<ref name="Fidgeon"/> She also appeared in a production of Roger Pulvers' play ''The Covenant of the Rainbow'' at the La Mama Theatre.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-pulvers-double-is-good-news/160923755/|title=Pulvers double is good news|last=Radic|first=Leonard|date=6 August 1981|work=The Age|access-date=17 December 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}</ref> This was followed by an appearance in the ABC one-off drama ''On the Line'' and a guest role in an episode of ''Prisoner''.<ref name="Fidgeon"/> In August 1984, Armytage starred in the ABC radio play ''Footmarks in the Sand'', which was written by Danish actress and playwright Astrid Saalbach. Director John Hannaford believed ''Footmarks in the Sand'' should be recorded outside, and recording took place at Black Rock making it the first ABC radio play to be recorded on location for many years. Armytage plays Stella, who along with her boyfriend Paul, plans a trip to the beach, but their outing is filled with tension.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-abc-play-on-the-beach/160923052/|title=ABC play on the beach|last=Hawker|first=Philippa|date=9 August 1984|work=The Age|access-date=17 December 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}</ref>
Armytage's big break came in 1986 with a co-starring role in her first Australian feature film ''Cool Change''.<ref name="Fidgeon"/> She plays Joanna Regan, a cattle farm owner and love interest for Jon Blake's character. Armytage spent a week learning how to ride a horse and muster cattle for the role.<ref name="Webster">{{cite magazine|last=Webster|first=Allan|date=27 June 1987|title=Lisa's bush romance|magazine=TV Week|page=77}}</ref> ''Cool Change'' was filmed over six weeks in Mansfield at producer Geoff Burrowes' mountain property.<ref name="Fidgeon"/> Not long after she wrapped filming, Armytage began work on the Nine Network miniseries ''The Lancaster Miller Affair'' in which she plays the major role of Anne Lancaster, the wife of Bill Lancaster played by Nicholas Eadie.<ref name="Fidgeon"/><ref name="Webster2">{{cite magazine|last=Webster|first=Allan|date=18 July 1987|title=Lucky Jim!|magazine=TV Week|page=21}}</ref>
After taking a break from acting to have her second child, in 1987 Armytage was cast as Dr Beverly Marshall in the soap opera ''Neighbours''.<ref name="Webster2"/> She initially signed a 12-month contract.<ref name="Webster2"/> Beverly was introduced as a love interest for series regular Jim Robinson, following discussions between Alan Dale and the writers about the lack of romance in Jim's life.<ref name="Webster2"/> Armytage admitted that it was a difficult decision to sign on for 12 months and had not intended to take on a major role because of her young children, however, she felt she was able to combine the two and her situation was working well. She also admitted to being nervous about the recognition that came with the role, as ''Neighbours'' was one of Australia's most popular television shows at the time.<ref name="Webster2"/>
In October 1988, David Brown of ''TV Week'' reported that Armytage and ''Neighbours'' had "parted company", and she would be filming her final scenes in November.<ref name="Out">{{cite magazine|last=Brown|first=David|date=1 October 1988|title=Neighbours star out!|magazine=TV Week|page=2}}</ref> Brown confirmed that her character would not be written out and instead another actress was being sought for the role.<ref name="Out"/> Armytage later stated that she quit the show because she was spending too much time away from her family. She also said that she should have asked for a break or for her hours to be cut, but she was "a very 'all or nothing' person at the time" and resigned instead.<ref name="Kilkelly">{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a40760510/neighbours-lisa-armytage-beverly-robinson-interview/|title=Former Neighbours star Lisa Armytage on show axe, cancelled return and new audio soap|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=31 July 2022|publisher=Digital Spy|access-date=18 December 2024}}</ref> In February 1990, Armytage accepted libel damages from the ''News of the World'' in the High Court after they published an article stating that she had been sacked from ''Neighbours'' because she was a bad actress.<ref name="Payout">{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002488/19900222/038/0004|title=Libel payout for soap star|date=22 February 1990|work=Sandwell Evening Mail|access-date=16 December 2024|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Her lawyer explained that she left the show due to an exhausting schedule and family commitments. News Group Newspapers Limited also issued an apology for publishing the allegation.<ref name="Payout"/>
