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Chantal Contouri

Chantal Contouri
Born (1950-04-08) 8 April 1950 (age 74)
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active1963–present

Chantal Contouri (Greek: Σαντάλ Κοντούρη; born 8 April 1950), sometimes credited as Chantal Cantouri, is a Greek Australian television and film actress. She has acted in many films and TV series as well as on stage, with one of her best known roles being in the 1970s soap opera Number 96 as nurse Tracy Wilson (aka "the pantyhose strangler").

Early life and education

Chantal Contouri was born on 8 April 1950 in the village of Agios Georgios, Vion, in Greece, the first of five children to Fotini and Konstantinos.[1] The family emigrated to Australia aboard the Italian ship Castel Felice in 1954, and settled in Adelaide, South Australia.[1]

Contouri attended Adelaide High School.[1]

Career

Contouri started her career as a go-go dancer at a nightclub in Gawler Place in Adelaide city centre; however, she wanted to act.[1]

She left Adelaide after being verbally abused by a Greek woman on the street, and moved to Melbourne at the age of 16, where she appeared as a dancer on the pop music show Kommotion.[1] After that, she moved to London, and became good friends with Olivia Newton-John.[1]

Contouri had leading roles in Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) and the sex comedy film Alvin Purple Rides Again (1974), and later had a guest role in the Alvin Purple television series produced in 1976. She also had starring roles in horror-suspense films Thirst (1979) and Snapshot (aka The Day After Halloween) (1979).[1] She also appeared as ‘Rosa’ in the Australian movie ‘Is There Anybody There’ in late 1975.

She featured in The Sullivans (1976-1983) as Melina Tsangarakis,[1] who married Norm Baker before her death by firing squad. Contouri appeared in US daytime soap opera General Hospital in 1988 and played a guest role in the Australian soap E Street in 1993.[2] She featured in Timothy Spanos' series Celebrity House Cleaner playing an alcoholic acting agent and her most recent role was in a remake of Stormboy in 2019.[citation needed]

Contouri remains best known however as Nurse Tracey Wilson in the TV series Number 96 (1974-75).[3] Contouri recorded an audio commentary for a 2008 DVD boxed set release of 32 Number 96 episodes, entitled The Pantyhose Strangler.[citation needed]

She continued working in Sydney, before moving to Los Angeles attending Olivia Newton-John's marriage to Matt Lattanzi, and there found work on the daytime soap opera General Hospital.[1]

After moving into semi-retirement in Adelaide in 1998, she took acting roles in Hotel Mumbai (directed by Adelaide-born Greek Australian Anthony Maras) and Storm Boy, the 2019 remake with Geoffrey Rush. She also starred in the short film Unfinished Thoughts.[1]

Recognition and awards

1n 1979 Contouri won a Logie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Melina Tsangarakis in The Sullivans,[1] becoming the first Greek Australian actress to win a Logie.[citation needed]

In 2011 she won Best Actress in the South Australian Screen Awards for her performance in the short film Unfinished Thoughts (which was nominated for eight SASAs).[4][1]

Personal life

Contouri had an early marriage arranged by her parents, which broke down and she fled to her favourite uncle's house.[1]

She spent some years in Greece in her 40s, and after a few more acting roles, semi-retired from acting in Adelaide in 1998. With her parents in failing health, she took over running their restaurant in Hindley Street, Barbecue Inn.[1] In 2007 Contouri discussed her time Number 96 in an episode of Where Are They Now?, and talked about running the family's restaurant in Adelaide.[5] The restaurant closed in 2014.[1]

In 2016 Contouri was living in Torrensville, South Australia.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1969 All You Have to Do is Dig Herself - Jewellery model Film short
1974 Alvin Rides Again Boobs la Touche Feature film
1974 Barry McKenzie Holds His Own Zizi Feature film
1977 High Rolling Bus Hostess Feature film
1979 Snapshot (aka The Day After Halloween) Madeline Feature film
1979 Thirst Kate Davis Feature film
1980 Touch and Go Fiona Feature film
1994 Metal Skin Savina's Mother Feature film
1996 Offspring Rosa Feature film
1998 Vincent's Regret Older Rosalba Film short
2000 Nameday Film short
2001 And She Said... Feature film
2003 The Wannabes Sally Feature film
2009 Birthday Scarlet Film short
2010 The Otherside Vinchenzena Film short
2010 Lonesdale Film short
2011 Unfinished Thoughts Lucia Film short
2013 The House Cleaner Zara Kozwalski Feature film
2016 Allie Mother Film short
2018 Hotel Mumbai Mrs Karvelas Feature film
2019 Storm Boy Julie Sims Feature film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1974 The Champion Teleplay
1974 Certain Women TV series
1974-75 Number 96 Tracey Wilson TV series, 37 episodes
1975 Casino 10 Game hostess (with Garry Meadows) TV series
1975 Shannon's Mob Tara TV series, 1 episode
1975 Silent Number Marie TV series, 1 episode
1975 McManus MPB Lara Boltolavic TV movie
1976 Alvin Purple Christine TV series, episode 7: 'The Hustled'
1976 Is There Anybody There? Rosa TV movie
1978; 1979 Chopper Squad Diana Baker / Janie Smart TV series, 2 episodes
1978 The Sullivans Melina Baker TV series, 15 episodes
1979 Doctor Down Under Dr. Wainwright TV series, 1 episode
1980 Skyways Lorraine Cruickshank TV series, 1 episode
1980 The Three Sea-Wolves Laura Fiore TV movie
1981 Holiday Island Guest role: Stasia TV series, 2 episodes
1982 The Black Boomerang aka 'Der schwarze Bumerang' Minou TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1983 All The Rivers Run Julia TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1984 Medea Medea TV movie
1988 General Hospital Prunella TV series, 12 episodes
1988 Goodbye Miss Fourth of July Olympia Janus TV movie
1992 Neighbours Alexandra Lomax TV series, 2 episodes
1992 E Street Julia Preston TV series, 9 episodes
2014 Wastelander Panda Varrick TV series, 5 episodes
2021 Aftertaste Mama TV series, 1 episode
2023 Celebrity House Cleaner Zara TV series, 4 episodes

