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Denise Drysdale

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Denise Drysdale
Drysdale at the 2016 Logie Awards at the Crown Palladium
Born
Denice Anne Christina Drysdale[1]

(1948-12-05) 5 December 1948 (age 75)
Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia
Other namesDing Dong
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • variety entertainer
  • actress
  • singer
  • dancer
  • comedian
Years active1951–present
EmployerNetwork 10
Known forStudio 10
Children2
Awards2× Gold Logie

Denise Anne Christina Drysdale (born 5 December 1948)[2] is an Australian television presenter, variety entertainer, actress, singer, dancer and comedian. She is often affectionately known as Ding Dong, a nickname invented by fellow performer Ernie Sigley.[3] She is currently a co-host of the morning show Studio 10.

Early life

Childhood

Born in the Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin, Drysdale and her family moved to Port Melbourne when she was three-and-a-half, where her parents ran the Fountain Inn Hotel. They lived there for eleven years, during which time Drysdale attended Kilbride Ladies Convent, South Melbourne.

Career beginnings

Drysdale's career began soon after the move to Port Melbourne. Referring to the (then) regulations for public bars to cease serving alcohol at 6pm, she observed:

"During that time it was the 6 o'clock swill, and Mum didn't want her little girl seeing all that drinking, so she sent me to dancing, to May Downs. May Downs was an amazing woman. She taught us 150% is what you gave in any performance, or don't bother. And of course, that's got me into strife over the years."[3]

By the age of six, Drysdale had won a number of dancing competitions.[4][5]

At about ten years of age, she began her television career with GTV9 in Melbourne, working in the junior ballet on the Tarax Show. She was later sacked when she gained weight and developed breasts.

"We'd been there about a year and a bit, and on the holidays I had put on weight, but not much, and as you know, if you put someone in a nice tutu, they don't have bosoms—they have very flat chests. Pete Smith always said, "You grew boobs, they had to get rid of you." They couldn't do it today. And I've suffered to this day. I still stand on the scales six times a day to check whether I've put on half a pound or a pound."[3]

Photographed at the time by a Channel Nine photographer, Drysdale went on to win the annual Girl of the Year Award with Everybody's in 1964.

At age seventeen, Drysdale joined the new show Kommotion as a go-go girl,[3] becoming Melbourne's first go-go dancer.[6]

Drysdale was invited to tour Australia with Ray Brown & the Whispers. She was then offered a recording contract and appeared in 26 episodes of the ABC's Dig We Must.

Drysdale at the Logies, 2011

Career

In the 1960s, Drysdale appeared as a dancer on In Melbourne Tonight. In 1966, she performed on The Go!! Show, and was voted third-most-popular female vocalist by the readers of Go-Set.[7] This popularity led to an invitation to perform for the troops in Vietnam[8] for three weeks in 1967, along with Patti Newton, the Strangers, and Doug Owen.[3] In 1969, she went to the Far East to entertain American troops.

In 1974, she became Ernie Sigley's barrel girl on The Ernie Sigley Show. It was here she gained the nickname Ding Dong. In 1975, Drysdale and Sigley released a single "Hey Paula" as a duet, which reached #2 on the Australian charts, Later that year she won the TV Week Gold Logie for the Most Popular Female Personality on Australian TV,[9] and won her second Gold Logie the following year.[10] In the same period, she also won consecutive Silver Logies.

Drysdale has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Norman Gunston Show, Celebrity Squares, Young Talent Time, Countdown, Division 4, Homicide, Bellbird and Celebrity Name Game. She has also worked in regional television in Victoria including guest appearances on BTV-6 Ballarat and hosting a morning magazine show on GLV-8 in the 1980s. As an actress, she has appeared in the movies The Last of the Knucklemen, Snapshot, and Blowing Hot and Cold.

On stage, she has appeared in plays and musicals, including Salad Days, Grease, The Barry Crocker Show, Two Gentlemen of Verona and Hello, Dolly! in 1994. She also spent two years in Sydney appearing on television shows Beauty and the Beast and "Weekend Sydney" between 1981 and 1983 before returning to her home town of Melbourne, Victoria.

In 1989, Drysdale joined Ernie Sigley to host In Melbourne Today, and in 1991 began a Sydney version of the show In Sydney Today.[11] The two programs later merged to a single program: Ernie And Denise. Also in 1989, she was asked to fill in on Hey Hey It's Saturday[12] due to Jacki MacDonald being ill and subsequently leaving. Drysdale stayed with the show for over a year before leaving due to ongoing rumours of a feud between her and host Daryl Somers. Over the years both have denied such rumours.[13] In 1994, Drysdale returned to host an episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday in Somers' absence. She also returned for one of the reunion shows in 2009.[14]

In the late 1990s Drysdale appeared in the reboot of IMT on the Nine Network.

