Debra Byrne
Debra with her daughter Lucille in 2012
Born	Debra Anne Byrne (1957-03-30)30 March 1957 (age 68) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Occupations	actress singer producer variety entertainer writer choreographer
Years active	1969-present
Spouses	David Dudley(m. 1977 – d. 1980) Neil Melville(m. 1989 – d. 1997)
Partner	Ced Le Meledo(c. 1999–2006)
Children	3 (includingLucille Le Meledo)

Debra Anne Byrne (born 30 March 1957), formerly billed asDebbie Byrne, is an Australian pop singer, variety entertainer, theatre and TV actress and writer, director and choreographer of cabaret. From April 1971 to March 1975 she was a founding cast member ofYoung Talent Time. She started her solo singing career with a cover version of "He's a Rebel" (March 1974), which peaked at No. 25 on theGo-Set Australian Singles chart. At theLogie Awards of 1974 she won Best Teenage Personality and followed with theQueen of Pop Award in October – both ceremonies were sponsored byTV Week. She repeated both wins in thefollowing year.

As a stage actress Byrne appeared in the Australian musical theatre versions ofCats (July 1985 to mid-1987),Les Misérables (November 1987 to May 1988, December 1989 to June 1990) andSunset Boulevard (October 1996 to June 1997). Her solo album,Caught in the Act (April 1991), peaked at No. 2 on theARIA Albums Chart and was certifiedgold. In 2006 Byrne published her autobiography,Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir.

In 1969 Debra "Debbie" Byrne made her television debut onBrian and the Juniors, a children's variety and talent quest, which was hosted by newsreaderBrian Naylor.^{[1]: 25 [2]} She stayed with the show for 12 months until it finished late in 1970. In April 1971 she became an original cast member onYoung Talent Time, another children's talent quest, which was hosted byJohnny Young.^{[1]: 48–50 [3]} Byrne proved to be a popular cast member: in March 1974 she won theLogie Award for Best Teenage Personality and theTV WeekQueen of Pop Award in October.^[4][5]

In March 1974, before leaving theYoung Talent Time regular cast, Byrne released her first solo single, "He's a Rebel", a cover version of the Phil Spector-produced 1962 hit bythe Crystals.^[4][6] It peaked at No. 25 on theGo-Set Top 40 Australian Singles chart,^[7] and reached No. 1 on the Melbourne charts.^[4] Her debut album,She's a Rebel (1974), was produced by Young, with session musicians includingRussell Dunlop on drums (ex-Aesops Fables,SCRA,Renée Geyer and Mother Earth, Johnny Rocco Band), Tim Partridge on bass guitar (Company Caine,Mighty Kong,Kevin Borich Express), Mark Punch on guitar (Johnny Rocco Band, Renée Geyer Band) and Terry Walker on guitar and backing vocals (the Strangers, Pastoral Symphony).^[8]

Byrne's follow-up single was a second Crystals cover, "Da Doo Ron Ron" (January 1975), backed by the track, "Boogie Man".^[4] In that year she won both the Logie Award for Best Teenage Personality and theTV Week Queen of Pop Award for a second time.^[4][9] In September 1975 Byrne travelled to London to record atAbbey Road Studios withCliff Richard producing. While in London, she made public and TV appearances, including onThe Cliff Richard Show.^[4]

Byrne's first Australian television guest appearance as a featured solo artist was onThe Graham Kennedy Show at the age of fifteen. Since then she has made a guest appearance on every major AustralianTonight show and was a regular performer on theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) series,The Saturday Show. In 1979 she merged singing with acting for the first time on the ABC'sTV Follies series. From August 1980 Byrne co-starred alongsideJohn Farnham in their own series,Farnham and Byrne.^[10] Craig Walsh ofThe Australian Women's Weekly previewed a segment for a rock 'n' roll themed episode, "[its] staging promises to make the series the smash hit of 1980, say the producers" with Byrne declaring "I've just discovered I can dance better than I thought."^[10]

Byrne's career stalled between 1980 and 1985 due to her heroinaddiction, for which she undertook rehab at Odyssey House.^[4] A further stumbling block occurred when a sex tape of her and a former partner was stolen and leaked to the media.^{[1]: 435–6, 446–9 [11]}

In mid-1985, Byrne recorded her second solo album,The Persuader, which was produced byPeter Dawkins.^{[1]: 288 [12]} She issued the single "The Persuader" in August, but neither single or album charted.^[4]She made a successful and highly publicised career comeback in 1985 with the starring role as Kathy McLeod, oppositeMatt Dillon, in the feature film,Rebel.^[4][13] She was nominated for anAFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for the performance.^[14] Byrne sang lead vocals on nine of ten tracks onRebel: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985).^[15][16]

Byrne's live cabaret,Caught in the Act Again, commenced during mid-1999, it included both show tunes and some original material. The first half was "a little too low-key, mostly because the songs all have a similar, slow, acid-jazzy tempo" according to Fiona Scott-Norman ofThe Age.^[17] She was backed byJohn McAll on piano and Don Hirini as backing vocalist; she also co-wrote some material, including "I Don't Make the Rules", with Hirini.^[17]Caught in the Act Again earned aGreen Room Award nomination for Best Cabaret Performance and Best Musical Arrangement.

