australian television information archive

Dr. Feelgood

Meet the feisty new doc making temperatures rise on Ward 17

Dr. Charlotte Beaumont (Tammy MacIntosh) is the sort of jokey, outspoken physician most nurses would love to work with, but her sparky candour can get her into trouble. She's the replacement for Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson), who is now busy with his rapid-detox clinic, and causes a stir this week when she makes a tasteless quip about nuns in front of Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker).

Charlotte's timing couldn't have been worse, coming at a moment when Terri is facing criticism from a member of her religious order who has been brought in for treatment.

"Charlotte just says what comes into her head without thinking, but she does say sorry to Terri later," says Tammy MacIntosh, who plays the outspoken medic.

"Charlotte used to be in obstetrics, working with vulnerable babies, but found it to be too scary. The babies were so fragile and she couldn't deal with that, so she moved into diagnosing and has a flair for it," Tammy says. "She also has a woodwork business on the side, because her dad was a carpenter and she wanted to please him. But he wasn't impressed, so now she's trying out her other thing—medicine—for a bit."

TV fans will recognise 32 year old actor Tammy from her regular roles in classic hits The Flying Doctors (as Annie) and Police Rescue (as Kathy). Since then, she's made guest appearances in a host of Australian dramas, including Stingers, Grass Roots, State Coroner and McLeod's Daughters and for the past couple of years has played Jool in the cult sci-fi series Farscape, filmed in Sydney for American TV production company The Henson Group (famous for making The Muppets).

All Saints producer Di Drew had wanted Tammy to appear in the show for quite awhile.

"Di asked me to play a small part in the double episode of the train crash drama that kicked off this series. But I said I'd rather hang on for a bigger role and fortunately, she held out too and the part of Charlotte came up," Tammy says. "I had worked with Di in the thriller Whipping Boy [a 1996 telemovie] with Sigrid Thornton and really enjoyed it. She gives actors faith and trusts their judgment. You get a real sense of creative involvement and freedom when you're working with Di."

Now, Tammy says she's become a bit of a medical expert.

"I went to the doctor for a checkup recently and took my own blood pressure," she laughs.

By Erin Craven, Juliet Rieden, Tanya Simpson
week of July 6, 2002
TV Week