November 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\nShe performed on the opening night of GTV9 in 1956. In 1961, Lamond also became the first woman in the world to compere a variety television show, IMT when Graham Kennedy pulled back from 5 shows a week.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Lamond\u2019s career began at the age of 10 singing on the radio and touring with her vaudevillian parents in variety shows.<\/p>\n
Along with Nancy Hayes and Jill Perryman, she is considered one of the three grand dames of Australian theatre.<\/p>\n
Her career encompassed musical comedy, dramatic plays, recordings, film, television and cabaret.<\/p>\n
Her first performances as a leading lady were with English comedian Tommy Trinder in The Tommy Trinder Show in 1952. She starred in Australian productions of Oliver!, Annie Get Your Gun, The Pajama Game, Gypsy, 42nd Street, The Pirates of Penzance, My Fair Lady, Nunsense, Cabaret, Follies, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Beauty and the Beast, High Society, Shout.<\/p>\n
The mother of Tony Sheldon and half-sister of Helen Reddy, she moved to Los Angeles in the mid 1970s, maintaining a base in both Australia and the USA and working in both countries.<\/p>\n
Her television credits include\u00a0The Graham Kennedy Show, Bandstand, The Mike Walsh Show, The Bert Newton Show, Parkinson in Australia, In Melbourne Today, Good Morning Australia, Denise, Division 4, Number 96, Spicks and Specks\u00a0and US shows\u00a0The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, Highway to Heaven, Eight is Enough, The Bob Newhart Show, Starsky & Hutch, Punky Brewster,\u00a0The Pirates of Penzance\u00a0plus films Spotswood and Razzle Dazzle.<\/p>\n
But there was also personal tragedy.<\/p>\n
In 1966 her husband took his own life while she was performing\u00a0Oliver! Producers made her perform the night after his funeral.\u00a0 Toni then raised her son and performer Tony Sheldon on her own. She never had the chance to record \u2018As Long As He Needs Me\u2019 until 2019 when The Recording Studio gave her the opportunity with a 35-piece orchestra which ABC noted was \u201cthis stage and screen legend\u2019s curtain call.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Her many accolades include Logie Awards, Mo Awards, Variety Club Awards, Helpmann Awards Lifetime Achievement, Equity Lifetime Achievement Award, Centenary Medal for Service to the Arts Community, Victorian Honour Roll of Women, and an Order of Australia for Service to the Entertainment Industry and service.<\/p>\n
Once asked, \u201cWhat would you do to make a difference in the world?\u201d she replied, \u201cI would try to convince people who are blindsided by a stream of setbacks, and feel that there is no point in going on. I\u2019d say: Hang in there, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. NEVER GIVE UP!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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