Fark reports the sad news: Madge is dead.
Janice Miner was known all over the world for her portrayal of Madge, the wisecracking manicurist in Palmolive commercials. For 27 years, the ads featured Miner praising the gentleness of the dish detergent: “It softens hands while you do the dishes.”
Miner studied at the Vesper George School of Art in Boston and trained for the stage with acting coach Lee Strasberg. She made her stage debut in 1945 in the Boston performance of “Street Scene.” Three years later, she moved to New York City, and began a four-decade career acting on- and off-Broadway. She frequently shared the stage with her husband, actor/screenwriter Richard Merrell, who died in 1988.
During the late 1940s, Miner appeared on several radio programs, including the popular, syndicated series, “Boston Blackie.” In film, she acted with Dustin Hoffman in “Lenny,” and in “Mermaids” with Cher. She also made numerous guest appearances on television, including a recent performance on the NBC drama, “Law and Order.”
Miner died on Feb. 15. Cause of death was not released. She was 86.