As self

Year Title Role Type
1966 Kommotion Herself - Go-go dancer TV series
1974 Behind the Scenes of Barry McKenzie Holds His Own Herself / Zizi TV special
1975 Celebrity Squares Panelist TV series, 1 episode
1977 Telethon: First Hour Guest - Herself TV special
1977 Greek Affair Herself TV series
1977 Graham Kennedy's Blankety Blanks Panelist TV series, 2 episodes
1978; 1979; 1983; 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 4 episodes
1979 21st Annual Logie Awards Herself TV special
1979 Sammy Awards 1979 Compere TV special
1980 Parkinson in Australia Guest TV series, 1 episode
1980 The Variety Club Race Day Herself TV special
1980 1980 Australian Film Awards Presenter TV special
1980 Who Are We? Herself TV documentary
1981 Play Bouzouki Host TV special
1982; 1983 The Daryl Somers Show Guest TV series, 2 episodes
1989 The Home Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1989 International It's a Knockout Contestant TV special
1991 The Midday Show Guest TV series, 1 episode
1991; 1992 Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Guest TV series, 2 episodes
1991 Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1991 Celebrity Family Feud Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1991 The World Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode
1991 Team Family Feud Contestant TV series, 1 episode
1992 The Morning Show Presenter TV series
1993-1999 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 7 episodes
1993 Insiders Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Chantal Contouri Inside Hollywood Herself TV special
1994 This Is Your Life Guest TV series, 1 episode: 'Olivia Newton-John'
1995 At Home Guest TV series, 1 episode
1998 Denise Guest TV series, 1 episode
1999 Beauty and the Beast Guest TV series, 3 episodes
2003 George Negus Tonight Guest TV series, 1 episode
2007 Where Are They Now? Guest (with Number 96 cast – Joe Hasham, Chard Hayward, Elaine Lee, Jeff Kevin, Sheila Kennelly & Frances Hargreaves) TV series, 1 episode
2009 The Cook and the Chef Guest TV series, 1 episode
2012 Myf Warhurst's Nice Guest TV series, 1 episode
2014 When the Beatles Drove us Wild Herself TV special

Stage

Contouri has had many stage roles, including:[7]

Year Title Role Theatre Co. / Location
1976 Snap! Independent Theatre, Sydney
1983 The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H.
1983 Medea Medea Fairfield Amphitheatre, Sydney
1984 The Shifting Heart Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney
1986 In the Boom Boom Room Beverly Hills Playhouse
Lunch Girls Los Angeles Theatre Center
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Beverly Hills Playhouse
1992 The Bacchae
1995 To Traverse Water Shed 14, Docklands, Melbourne with IHOS Opera for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1996, 1999 Emma Celebrazione! Concetta Coccolosto Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company & STCSA
1996 Milk and Honey Mother La Boite Theatre, Brisbane
1997 Life Goes On
1999 Courtyard of Miracles Asta Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1999 The Rose Tattoo Assunta with STCSA

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Maios, Theodora (27 November 2018). "Chantal Contouri: The first Greek migrant actress in Australia". NEOS KOSMOS. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  2. ^ "GEORGE NEGUS INTERVIEWS CHANTAL CONTOURI". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 April 2003. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Number 96". Television.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  4. ^ "South Australian Screen Awards – MRC and Mercury Cinema". MRC and Mercury Cinema. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  5. ^ Andrew Fenton (4 March 2008). "Back as brothel madam". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  6. ^ Kevin Ascott (15 October 2016). "Telethon legend Christiaan Barnard still hearty". The Western Australian. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Chantal Contouri". AusStage.