Her cabaret work includes writing, directing, choreographing and starring inGirls, Girls, Girls from May to June 2002.^[18] The show also starredWendy Stapleton andLisa Edwards (replaced by Nikki Nicholls) as a tribute tothe Supremes,Cilla Black,Dusty Springfield,Patsy Cline andLulu.^[19][20] In 2002 it won theHerald Sun Best Cabaret Award.^[18][21] The shows had sold out before they opened.^[22] In subsequent years Byrne, Stapleton and Nicholls periodically resumedGirls, Girls, Girls.

Since 1972 Byrne has been a regular performer at the Christmas EveCarols by Candlelight concert at Melbourne'sSidney Myer Music Bowl. At the 2005 concert she performed a duet ofSilent Night with her five-year-old daughter, Lucille, who was making her professional stage and television debut. In late 2006 her autobiography,Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir, was published on Pan Macmillan.^[23] She described how the book took her four years to write, "On and off. I wrote and I didn't write."^[23] Byrne reprised her role of Grizabella in theExitLeft production ofCats, which was staged at theDerwent Entertainment Centre inHobart in late-October 2007.^[24]

In April 2009 Byrne played the role of Sue Barnes inMetro Street at its world premiere in Adelaide and its subsequent tour to South Korea, with an appearance at the Daegu International Musical Festival (seeDaegu) in June.^[25][26][27]

From 29 July 2010 to April 2011 she played the role of the Bird Woman in the original Australian production of the stage musical,Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre.^[28][29] She reprised the role in its Sydney run at theCapitol Theatre.^[30] From May to June 2012 Byrne played the role of Claire Christie in the Nine Network'sTricky Business.^[31]

From February to March 2014 she appeared on a dramatised crime biography,Fat Tony & Co., portraying Judy Moran, wife of Lewis Moran who was part of the Carlton Crew which were involved in theMelbourne gangland killings.^[32]Fat Tony & Co. focused on the rise and fall of convicted drug mastermind,Tony Mokbel,^[33] and is an offshoot to the first series ofUnderbelly (February–May 2008).^[32] Byrne described her portrayal of Moran "You'd be surprised what I wear as Judy that's from my own wardrobe [...] There's a definite air of the theatrical about her and a lot of what I saw Judy wearing ... I thought she wore some really nice clothes. Everything she wore was so over the top."^[32]

In 2016 she took the role of Carlotta Campion in a concert version ofFollies at the Melbourne Recital Hall for a limited run of three performances in May.^[34] In August she worked withVika Bull in their Carole King tribute show,Tapestry.^[35][36] In late 2016, Byrne appeared on the third series of ABC comedy,Upper Middle Bogan.

From 2017 through to 2019, she toured withVika Bull in theirCarole King tribute show 'Tapestry'.

In mid 2019, she is set to play the Beggar Woman in a production ofSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street oppositeAnthony Warlow andGina Riley.

Debra Anne Byrne was born on 30 March 1957 in Fitzroy to Norman Owen Byrne (born ca. 1928 – 2014) and Verna Alice née Reid (ca. 1930 – 1980).^{[1]: 2, 10} She was the fifth of six children, her siblings are Lynda (died 2002), Cheryl, Sandra (died 1970), Peter and Robyn.^{[1]: 2, 63} She also has a younger half sister, Rebecca. Norman worked as an engineering foreman; he became violent when drunk.^{[1]: 2–18 [37]} According to Byrne she was sexually abused by her maternal grandfather, Ken Reid, from a young age until 13.^{[1]: 55–58, 344 [37]} In 1993 Byrne dropped the usage of "Debbie" as her first name.^[38]

During her stint inYoung Talent Time Byrne had a sexual relationship with "Michael", an on-set boom-camera operator: she was under-age and he was more than ten years older.^{[1]: 68–102 [39]} She later recalled, "I didn't feel protected at all. The attitude was, 'It's over now, it's finished', but this was personal and embarrassing and humiliating and distressing ... Parents need to be aware that even now, with the best protections in place, there's going to be someone who cares more for the product than the child. No law can change that."^[39]