In 1998, she joined the Seven Network to present her own show for the first time,[15] called Denise. This program lasted four seasons.

In 2005, Channel 9 chose Drysdale as one of the 50 most important people on television for the last 50 years.[16]

On 7 October 2010 she made an appearance in the second of the Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion shows.

In 2010, Drysdale joined Network Ten's new morning show The Circle alongside Yumi Stynes, Chrissie Swan and Gorgi Coghlan as host. She remained on the show for two seasons, leaving at the end of the 2011 season. She reappeared as a special guest on the final episode in 2013.

Drysdale regularly performed around Australia on the club circuit, often with her television partner, Ernie Sigley.[17]

It was announced Drysdale would join as permanent co-host of Studio 10 in 2016 after appearing as a regular fill-in presenter, sharing the position with Ita Buttrose.[18]

In June 2018, Drysdale joined the cast of Neighbours as Nance Sluggett. She made her first appearance on 3 October 2018.[19]

FILM

Year Film Character Type
1979 Snapshot aka 'The Day After Halloween' Lily Feature film
1979 The Last of the Knucklemen Whore Feature film
1989 Blowing Hot and Cold Shelley Feature film

TELEVISION

Year Title Character Type
1956 The Tarax Show Herself TV series
1962 Sunnyside Up Herself TV series
1963 In Melbourne Tonight Herself TV series, Regular
1966 Four Corners Herself as Go-go dancer ABC TV series, 1 episode
1966-1967 The Go!! Show Herself as Go-go dancer TV series, 11 episodes
1966-1967 Kommotion Herself as Go-go dancer TV series, Regular
1967 Start Living Herself TV series, Regular
1967 Dig We Must Herself ABC TV series, 26 episodes
1968 Uptight Herself sings "Rescue Me" TV series, 1 episode
1973 The Barry Crocker Comedy Hour Herself
1973 The Graham Kennedy Show Herself TV series, 5 episodes
1973 Matlock Police Shop assistant / Maid TV series, 2 episodes
1973;1974 Homicide Kate / Margaret Brett / Midge / Jenny / Sue TV series, 5 episodes,
1973;1974 Division 4 Gloria/ Jill Bates / Wendy / Meredith Mckenzie / Shirley TV series, 5 episodes
1974-1976 The Ernie Sigley Show Herself TV series, 179 episodes, Regular
1974 Countdown Herself sings "The Loving Song" ABC TV series, 3 episodes
1975 Countdown Herself sings "Green" ABC TV series, 1 episode
1975 Bellbird unknown role ABC TV series
1975 Yooralla Telethon Herself TV special
1975 The 17th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself - Gold Logie winner TV special
1975 The Norman Gunston Show Herself sings "Having My Baby" w Norman ABC TV series, 1 episode
1975;1976 Celebrity Squares Herself - Panel TV series, 4 episodes
1976 The Bluestone Boys Nurse Peachum TV series, Regular
1976 The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Herself - Gold Logie winner TV special
1976 Ernie Herself TV series, Regular
1976 Countdown Herself sings "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" ABC TV series, 1 episode
1976 Bandstand '76 Herself sings "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" TV series, 1 episode
1976 The Bob Maumill Show Herself TV series, Regular
1976 Me And Mr Thorne Sally TV movie
1977 The Celebrity Game Herself - Panel TV series
1977 Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal Herself TV special
1978 The Truckies unknown role ABC TV series, 1 episode
1978 The 20s And All That Jazz Herself TV special
1978 The Peter Couchman Show Herself TV series, 1 episode
1979;1980 Cop Shop Josie Brown / Rhonda Mather TV series, 3 episodes
1980 Celebrity Tattletales Herself - Panel TV series, 1 episode
1981 And Here Comes Bucknuckle unknown role ABC TV series, Regular
1981 The Don Lane Show Herself sings "Hey Paula" w Ernie Sigley TV series, 1 episode
1981-1982 Beauty and the Beast Herself - Panel TV series, Regular
1982 Mastermind Herself - Guest contestant ABC TV series, 1 episode
1983 The Daryl Somers Show Herself / Mary Loo Bannister in 'Detergent Place', 'Detergent Ad Lady' / Mrs Jenkins TV series, 4 episodes
1983 Weekend Sydney Herself - Host TV series
1984 The Love Game Herself TV series, Regular
1984-1988 Channel 7 Perth Telethon Herself TV special
1984 Life's a Risky Business Herself Film documentary
1985 Daryl Somer's Blankety Blanks Herself - Panel TV series, Regular
