Joy Chambers

Australian actress, author, poet and businesswoman (1947–2023)

Joy Chambers

Born|

Carolyn Joy Chambers

1947

Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Died| 17 September 2023 (aged 76)

Queensland, Australia

Occupations|

* Actress
* author
* poet
* businesswoman

Years active| 1965–2010
Known for|

* The Restless Years (TV series) as Rita Merrick
* The Young Doctors (TV series) as Dr. Robyn Porter
* Neighbours (TV series) as Rosemary Daniels

Spouse|

Reg Grundy

(m. 1971; died 2016)​

Website| www.joychambers.com

Carolyn Joy Chambers-Grundy (née Chambers; 1947[1] – 17 September 2023) was an Australian actress, author, poet and businesswoman. As the wife of multimillionaire television tycoon Reg Grundy, she wrote for, worked as a production assistant on and appeared in his productions, and served on the board of Grundys Worldwide; subsequently with her husband, she formed media investment company "RG Capital Holdings", and pursued a career as a writer of historical novels.

## Biography

[edit]

### Early career

[edit]

Chambers was named the inaugural Miss Surf Girl in 1965 by the Queensland Surf Life Saving Club and was a model when she was spotted by her future producer husband Reg, who placed her as a panellist on the Australian version of his game show I've Got A Secret in which she featured over a 10-year tenure and won two Logie Awards in 1969 and 1970 as Most Popular Female Personality in Queensland. She went on to appear in numerous other Grundy's game shows including Everybody's Talking, The Celebrity Game and Blankety Blanks.[2]

### Television soap opera

[edit]

Chambers-Grundy is known for several television soap opera roles including Rita Merrick in The Restless Years, Dr Robyn Porter in The Young Doctors, and Rosemary Daniels in Neighbours. Chambers first played Rosemary, businesswoman and adopted daughter of Anne Haddy's character Helen Daniels, as a guest appearance in 1986 and then played the character on a recurring basis until 2010. Chambers made a brief return to the show in 2005, after line producer Linda Walker emailed her asking if she would return for the 20th anniversary celebrations.[3] She shot her scenes in April on a visit to Melbourne.[3][4] In May 2010, it was announced that Chambers would again be reprising the role of Rosemary.[5] Chambers also appeared in film All at Sea.

### Career as writer

[edit]

Chambers had a keen interest in poetry and literature which began in childhood, with her father encouraging her deep love of the English word. Chambers was an author of historical novels.[6] She was also the International Patron of the Ipswich Poetry Feast.

## Personal life and death

[edit]

Chambers was the second wife of television media mogul Reg Grundy from 1971 until his death in 2016. The couple lived in Bermuda.[7] Chambers died in Queensland, Australia on 17 September 2023, at the age of 76.[8]

## Filmography

[edit]

Television

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1967-1972  | I've Got A Secret | Herself - Regular Guest  | TV series, 1 episode
1968  | Everybody's Talking | Herself - Regular panelist  | TV series
1969  | The 11th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself  | TV special
1970  | The 12th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself  | TV special
1974  | Barry McKenzie: Ogre Or Ocker | Herself  | TV special
1976–1977  | The Celebrity Game | Herself – Regular Panelist  | TV series
1977–1978  | Graham Kennedy's Blankety Blanks | Herself – Panelist  | TV series
1977  | All at Sea | Joy  | TV movie
1977–1979  | The Restless Years | Rita Merrick  | TV series, 101 episodes
1981–1982  | The Young Doctors | Robyn Porter  | TV series
1981  | Channel Nine Celebrates: 25 Years Of Television | Herself in audience with Reg Grundy  | TV special
1986–1987, 1989–1991, 1993–1998, 2005, 2010  | Neighbours | Rosemary Daniels  | TV series, 88 episodes
1993, 1996, 2000, 2003  | Good Morning Australia | Herself – Guest  | TV series, 4 episodes
2005, 2010  | A Current Affair | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series
2010  | Sunrise | Herself - Guest  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | Ten News | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | Seven News | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | Nine News | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | Sky News | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | Today Tonight | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010  | ABC News | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series, 1 episode
2010, 2016  | A Current Affair | Herself & Reg Grundy  | TV series
2016  | A Current Affair | Herself  | TV series, 1 episode  | [9][6]
2017  | Sunrise | Herself - Archive clips  | TV series, 1 episode

### Net worth

[edit]

Year  | Financial Review
Rich List | Forbes
Australia's 50 Richest

|
|

Rank  | Net worth (A$)  | Rank  | Net worth (US$)
2019[10] | 108 | $871 million  |  |
2020[11] | 114 | $871 million  |  |
2021[12] | 122 | $871 million  |  |
2022  | n/a | unlisted |  |
2023[13] | 156 | $901 million  |  |

Legend

Icon |  Description
| Has not changed from the previous year
| Has increased from the previous year
| Has decreased from the previous year

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Mayfield (1993). ISBN 0747238634
* My Zulu, Myself (1995). ISBN 0747248591
* Vale Valhalla (2000). ISBN 0747260885
* None But the Brave (2003). ISBN 0755305213
* For Freedom (2007). ISBN 0755309405
* The Great Deception (2012). ISBN 0755352645[14][15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Joy Chambers | Actress". IMDb. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
2. ^ "Obituary: Joy Chambers". Televisionau.com. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
3. ^ a b Hornery, Andrew (30 July 2005). "Back in the Hood". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
4. ^ Green, Kris (2 June 2005). "First 'Neighbours' 20th anniversary shots". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
5. ^ "Blast from the past". Holy Soap. Channel Five. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
6. ^ a b Teutsh, Danielle (30 November 2008). "Three cheers for Mr Television". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
7. ^ Bell, Jonathan (28 October 2017). "Dispute over Grundy's $38m luxury estate". The Royal Gazette. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
8. ^ Marshall, Michelle (17 September 2023). "Neighbours legend Joy Chambers-Grundy dies 'in her sleep' as family mourn loss". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
9. ^ Mitchell, Jake (9 May 2016). "Reg Grundy, Australian media mogul, dead at 92". The Australian. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
10. ^ Bailey, Michael (30 May 2019). "Australia's 200 richest people revealed". The Australian Financial Review. Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
11. ^ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (30 October 2020). "The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed". The Australian Financial Review. Nine Publishing. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
12. ^ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (27 May 2021). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
13. ^ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (26 May 2023). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
14. ^ Chambers, Joy (2013). "[Front matter]". The Great Deception. London: Headline Review. ISBN 978-0-7553-5266-1.
15. ^ Johns, Victoria (17 September 2023). "Neighbours legend dies age 76 as tributes pour in". Daily Mirror.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Joy Chambers at IMDb
* Joy Chambers at Hachette

*[m.]: married