Elspeth Ballantyne (born April 20 1939) is an Australian actress best known for her portrayal of compassionate prison officer Meg Jackson (later Meg Morris) in the now legendary global cult Australian television soap opera Prisoner. Ballantyne was the only actor to stay with the series for its entire eight year run. She would later reprise her famous role of Meg 'Mrs M.' Morris in the original stage tour of Prisoner: Cell Block H - The Stage Play, which toured the UK in 1989.
In the early 1990s, she also enjoyed a stint in another Channel Ten soap opera, Neighbours, playing the role of Cathy Alessi. Recent appearances in the feature films The Caterpillar Wish as Mrs. Woodbridge, and in Moonlight & Magic as a thrift shop owner Desma. In this film she was reunited with former Prisoner co-stars Maxine Klibingaitis and Reylene Pearce.
Born on 20th April 1939, Elspeth is from Adelaide. She first worked as a laboratory technician before enrolling at Australia's esteemed drama school NIDA (the National Institute for Dramatic Art). Elspeth worked extensively on stage for the Melbourne Theatre Company and became a popular TV presence with her role in Australia's first major soap drama "Bellbird". She then followed this with her role as compassionate warder Meg Jackson (later Morris) in the cult series "Prisoner". Elspeth was the only leading actress to remain with the series from the first episode screened in 1979 to the last made in 1986. She later recreated her part in the first UK tour of the stage version of "Prisoner" in 1989.