After leaving ''Neighbours'', Armytage appeared in a production of ''Coralie Lansdowne Says No'' at The Playbox Theatre, alongside Ailsa Piper and future ''Neighbours'' cast member Terence Donovan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stories.malthousetheatre.com.au/shows/coralie-lansdowne-says-no/|title=Coralie Lansdowne Says No|publisher=Malthouse Theatre|access-date=18 December 2024|archive-date=13 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213104349/https://stories.malthousetheatre.com.au/shows/coralie-lansdowne-says-no/|url-status=live}}</ref> She also guested in numerous television dramas, including ''The Flying Doctors'', ''The Miraculous Mellops'' and ''Police Rescue''.<ref name="OutSpoken">{{cite web|url=https://www.outspokenvoices.com/blog/behind-the-mic-exploring-the-world-of-audiobook-narration-with-a-voice-over-artist-lisa-armytage|title=Behind the Mic: Exploring the World of Audiobook Narration with a Voice Over Artist, Lisa Armytage|date=22 June 2023|publisher=OutSpoken Voices|access-date=20 December 2024|archive-date=20 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241220055703/https://www.outspokenvoices.com/blog/behind-the-mic-exploring-the-world-of-audiobook-narration-with-a-voice-over-artist-lisa-armytage|url-status=live}}</ref> Armytage returned to the UK in 2003.<ref name="OutSpoken"/> In addition to stage work, she has become a voice artist for various projects, including commercials, audio dramas, and audio books.<ref name="Kilkelly"/> She has worked with novelists Anna Jacobs, Alison Booth, and Cary J Hansson.<ref name="OutSpoken"/> Armytage appeared in the 2009 fantasy romance film ''Halfway to Heaven'', which was created by James Sharpe to raise awareness and money for Broomhill Pool.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/21924355.big-screen-save-broomhill/|title=Could the big screen save Broomhill?|date=21 December 2008|work=Ipswich Star|access-date=16 December 2024}}</ref> In 2010, she appeared in Richard Stirling's ''No Expense Spared'', a play about the MPs expenses scandal, at Jermyn Street Theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/plays-cast-mcgann-in-no-expense-lulu-punch_13420/|title=Plays Cast: McGann in No Expense, Lulu, Punch|last=Bosanquet|first=Theo|date=13 May 2010|work=Whats On Stage|access-date=17 December 2024|archive-date=19 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219193423/https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/plays-cast-mcgann-in-no-expense-lulu-punch_13420/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2022, Armytage joined the cast of audio soap ''Riverside'', which is based on a series of stories written by Glenda Young and originally published in ''The People's Friend''.<ref name="Kilkelly"/> She won the Best Human Performance in an Audiobook (factual or fiction) accolade at the 2023 VOX Awards for her work narrating ''A Midlife Gamble'' by Cary J Hansson. She was also nominated for Best Human Performance in an Audio Drama / Podcast for ''Doctor Who'' spin-off ''The Robots''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voxevents.co.uk/vox-awards-2023/|title=The 2023 VOX Awards Nominees are|publisher=VOX Events|access-date=21 December 2024|archive-date=21 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221042911/https://voxevents.co.uk/vox-awards-2023/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- |+Film performances ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! scope="row" | 1986 | ''Cool Change'' | Joanna Regan | |- ! scope="row" | 2006 | ''Rabbit Fever'' | Customs Lady | |- ! scope="row" | 2009 | ''Halfway to Heaven'' | Joyce | |- ! scope="row" | 2021 | ''Emily the Little Match Girl'' | Narrator | |- ! scope="row" | 2024 | ''Meet Me by the Sea'' | Anna's Mum | Short film |- |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- |+Television performances ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! scope="row" | 1981 | ''Cop Shop'' | Jennifer Grant | Recurring role |- ! scope="row" | 1982 | ''On the Line'' | | |- ! scope="row" | 1983 | ''Prisoner'' | Clare Adams | Episode: #5.81 |- ! scope="row" | 1986 | ''The Lancaster Miller Affair'' | Anne Lancaster | Miniseries |- ! scope="row" | 1987–1989 | ''Neighbours'' | Beverly Marshall | Series regular |- ! scope="row" | 1990 | ''The Flying Doctors'' | Edna MacKay | Episode: "The Hero" |- ! scope="row" | 1991 | ''The Miraculous Mellops'' | Jean Mellop | Episodes: #1.16, #1.20 |- ! scope="row" | 1992 | ''A Country Practice'' | Jane Lindsay | Episodes: "Wings (Parts 1 and 2)" |- ! scope="row" | 1992 | ''Police Rescue'' | Librarian | Episode: "From This Day Forward" |- ! scope="row" | 1994 | ''Sky Trackers'' | Trish Colman | Episode: "Origins" |- ! scope="row" | 1997 | ''Heartbreak High'' | Librarian | Episode: #6.30 |- ! scope="row"| 2001 | ''All Saints'' | Bernice Lewis | Episode: "Chains of Love" |- ! scope="row" | 2023 | ''The Crown'' | Berkshire WI Chair | Episode: "Ruritania" |- |}
*Source:<ref name="Spotlight"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0035956}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armytage, Lisa}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Actresses from Somerset Category:20th-century English actresses Category:21st-century English actresses Category:English television actresses Category:English film actresses Category:English soap opera actresses Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Category:English stage actresses Category:English voice actresses Category:British emigrants to Australia Category:Australian soap opera actresses Category:Living people