QUEEN BEA

One woman ruled the roost on Australian TV in the late 70s and early 80s. She was big, bad and ginger and had a penchant for senim overalls and ill-fitting jackets. Her middle parting caused almost as much sensation as the Farrah Fawcett look and she had tight lips that curled with venom.

She was Beatrice Alice Smith and was an inmate at Wentworth Detention Centre in the campy drama 'Prisoner - Cell Block H' Known to everyone as Queen Bea, she was top dog and ruled the inmates with an iron fist but a heart of gold. Initially imprisoned for killing a workmate who supplied drugs, she then was let out and went directly to her ex husband's house. You see, he didn't lift a finger when Bea's daughter died after taking drugs and Bea wanted revenge so she spent one blissful night of freedom before heading to hubbies and gunning him down on his doorstep. She showed no mercy thereafter to women who pushed drugs and never let anyone deal drugs in the prison which caused many a fight. Now in Wentworth, Bea had many challengers - she fought with Franky Doyle, Monica Ferguson, Chrissie Latham, Nola MacKenzie, Marie Winter and officers Vera Bennett and Joan Ferguson. She happily elbowed, punched and kicked these bitches who dared to take over her position and also the beloved steam press where Bea ruled. Nobody worked that press like Bea and when she called 'Smoke-o' everyone stopped for a fag where some scheme was being dreamt up of an escape or who to bash next. She cared deeply about fellow inmates aswell and was always first to tell them not to come back and made good friends with Judy Bryant, Doreen Burns and Lizzie Birdsworth, she even made friends with old enemy Chrissie Latham! She thought nothing of burning someone's hand in the press, scalping Chrissie with scissors, having amnesia and escaping, having a fling with the print man, shooting Nola with a home made gun, dressing up as Officer Ferguson and escaping and wearing too tight denim an awful lot!

Bea found a tough opponent in Officer Joan Ferguson and they had many fights, the most memorable being when she lured Ferguson to isolation then knocked her out as a diverted fire broke out. It was then up to Ferguson to rescue them both, Bea was transferred to Barnhust Prison after a nasty fight with Ferguson although she was the benchmark placed against all other top dogs in Wentworth. Nobody bettered Bea and as Prisoner is an old favourite of mine then so is Queen Bea with her nasty streak and killer punch! Now as Bea would say "Rack off bitch and get off my press!"