Joy Elaine Hruby OAM (1 July 1927 – 21 February 2017) was an Australian actress and entertainer, comedian, TV presenter and interviewer, producer, film-maker, author and celebrity agent with a career spanning more than 50 years.[1]

Joy Hruby
Born
Joy Elaine Cox

(1927-07-01)1 July 1927
Died21 February 2017(2017-02-21) (aged 89)
Sydney, Australia
EducationWhitehall Academy of Dramatic Art, J.C. Williamson
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • TV presenter
  • producer
  • film-maker
  • author
  • agent
Notable workJoy's World
Dubbo Dazzlers (book)
FamilyAnna Hruby (daughter)

Hruby appeared in films including Caddie, The Love Letters from Teralba Road, Winter of our Dreams, and Kitty and the Bagman.[2]

Hruby had small roles in TV soap operas including, Sons and Daughters and Home and Away, G.P. and All Saints and featured the mini-series Brides of Christ, she also appeared in numerous theatre productions and entered films into Tropfest.

Biography

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Hruby was born in Taree, New South Wales, the fourth of five siblings to Grace Adelaide Esther Thomas, a public speaker, union woman, community worker and suffragist and Henry "Harry" James Cox, who was a station master at Dubbo during WWII, and ham radio enthusiast and maker of steel guitars. She married Czech jazz pianist Zdenek Hruby in 1954 and the couple had three children: actress Anna Hruby, Frank (a cameraman)[2] and Janette (a former film location caterer).[2][1] Hruby studied at the Whitehall Academy of Dramatic Arts and then the J.C. Williamson theatre, and appeared in a production of Othello as Desdemona.

Hruby also had a community TV program on Channel 31 (later TVS) in Sydney and Melbourne titled Joy's World. She was known for brightly-coloured feathered costumes and feather boas, and her signature sign-off line, "...and keep smiling". After Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull cancelled community television, she launched her own website and YouTube channel.[2]

Her contribution to the arts and entertainment was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2007 Queen's New Years Honours List.[3] Published in 2003, she wrote a wartime memoir, Dubbo Dazzlers, which was also the name of a dance troupe she formed in Dubbo during WWII. Hruby had previously written notes for a biography titled The Spectacular Life of Joy Hruby.[3] She won a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Half in Ernest.

Hruby was later married to Denny, a pianist.[2] She died, aged 89[4] on 21 February 2017.[5] Her service was held at Wilde Street Anglican Church at Maroubra, New South Wales on 2 March 2017.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1976 Caddie Mrs. Sweeney Feature film
1977 The Love Letters from Teralba Road Len's Mother Short Feature film
1981 Winter of Our Dreams Marge Feature film
1982 Heatwave Old Lady Feature film
1982 The Dark Room Ida Henning Feature film
1985 A Street to Die Maureen Feature film
1987 Confidentially Speaking EAP Lady Film short
1993 You and Me and Uncle Bob Mrs. Patterson Feature film
1995 Rough Diamonds Mrs. Burns Feature film
1998 Praise Old Woman Feature film
1999 All the Way Mrs Kravytz Feature film
2007 Music Box Aunt Mary Film short
2008 The Eighth Story Film short
2010 Conference of the Planets Role unknown Film short
2010 Donation Only Mrs. B Film short
2010 The Key to the Computer Story Film short

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1976 No Room to Run Woman On Beach ABC TV movie, US/AUSTRALIA
1977 The Outsiders Guest role: Ella TV series GERMANY/AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1977 Puzzle Guest role ABC TV movie, US/AUSTRALIA
1980 Spring & Fall Guest role: Woman Selling House ABC TV series, 1 episode
1982;1983 A Country Practice Guest role: The Waitress TV series, 2 episodes
1983 Scales of Justice Guest role: Mrs. Simpson ABC TV film series, 1 episode 1. "The Job"
1983 A Country Practice Guest role: Mrs. Farrow TV series, 2 episodes
1984 Sweet And Sour Guest role ABC TV series, 1 episode
1985 Sons And Daughters Guest role: Prostitute TV series, 1 episode
1986 A Fortunate Life Recurring role: Ma TV miniseries, 1 episode
1986 Alice to Nowhere Recurring role: Mrs. Leary TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987-2001 Sunday Joyride Herself - Presenter TV series
1988 Mother and Son Guest role: Woman Shopper ABC TV series, 1 episode
1988 Mike Willesee's Australians Guest role: Mrs. Whittle TV film series, 1 episode 5: "Lottie Lyell"
1988;1989 Rafferty's Rules Guest roles: Mrs. Barnes / Dero Lady TV series, 2 episodes
1990-2015 Joy's World Herself - Presenter TV series
1991 Brides of Christ Recurring role: Sister Polycarp ABC TV miniseries, 6 episodes
1992 Phoenix Guest role: Fat Alice ABC TV series, 1 episode
1994;1996 G.P. Guest roles: Mrs. Lucas / Millie ABC TV series, 2 episodes
1994;1995 Darren Gray Down Under Herself - Guest TV series, 3 episodes
1994 TVTV Herself & The Young Doctors cast ABC TV series, 1 episode
1995-1996 Agatha Ramsbottom Show Herself - Presenter TV series
1996;1998 Home and Away Guest roles: Mrs. Riley / Mrs Penrose TV series, 2 episodes
1998;2004 All Saints Guest roles: Mrs. Heinrich / Robin Wallace TV series, 3 episodes
2000 Above the Law Guest role: Mrs. Meriwether TV series, 1 episode
2004 Double the Fist Guest role: Edith ABC TV series, 1 episode
2011 The Hamster Wheel Additional Cast TV series, 2 episodes
2011;2012 Laid Recurring Guest role: Nan-Nan ABC TV series, 2 episodes
2017 Ten News Herself - Joy Hruby Funeral Service TV series, 1 episode
2017 The Project Herself - Joy Hruby Funeral Service TV series, 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b "Joy Hruby". ABC Brisbane. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Joy Hruby, actor who launched screen careers of many". March 2017.
  3. ^ a b Iaccarino, Clara (26 January 2007). "A passion she cannot do without". Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ^ Knox, David (22 February 2017). "Vale: Joy Hruby". tvtonight.com.au. TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. ^ Death Notice: Hruby, Joy Elaine, The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 February 2017.
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