Australian Showbiz Legend - Toni Lamond

The term Showbiz Royalty is often used to describe performers of considerable success and longevity in the business. My guest today is the real thing. She’s experienced great success across a range of mediums in a career that has spanned eight decades. She is the daughter of vaudevillians Joe Lawman and Stella Lamond, the sister of songstress Helen Reddy and the mother of actor, Tony Sheldon – she is of course Miss Toni Lamond.

Toni is a woman of firsts. In a time when overseas stars were brought to Australia to lead local productions of Broadway musicals, Toni was first to be given the opportunity to lead an Australian cast in The Pajama Game. With husband, Frank Sheldon, she was the opening night act on Australian television going on to be the first woman in the world to host a tonight show, when filling in for the legendary Graham Kennedy. So, I am delighted that she completes another first today – the very first guest on STAGES.