RIP Leila Hayes

 

AUSTRALIAN SCREEN LEGEND LEILA HAYES PASSES AT 85

National World

By Tom Morton

1/20/2025

 

Leila Marion Hayes, one of Australia's most beloved television personalities and Penguin Award-winning actress, has passed away at the age of 85. Known for her iconic portrayal of Beryl Palmer in "Sons and Daughters," Hayes leaves behind a rich legacy spanning television, radio, theatre, and education.

Following an extended period of health challenges, Hayes passed peacefully at Northern Beaches Hospital. In her final days, she celebrated her birthday surrounded by family and was lovingly attended by her only daughter Melissa throughout her last week.

Rising to prominence in Australian entertainment, Hayes first captured audiences as a talented singer on The Don Lane Show and the Bert Newton Show, becoming a regular presence in national telethons, particularly Melbourne's Channel 7 Good Friday Appeal.

Her versatile career expanded into dramatic acting, where she achieved critical acclaim for her performances in numerous landmark Australian productions including "Power without Glory," "The Sullivans," "Cop Shop," "Twenty Good Years," and "Prisoner."

Hayes' most renowned role though was her portrayal of Melbourne mother Beryl Palmer in "Sons and Daughters," which earned her the prestigious Penguin Award and garnered international recognition. This success led to a memorable tour of Belgium in 1988, where she performed before hundreds of thousands of fans and shared the stage with her daughter in a touching duet of “The Rose”.

Following her television success, Hayes reinvented herself as a radio personality, hosting "New Day Australia with Leila Hayes" on Radio 2UE, which became the highest-rating midnight to dawn program. Her insightful features were frequently rebroadcast throughout 2UE's daily programming.

Hayes dedicated her later years to nurturing new talent through the Leila Hayes Drama Studio, first in Melbourne and later in Sydney, where she mentored thousands of aspiring performers. Her commitment to community service included running voluntary drama programs for both youth and senior citizens through the Ryde Council, earning her Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellow award and a Premier Award for Service to the Community.

Born in Dimboola, Victoria, Hayes maintained a special connection to her hometown throughout her career, notably starring in the inaugural theatrical production of Jack Hibbard's "Dimboola" alongside fellow personalities Denise Drysdale and Maurie Fields. Years later, in a moment that merged art with life, Hayes performed in a Sydney recreation of the same production alongside her daughter and Tom Richards.

In her final years, Hayes found joy away from the public eye, spending time with her grandsons, Lucian and Liam, and pursuing her creative passion through writing, publishing a children's book titled "Streak," inspired by her walks at Balmoral Beach near her Sydney home and proudly dedicated to her grandsons.

Hayes is survived by her daughter Melissa, son-in-law Erik, and grandsons Lucian and Liam.

HAYES, Leila

Born: 2/12/1942, Dimboola, Victoria, Australia

Died: 1/20/2025, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia

 

Leila Hayes’ western – actress:

Cash and Company – 1975 (Lola)