Doris Goddard
Born
Doris Goddard Hoynes

(1930-03-01)1 March 1930
Forest Lodge, New South Wales, Australia
Died29 July 2019(2019-07-29) (aged 89)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesDoris Goddard Hoynes-Bishop
Occupation(s)Actress, singer, publican
SpouseCharlie Bishop

Doris Goddard (1 March 1930 – 29 July 2019)[1] was an Australian cabaret singer and film actress; in her later life, she was also the publican of several hotels in Sydney, including the Hotel Hollywood.[2][3]

Life and career

Hotel Hollywood in August 2018

Goddard was an entertainer who moved to England to become a star but was told she was too tall (at 5'8") to play roles alongside male actors. Goddard called this "an irreversible physical disability" [4] and was told to forget about being on stage and film; she moved to cabaret instead. However, the film Geordie (1955) required a tall actress to play alongside Bill Travers, who was 6'4"; Goddard was sent a telegram requesting her services and arrived on set the next day.[4]

As a tall actress in Hollywood, Goddard was required to play a Russian spy, Maria,[5] in the 1956 film The Iron Petticoat. She kidnapped Bob Hope and played alongside Katharine Hepburn. Goddard landed several movie roles and is credited to have performed in at least twelve films,[6] most famously Geordie (1955), Tim (1979) and Hostage (1983).

At the age of 34, Goddard moved into the hotel industry; she took to it like "a duck to alcohol" as Doris herself put it.[4] She ran several hotels in Sydney, including the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown and the West End Hotel in Balmain.[7] In 1977, she and her husband Charlie Bishop purchased the Hotel Hollywood in Surry Hills.[2] Goddard said "What makes the Hotel Hollywood quite unique is that we haven't tried to tart it up."[4] Charlie worked behind the bar with Goddard singing at the bar with her guitar.[8] During her later years Goddard actively protested Sydney Lockout Laws.[9]

Goddard lived upstairs in the hotel until 18 months before her death, when she moved into a care facility; she died on 29 July 2019.[2] She was buried on 6 August at Rookwood cemetery following a service at St Canice Church in Rushcutters Bay.[1][2] In a tribute, Sydney Morning Herald journalist Jenny Noyes described Goddard as a 'diva, icon, humanitarian and activist'.[3] Sydney’s deputy Lord Mayor, Linda Scott, called Goddard a "beloved icon" of the city and "always a star".[2] Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore held a one minute silence in Council on 19 August.[10]

Recognition

As part of the city's Vivid Festival in May 2019[11] Goddard was inducted as Heckler's 51st iconic woman; the list included Kate Moss, Brigitte Bardot, Amy Winehouse and Queen Elizabeth II.[12][2] As part of the celebrations and in recognition of Goddard's new status a montage, created by women and featuring the 51 iconic women, was projected onto the Hotel Hollywood's facade.

References

  1. 1 2 "Doris Goddard (Hoynes-Bishop) | Andrew Valerio & Sons". Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McGowan, Michael (29 July 2019). "Doris Goddard, Hotel Hollywood publican and Sydney 'icon', dies aged 89". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  3. 1 2 Noyes, Jenny (29 July 2019). "Hollywood Hotel's Doris Goddard dead at 89". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Sydney Architecture Images- Hotel Hollywood". www.sydneyarchitecture.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  5. ↑ The Iron Petticoat (1956) - IMDb, retrieved 3 August 2019
  6. ↑ "Doris Goddard". IMDb. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  7. ↑ Ibrahim, Tony (2 June 2021). "A little piece of Hollywood in Sydney will live on after $10m sale". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Hollywood Doris". Radio National. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  9. ↑ Galvin, Hannah (24 February 2016). "We can and we will Keep Sydney Open". Purple Sneakers. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  10. ↑ Councillor Miller, Vale Doris Goddard, Notices of Motion (Item 12.3), City of Sydney Council Minutes, 19th August, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Homage to Hollywood: Classic pub turns a Vivid shade of glitter | City of Sydney - News". City of Sydney. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  12. ↑ "Heckler brings Vivid to the famous Hollywood Hotel with global icons". Mumbrella. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
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