STARS IN WARS
Illness Throws Sons and Daughters Schedule into Disarray

A series of bizarre accidents involving the cast of Sons and Daughters has left production schedules in chaos.

No less than five of the soap’s major stars have been laid low due to illness or accidents over the past three months.

The biggest nightmare that faces a producer is the cancellation of filming schedules.

Episodes are churned out at such a rate on a popular series that no cast member can really afford to be sick.

In Sons and Daughters’ case it has been a nightmare for producer Posie Jacobs as Abigail, Sarah Kemp, Leila Hayes and Mark Conroy have all been struck down by this mysterious 'S&D curse'.

The latest victim is young actress Oriana Panozzo, who plays Susan Palmer in the Seven Network soap.

Oriana is recovering from a serious car accident. Some weeks ago she was taken to hospital after the crash with burst blood vessels in the eye and bruising and lacerations to the face.

Her accident could not have come at a worse time as she was set to fly to Queensland to film scenes for the 800th episode.

The Noosa outside broadcast was one of the biggest planned for the year, but Oriana was in 80 per cent of the scenes and the important shoot had to be delayed.

Producer Posie Jacobs told TV WEEK she cannot believe the bad luck they have had.

"It’s been chaos. In three months we’ve had five major actors struck down in such a way they’ve all had to have time off," she said.

Posie said it all started at the beginning of the year with Oriana when she got 'flu and had to have 10 days off.

"Then we all went to Brisbane for a charity picnic and on our return Abigail was rushed to hospital with a heart attack scare," Posie said.

Abigail, in fact, had a virus that affected the muscles around the heart. Called viral pericarditis, it causes the muscles to swell and impairs breathing.

The next to fall victim was newcomer Mark Conroy, who plays Glen Young.

Mark had a skin cancer removed from his lip, but it had to be redone so he ended up having to miss two weeks of work.

Then Sarah Kemp, better known as Charlie, was bitten on the face by a dog at a telethon.

Sarah had to have nearly a month off the show and undergo plastic surgery to remove the ugly scars.

"The other amazing accident happened on that day with Leila Hayes having to stop working," Posie Jacobs said.

"Leila got suntan lotion in her eyes, which puffed up, closed and began weeping due to an allergy."

By: David Brown
Source: TV Week
Date: 10 May 1986