Robina Beard

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, 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. 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 including Alice in Wonderland in 1959 and The Boy Friend in 1968. She appeared as Dormouse in the 1962 teleplay of Alice in Wonderland, alongside Noel Ferrier (Humpty Dumpty) and Chips Rafferty (White Knight). Beard joined GTV-9 in Melbourne in 1965, working first as their first weather girl and then appearing on In Melbourne Tonight. 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.