Jeanne Little
Encyclopedia
Jeanne Little is an Australian entertainer and TV personality.
, New South Wales
. Little made her television debut on Network Ten's Mike Walsh
Show in September 1974. Invited on as a guest showcasing designer maternity clothes, she quickly became a regular, eventually (after a stint at Channel Seven) moving with the Walsh Show to Channel Nine. The Seven Network had attempted two short-lived shows featuring Little's unique talents: Jeanne's Little Show (a variety/chat series) and Cuckoo in the Nest, a situation comedy
in which she played a wacky Auntie Mame
-type character. As part of the Mike Walsh Show team again, Little wowed and won audiences for the next 15 years.
She was a guest on the Midday with Ray Martin
and her appearance on the BBC's Michael Parkinson
variety show so startled London critics she had the London Evening News saying: "What a woman! With her in the house you wouldn't want a TV." Among the overseas guests she has appeared with are Phyllis Diller
, George Burns
and Danny La Rue
.
In 1976 Little won the Gold Logie
for most popular television personality and has won two other Logies for her work on the Mike Walsh Show. She performed at the Royal Command Bicentennial Concert before the Prince and Princess of Wales. Her stage career took off with Jerry's Girls
where American director, John Frost
teamed Jeanne with Marcia Hines
, Debra Byrne
and Judi Connelli
. Then came Legends with Kerrie Biddell, Toni Lamond
and Nancye Hayes at the Sydney Opera House
.
Marlene, Little's one woman tribute to Marlene Dietrich
toured Australia and the US to critical acclaim, followed by More of a Little, currently on tour which is filled with song, chat and hilarity from the inimitable Jeanne.
In the late 90s through to the mid-2000s Little appeared on the panel discussion show Beauty and the Beast
.
In February 2011, it was announced Little was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
and is being cared for in a nursing home.
Biography
Little was born in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Little made her television debut on Network Ten's Mike Walsh
Mike Walsh (TV host)
Mike Walsh OBE was host of The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 until 1985. Walsh is the only entertainer to be awarded the Sammy Award and Gold Logie award in the same year....
Show in September 1974. Invited on as a guest showcasing designer maternity clothes, she quickly became a regular, eventually (after a stint at Channel Seven) moving with the Walsh Show to Channel Nine. The Seven Network had attempted two short-lived shows featuring Little's unique talents: Jeanne's Little Show (a variety/chat series) and Cuckoo in the Nest, a situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
in which she played a wacky Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis that chronicles the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the ward of his deceased father's eccentric sister, Mame Dennis. The book is a work of fiction inspired by the author's eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook in many...
-type character. As part of the Mike Walsh Show team again, Little wowed and won audiences for the next 15 years.
She was a guest on the Midday with Ray Martin
Ray Martin (television presenter)
Raymond George "Ray" Martin AM is an Australian television journalist. He is best known for his various on-air roles on Channel Nine from 1978 to 2008. In 2011 he returned to 60 Minutes....
and her appearance on the BBC's Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
variety show so startled London critics she had the London Evening News saying: "What a woman! With her in the house you wouldn't want a TV." Among the overseas guests she has appeared with are Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
, George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
and Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue
Danny La Rue, OBE was an Irish-born British entertainer known for his singing and drag impersonations.-Early life:...
.
In 1976 Little won the Gold Logie
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for most popular television personality and has won two other Logies for her work on the Mike Walsh Show. She performed at the Royal Command Bicentennial Concert before the Prince and Princess of Wales. Her stage career took off with Jerry's Girls
Jerry's Girls
Jerry's Girls is a musical revue based on the songs of composer/lyricist Jerry Herman.-Production history:Created by Herman and Larry Alford in 1981, the show originated as a modest presentation at Onstage, a nightclub located in the theatre district in midtown-Manhattan . Writing in The New York...
where American director, John Frost
John Frost
John Frost may refer to:*John Frost , Welsh Chartist*John Dutton Frost , British army officer, served in Operation Market Garden...
teamed Jeanne with Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines
Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
, Debra Byrne
Debra Byrne
-Career:Byrne made her television debut on Brian and the Juniors, an early predecessor of Young Talent Time, which was hosted by a young Brian Naylor. She stayed with the show for 12 months. In 1971 she was cast as one of the original six Young Talent Time cast members...
and Judi Connelli
Judi Connelli
Judi Connelli AM is an award-winning singer and actress.She is best known for her career in opera and stage musicals...
. Then came Legends with Kerrie Biddell, Toni Lamond
Toni Lamond
Toni Lamond AM is an Australian cabaret singer, stage actor, dancer and comedienne...
and Nancye Hayes at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
.
Marlene, Little's one woman tribute to Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
toured Australia and the US to critical acclaim, followed by More of a Little, currently on tour which is filled with song, chat and hilarity from the inimitable Jeanne.
In the late 90s through to the mid-2000s Little appeared on the panel discussion show Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (talk show)
Beauty and the Beast is an Australian panel television show that has appeared in numerous versions since the early days of Australian television. The first version began in 1963 on the Seven Network with host Eric Baume as the "Beast". Baume was later replaced by presenters including John Laws,...
.
In February 2011, it was announced Little was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and is being cared for in a nursing home.
Family
Little married interior decorator, Barry Little, in 1971. Their daughter, Katie Little Poulton, runs her own graphic arts studio One Of A Kind with her husband Tim and is patron of the Jeanne Little Alzheimer's Research Fund which has been set up in her mother's honour to raise funds for much needed research into this tragic illness.External links
- IMDB Profile for Jeanne Little
- Transcript of interview with Jeanne Little on George Negus Tonight (Australian TV)
- Transcript of interview with Jeanne Little on ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
show Talking Heads