Judith Frances Bryant was an American ex-pat who appeared on Prisoner from Ep 091 - 534.
Judy Bryant
Judy was introduced as Sharon Gilmour's "sister" in Episode 091, but it quickly becomes obvious that they are actually lovers. Judy was a Taxi Driver in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
While visiting Sharon, Judy is manipulated into bringing drugs into the prison for Sharon, out of love. When Judy feared that Sharon was in love with Chrissie Latham, Judy deliberately got herself arrested, at Wentworth, by hiding drugs in her coin clip, and freely handing it over to Meg Jackson for inspection.
After Sharon is murdered by Jock Stewart, Jock describes in vivid detail how he murdered her to Judy, causing her to swear revenge on him, angered by the fact that Jock got away with it scot free at the time, and causing Judy to help instigate a rooftop protest to get the message to the public about Sharon's murder. This rooftop protest ended with another death, that of Leanne Burke.
Judy made a couple of escape attempts not long after this, the first escaping hospital and attempting to flee the country to see her sick father before he dies, and the second during the collapse of the underground tunnel - Judy was on the right side of the collapse. Judy is eventually re-captured when she tries to kill Jock Stewart while working at a massage parlour.
Despite claiming to be a virgin in an earlier episode, Judy has a daughter Lori, who tracks her down, and even gets herself imprisoned to be closer to her mother. Lori is eventually released, and marries.
After a scheme Judy manages to pull with Doreen Anderson leaving the prison understaffed, Judy is transferred to Barnhurst, but is transferred back for her parole hearing where she is released.
Judy encounters Jock on the outside, when he tracks her down and rapes her. Judy manages to run and when Jock chases after her, he ironically falls down a flight of stairs himself, and is paralysed.
After her release she opens the Susie Driscoll Halfway House in honour of ex-Wentworth prisoner Susie Driscoll. Many ex-detainee's are housed at Driscoll House to help them get back on their feet, including Lizzie Birdsworth, Maxine Daniels and Paddy Lawson.
Judy is sent to Wentworth yet again for giving her terminally ill friend, and inmate Hazel Kent an overdose.
Judy eventually leaves Wentworth to begin a new musical career as a folk singer. It was mentioned during Myra's funeral (556) that Judy was on a world tour in New Zealand.
Judy Bryant was played by Betty Bobbitt.
TrIvia
- Betty Bobbitt originally tried for the role of Bea Smith, but didn't get it because she couldn't get the yell right.
- Judy was originally supposed to be short term, and die from her bad heart, but the writers kept her around when she was more loved by the fans.