Bettina Welch

Bettina Catherine Welch (1922 – 5 March 1993) was a New Zealand-born Australia-based actress, primarily in radio and theatre and of the latter in television roles. She was best known for her role in television soap opera Number 96 as Maggie Cameron, a scheming businesswoman and fashion editor. The series creator and writer David Sale, stated she was the first major bitch on television, long before Alexis Carrington (Joan Collins) Early life and training Welch was born Auckland, New Zealand. Welch started her acting career aged 18 in 1940 when she arrived in Sydney from New Zealand with her parents on holiday. In Sydney she won a competition that led to her being trained by J. C. Williamson's theatre company, and she also began acting on Australian radio. Her training with J. C. Williamson led to a succession of theatre roles with the company. She married Dermot Patrick O'Brien on 20 February 1945 at St Clanice's Catholic Church, Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales.