Margaret Helen Dence (born 1 February 1942) is an Australian actress of stage and screen, with a career spanning some seven decades. She is equally at home in both comedy and drama roles. Dence is best known to early audiences for her roles in the satirical TV comedy ''

The Mavis Bramston Show ''The Mavis Bramston Show'' is an Australian television satirical sketch comedy revue series that aired on the Seven Network from 1964 to 1968. Mavis was created, written, and co-produced by Carol Raye, who also starred in it and was inspired by ...

'', and also serving as that series' mascot (originally portrayed in the pilot by

Noeline Brown Noeline Mabel Brown (born 3 October 1938)credited also as Noelene Brown, is an Australian actress and comedian. She has appeared in numerous films, television shows, theatrical productions and radio programs dating back to 1959. Career Theatr ...

). Dence featured in comedy ''

Kingswood Country ''Kingswood Country'' is an Australian sitcom that was broadcast on the Seven Network from 1980 to 1984. It was created by Gary Reilly and Tony Sattler and produced by their production company, RS Productions. The series starred Ross Higgins ...

'' with stars

Ross Higgins Ross Higgins (14 June 1930 – 7 October 2016) was an Australian vaudevillian, character actor, television host, comedian, singer and voice actor. He was best known for his role as Ted Bullpitt in the 1980s television situation comedy seri ...

and

Judi Farr Judith Mary Stuart Farr (5 October 1938 – 30 June 2023), also credited as Judy Farr, was an Australian actress of theatre, film and television, with a career spanning some seven decades, she was best known for several situation comedy roles ...

as snobbish Merle Bullpit. Her dramatic roles she is known for were in TV series ''

The Sullivans ''The Sullivans'' is an Australian period drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran on the Nine Network from 15 November 1976 until 10 March 1983. The series tells the story of a fictional average middle-clas ...

'' as Rose Sullivan, ''

Prisoner A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a Sentence (law), se ...

'' as Bev Baker and ''

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...

'' as school headmistress

Dorothy Burke Dorothy Burke is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Maggie Dence. The actress accepted the role after being approached by a representative from the show's production company. She made her fir ...

Professional career

TV and film

''Mavis Bramston'' and ''Kingswood Country''

Dence played various characters influential Australian satirical sketch comedy program ''

'' from 1966 and 1968. 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 ''

'', playing the

snob ''Snob'' is a pejorative term for a person who feels superior due to their social class, education level, or social status in general;De Botton, A. (2004), ''Status Anxiety''. London: Hamish Hamilton it is sometimes used especially when they pr ...

bish Merle Bulpitt.

Soap opera: ''The Sullivans, Prisoner and Neighbours''

Her best-known soap opera roles are ''

'' as the sweet-natured Rose Sullivan between 1976 and 1978, ''

'' in a darker role in 1984 as an evil psychopath and serial killer called Bev 'The Beast' Baker, and ''

'' as stern school headmistress

in the early 1990s.

Other roles

Dence also had smaller cameo roles in TV serials ''

A Country Practice ''A Country Practice'' is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 ...

'', ''

The Flying Doctors ''The Flying Doctors'' is an Australian drama TV series produced by Crawford Productions that revolves around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. Tom Callaghan. ...

'', '' All Saints'' and ''

Heartbreak High ''Heartbreak High'' is an Australian television programme created by Michael Jenkins and Ben Gannon that ran from 1994 to 1996 on Network Ten and 1997 to 1999 on ABC, for seven series. It was also partially funded from 1996 by BBC2, with som ...

''. In 2005 she appeared in the award-winning Australian film '' Look Both Ways''.

Filmography

Film

Television

Television (as self)

Theatre

Awards and recognition

Dence was named (on 29 September) the 2011 recipient of the

Equity Awards The Equity Ensemble Awards (or Equity Awards) are an Australian awards system, that is an accolade presented by The Equity Foundation, the performers branch of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). The awards have been presented annua ...

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 NXE Australia Pty Ltd, trading as the Foxtel Group, is an Australian pay television company that operates cable television, direct-broadcast satellite, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April ...

, is from Maggie's peers and members of her union, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance Equity (Performers) Section, which she joined in 1962. Dence was appointed a Member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AM) in the

2022 Queen's Birthday Honours The 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as pa ...

"for service to the performing arts".

References

External links

*
Maggie Dence as Dorothy Burke
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dence, Maggie Living people People from Chatswood 1942 births Australian soap opera actresses Members of the Order of Australia Australian television actresses Australian film actresses