Robina Beard (born 1938) is an English-born Australian actress, dancer and choreographer. Beard has appeared in numerous stage and TV roles, but is best known as "Madge the Manicurist" in the Palmolive dishwashing liquid advertisements.

Early life

Born in

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

, London, England in 1938, Beard came to Australia with her family in 1949. Her education in dance began at age size and in Sydney she was trained in the

Cecchetti method The Cecchetti method is variously defined as a style of ballet and as a ballet training method devised by the Italian ballet master Enrico Cecchetti (1850–1928). The training method seeks to develop essential skills in dancers as well as streng ...

Career

Her professional career began in 1955 when she danced in the musical '' Can-Can'' for J. C. Williamson's. She performed in a number of musicals and plays at the

Phillip Street Theatre The Phillip Street Theatre (succeeded by the Phillip Theatre) was a popular and influential Australian theatre and theatrical company, located in Phillip Street in Sydney that was active from 1954 and 1971 that became well known for its intimate s ...

including '' Alice in Wonderland'' in 1959 and '' The Boy Friend'' in 1968. She appeared as

Dormouse A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae (this family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists). Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibe ...

in the 1962 teleplay of '' Alice in Wonderland'', alongside

Noel Ferrier Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...

(

Humpty Dumpty Humpty Dumpty is a character in an English nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an anthropomorphic egg, though he is not explicitly described as such. ...

) and

Chips Rafferty John William Pilbean Goffage MBE (26 March 190927 May 1971), known professionally as Chips Rafferty, was an Australian actor. Called "the living symbol of the typical Australian", Rafferty's career stretched from the late 1930s until his death ...

( White Knight). Beard joined GTV-9 in Melbourne in 1965, working first as their first weather girl and then appearing on ''

In Melbourne Tonight ''In Melbourne Tonight'', also known as ''IMT'', was a highly popular nightly Logie award-winning Australian variety television show produced at GTV-9 Melbourne from 6 May 1957 to 1970. Overview Graham Kennedy was the show's main host and ...

''. She also appeared in '' Barley Charlie'', the first sitcom produced in Australia and shown across the Nine Network. She subsequently had roles in many well-known Australian series, including '' No. 96'', '' G.P.'', '' Home and Away'' and '' All Saints''. Beard is best known as 'Madge', the manicurist in the Australian and New Zealand advertisements, for Palmolive dishwashing liquid from 1968, with the slogan, "You're soaking in it". She adapted and directed a production of '' The Wizard of Oz'' which played at the Regent Theatre during the 1980

Festival of Sydney Sydney Festival is a major arts festival in Australia's largest city, Sydney that runs for three weeks every January, since it was established in 1977. The festival program features in excess of 100 events from local and international artists an ...

. In 1981 she directed Greg Millin's ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

'', which was described as "wonderful school holiday entertainment for the whole family". She re-staged ''

Sesame Street Live ''Sesame Street Live'' is a live touring show based on the children's television show ''Sesame Street'' produced by Feld Entertainment. History The VEE Corporation was started in March 1980 by founder Vincent Egan, who had an idea to produce a ...

'' at the Capitol Theatre for the 1982

, then toured the production on a 16-week tour of Australia followed by New Zealand and Asia. In 2018 Playscript published her book, ''My Life – Your Soaking In It.'' Beard first performed the role of Daisy Bates in the play, ''Tales of Kabbarli'', by Geoffrey Sykes at 313 Theatre, Coniston, New South Wales in 2007. She is reprising the play in Sydney in 2023 at Actor's Pulse in Redfern.

Awards and recognition

Beard was awarded the

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in the 2011 Australia Day Honours for "service to the arts, particularly through dance". In July of the same year she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Dance Awards.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

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Robina Beard
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Beard, Robina 1938 births Living people Actors from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia 20th-century Australian actresses 21st-century Australian actresses 20th-century Australian dancers Australian choreographers Australian theatre directors Australian women choreographers Australian women theatre directors People from Twickenham