Maggie Dence
Maggie Dence (born 1 February 1942) is an Australian stage, film and television actress. She is best known on television for her early comedy work and soap opera roles, including Rose Sullivan in The Sullivans (1976–78), Bev "The Beast" Baker in Prisoner (1984) and Dorothy Burke in Neighbours (1990–93)
Maggie Dence | |
|---|---|
 Maggie Dence in January 2013 | |
| Born | 1 February 1942 Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Actress of stage, television and film |
| Spouse(s) | Graham Rouse |
Professional career
Stage
Dence is well known to Sydney theatre audiences for the very large number of roles she has played, in particular with the Nimrod Theatre Company. She has also appeared in panto in the United Kingdom.
Television
From 1966–1968 she had played various characters in the influential Australian satirical sketch comedy program The Mavis Bramston Show. One of her characters was the title character Mavis Bramston – the joke being that Mavis appeared in only the opening segment of each episode and was not seen again thereafter. She was also a recurring guest in the popular 1980s sitcom Kingswood Country, playing the snobbish Merle Bulpitt.
Her best-known soap opera roles include the sweet Rose Sullivan in The Sullivans between 1976–1978, as evil psychopath and serial killer Bev "The Beast" Baker in Prisoner Cell Block H in 1984, and as school teacher Dorothy Burke in Neighbours in the early 1990s. Dence also had guest roles in A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, All Saints and Heartbreak High.
Film
In 2005 she appeared in the award-winning Australian film Look Both Ways. In 2008 she appeared in the BBC/Southern Cross soap Out of the Blue.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Wake in Fright | Receptionist | |
| 1982 | The Best of Friends | Shop assistant | |
| 1983 | The Return of Captain Invincible | Italian Lady | |
| 1987 | The Perfectionist | Rosie Peters | |
| 1988 | Cherith | Short | |
| 1989 | Luigi's Ladies | Shandra | |
| 2003 | Danny Deckchair | Meredith Butcher | |
| 2003 | Peter Pan | Lady Quiller Couch | |
| 2005 | Look Both Ways | Joan | |
| 2009 | Grace | Nona | Short |
| 2015 | The Witching Hour | Old Witch | Short |
| 2015 | The Widow | Elaine | Short |
| 2016 | The Mother Situation | Short | |
| 2016 | Setaceous | Short | |
| 20?? | Dirt Cheap | Irene | Announced |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–68 | The Mavis Bramston Show | Mavis Bramston | Lead role |
| 1967 | Homicide | Elaine Fleming | "The Legacy" |
| 1968–69 | I've Married a Bachelor | "You Tell Me Your Dreams, I'll Tell You My Dreams", "Into the Breach" | |
| 1969 | Skippy | Soprano | "El Toro" |
| 1970 | The Link Men | Edie Whitman | "Somebody's Kid Is Missing" |
| 1972 | A Nice Day at the Office | Mrs. Quiggley | TV series |
| 1973 | Boney | Mrs. Coutts | "Boney and the Emu Man" |
| 1973 | Division 4 | Marion Evans | "Willie" |
| 1974 | Silent Number | Nurse Janet Kay | "Bang, Bang, You're Dead" |
| 1975 | Homicide | Anne | "Brick Veneer" |
| 1976–77 | The Sullivans | Rose Sullivan | Regular role |
| 1979 | Doctor Down Under | Mrs. Peabody | "A Bird in the Hand" |
| 1980 | Trial by Marriage | TV series | |
| 1980–84 | Kingswood Country | Merle Bullpit | Regular role |
| 1981 | A Town Like Alice | Mrs. O'Connor | TV miniseries |
| 1981 | A Country Practice | Jan Hardy | "Secrets: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1982 | A Country Practice | Courtney Fraser | "Show Down: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1984 | A Country Practice | Blanche Mitchell | "Ships in the Night: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1984 | Prisoner: Cell Block H | Bev Baker | Season 6 (supporting role – 6 episodes) |
| 1985 | Winners | Psychiatrist | "The Other Facts of Life" |
| 1985 | Possession | Lady Shannon | Main role |
| 1987 | Willing and Abel | "Miss September" | |
| 1987 | The Flying Doctors | Helen Manning | "Sapphire" |
| 1988 | Act of Betrayal | Dorothy | TV film |
| 1989 | A Country Practice | Victoria Fleming | "Bel Canto: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1989 | Home Brew | TV film | |
| 1990 | More Winners: The Big Wish | Lady Mikeevil | TV film |
| 1990–93 | Neighbours | Dorothy Burke | Regular role; 356 episodes |
| 1991 | Edens Lost | Producer | TV film |
| 1994 | G.P. | Judith Marr | "Coitus Interruptus" |
| 1995 | Correlli | Maureen Barnes | "An Early Release" |
| 1998 | Blue Heelers | Elizabeth Schulz | "Letting Go" |
| 1998 | Driven Crazy | Granny Rose | "Mousechap" |
| 1998 | All Saints | Lyn Brown | "Forget Me Not" |
| 2000 | Water Rats | Joy Turner | "Mummy Dearest" |
| 2000 | Grass Roots | Ellen Leonard | "The Whole Year" |
| 2000 | Stingers | Celia Jones | "Organised Crime" |
| 2002 | Fairy Tale Police Department | (voice) | "Pinocchio: Puppet in Peril" |
| 2002 | Always Greener | Sister Stern | "Understanding the Cry" |
| 2002–03 | All Saints | June Markham | "Chemistry", "Trust", "Friend in Need" |
| 2006 | Small Claims: The Reunion | Roma | TV film |
| 2008 | Milly, Molly | (voice) | TV series |
| 2008 | Out of the Blue | Olive Hammond | Main role |
| 2013 | The Very Trevor Ashley Show | Old Lady | "Pilot" |
| 2013–15 | Wonderland | Ruth MacPherson | Recurring role |
| 2015 | Ready for This | Mabel | "Fresh Meat" |
| 2016 | Rake | Janet | "4.3" |
| 2017 | Attack! Attack! Art? | Gran | TV series, completed |
| 2019 | Frayed | Mrs Atkins | Season 1 (recurring role – 3 episodes) |
Awards
Maggie Dence was named (on 29 September) the 2011 recipient of the Equity Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding services to the performing arts – both stage and screen – and her longstanding involvement with the NSW Actors' Benevolent Fund. The award, presented by Foxtel, is from Maggie's peers and members of her union, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance Equity (Performers) Section, which Maggie joined in 1962.