In February 1975 she was hospitalised due to "a nervous collapse brought on by a strenuous touring campaign."^[40] Her support slot on a tour for United States singer,Gene Pitney, was taken up bySamantha Sang.^[40] Byrne described how "I was drinking, smoking, barely eating, and spending a lot of time in hotel rooms fighting anxiety and depression."^[1]: 132

By October 1978 Byrne was married to David John Dudley (born ca. 1956) and the couple lived in Elwood.^{[1]: 132, 148} In that month the pair were cleared of drugs charges; Byrne declared that "she knew of some entertainers who had 'come to grief' by being associated with drugs. She had been to one or two parties where drugs were being used but she did not mix with that section of the entertainment industry."^[41] Later she recalled meeting Dudley at a party where her "latest boyfriend was an everyday dope smoker and I loved the freedom the drug gave me."^[1]: 132 They had a daughter together, Arja. Her marriage to Dudley broke-up in 1980 and her mother died in that year.^[42]

Debra gave birth to her second daughter, Lauren, who was fathered by director Chris Webb.

During 1987 while rehearsing for her role ofFantine in the Australian theatre production ofLes Misérables, Byrne met fellow actor,Neil Melville.^[43] By June 1989 the couple were planning their wedding.^[44] Byrne and Melville separated in November 1996 and later divorced.^[45]

Byrne's performances as Norma Desmond onSunset Boulevard from October 1996 to June 1997 were interrupted by "her frequent and sudden absences from the show [which] were partially blamed for the show's lack of success" despite "great critical notices."^[46] She had attempted suicide late in 1997 and was being treated by a psychiatrist to feel "more focused and driven than ever before."^[46] She was diagnosed withclinical depression and undertook a course of prescription medication.^[46] In March 1998 she told Peter Ford ofPlaybill that "Nobody ever bothered to investigate if that was my major problem, when finally I had a label for my troubles it was a great relief."^[46]

Byrne was the domestic partner of French musician, Ced Le Meledo, with whom she collaborated on the live show,Paris-Melbourne. They had one daughter together,Lucille Le Meledo (b. 12 July 2000). The couple separated in 2006. Her daughter eventually made her theatrical debut in 2011 as the title role in Annie.

^[47] In that same year her autobiography,Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir, was released and described by her publisher as "the real story of her gritty, sometimes perilous existence as she chased her career, became addicted to heroin and finally rehabilitated herself".^[23]

As of 2019, she lives in Melbourne with her daughter Lucille and two of her grandsons whom she has custody of.

• She's a Rebel (1974)
• The Persuader (1985)
• Caught in the Act (1991)
• Sleeping Child (1994)
• New Ways to Dream (1997)

• Cats - Original Australian Cast Recording (1985)
• Rebel - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985)
• Les Miserables - The World Symphonic Recording (1988)
• Mary Poppins - Original Australian Cast Recording (2010)

TheARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music. They commenced in 1987.

The King of Pop Awards were voted by the readers ofTV Week. The King of Pop award started in 1967 and ran through to 1978.^[48]

TheLogie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by magazine TV Week, with the first ceremony in 1959. The awards represent both public and industry voted awards.

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as theMo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Byrne won three awards in that time.^[51]

• 1985AFI Award nomination for Best Actress in a Lead Role forRebel^[14]
• 1991Grammy Award for Best Theatre Musical Soundtrack, shared with cast ofThe World Symphonic Recording of Les Misérables,
• 2002Herald Sun Best Cabaret Award forGirls, Girls, Girls,
• Green Room Award nomination for Best Cabaret Performance and Best Musical Arrangement forCaught in the Act Again,
• 2009 Daegu Musical Award for Best Actress forMetro Street.

• Byrne, Debra (2006),Not Quite Ripe: A Memoir, Macmillan,ISBN 978-1-4050-3765-5

• Turner, G., Cunningham, S.,The Australian TV Book, Allen and Unwin, NSW, 2000.ISBN 1-86508-014-4
• Young terror time^{[permanent dead link‍]}
• Sunset Boulevard press release
• A taste of Broadway
• Australian Child Stars of the Century
• Deb's little girl Byrnes bright
• Girls, Girls, Girls
• 1985 Mo Award Winners
• Original idols still send their loving
• Where are they now?

• Debra Byrne atIMDb

• 1957 births
• Living people
• Australian child actresses
• Australian women pop singers
• Australian women songwriters
• Australian television actresses
• Australian women writers
• Australian autobiographers
• Logie Award winners
• Singers from Melbourne
• Australian women autobiographers

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