1985 Neighbours unknown role TV series, 1 episode
1985 It's a Knockout Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
1986 Moomba Procession Herself w Ernie Sigley TV special
1986 Channel Ten Telethon Herself TV special
1986 Late Night With Jono And Dano Herself TV series, Regular
1986 Star Search Herself - Guest judge TV series, 1 episode
1987 Have A Go Herself - Guest judge TV series, Regular
1987 Hey Dad..! 'Have A 'Go' Judge TV series, 1 episode
1987 Say G'Day Herself TV series, Regular
1987 You've Got To Be Joking Herself TV series, 1 episode
1988 Life Education Television Appeal Herself TV special
1989 The Flying Doctors Marge Malarvy TV series, 1 episode, Guest role
1989;1996 Burke's Backyard Herself - Celebrity Gardener TV series, 1 episode
1989-1990 In Melbourne Today Herself - Host w Ernie Sigley TV series, Regular
1989-1990;1994;2009 Hey Hey It's Saturday Herself TV series, Regular
1991-1992 In Sydney Today Herself - Host w Ernie Sigley TV series, Regular
1992 Supermarket Sweep Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
1992;1994;1995 What's Cooking Herself TV series, 3 episodes
1992 Sex Herself TV series, 1 episode
1992 People's Choice Awards Herself - Presenter TV special
1993-1995 Ernie and Denise Herself - Host w Ernie Sigley TV series, Regular
1993;1996 Sale of the Century Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1993 Ernie and Denise In Paradise Herself w Ernie Sigley TV special
1994 Hey Hey It's Saturday Herself - Guest host TV series, 1 episode
1994 Martin St James Herself TV special
1994 The Beatles In Australia: 30th Anniversary Herself TV special
1994 Live It Up Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Midday With Derryn Hinch Herself TV series, 1 episode
1994 Homicide... 30 Years On Herself TV special
1995 TV Week Logie Awards Herself TV special
1995;1997 Hey Hey It's Saturday Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1995 TVTV Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
1995;1996;1997 This Is Your Life? Herself TV series, 3 episodes
1995 50 Fantastic Years Herself TV special
1996;2005 Good Morning Australia Herself TV series, 2 episodes
1996 Monday To Friday Herself TV series, 1 episode
1996-1998 In Melbourne Tonight Herself w Frankie J. Holden TV series, Regular
1996;1997 Burke's Backyard Herself - Celebrity Gardener TV series, 2 episodes
1996 Midday With Kerri-Anne Herself TV series, 1 episode
1996 40 Years Of Logies Herself - Host TV special
1996 Television: The Way We Were Herself TV special
1997 Between The Lines Herself TV series, 1 episode
1997 Blankety Blanks Herself - Game contestant TV series, 2 episodes
1997 Our House Herself TV series, 1 episode
1998-2001 Denise Herself - Host TV series
1998 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
1998 Eleven A.M. Herself TV series, 1 episode
1998 When Rock Was Young: The 60s Herself - Archive clips TV special
1999 All Star Squares Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
1999 I Believe In Angels Herself TV special
2001 The Bob Downe Show Herself sings "Hey Paula" with Bob Downe TV series, 1 episode
2001 The Big Schmooze Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2001 The Election Chaser Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2002-2003 Dig & Dine Herself - Host TV series
2002 New Idea: 100 Fabulous Years Herself TV special
2003 This Is Your Life: The Showbiz Greats Herself TV special
2003 You Must Remember This Herself TV series, 1 episode
2005 The Price Is Right Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
2005 Good Morning Australia Herself w Bert & Patti Newton (Final episode) TV series, 1 episode
2006 Get This Herself Podcast series
2006 Talking Heads Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2006-2014 Spicks and Specks Herself - Game contestant ABC TV series, 6 episodes
2006 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode
2006 50 Years, 50 Stars Herself - Archive clips TV special
2006 Today Tonight Herself TV series, 1 episode
2006 TV Turns 50: The Events That Stopped A Nation Herself TV special
2007 Bert's Family Feud Herself - Game team captain TV series, 1 episode
2008 Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
2008 This Is Your Life? Bert Newton Herself TV series, 1 episode
2009 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation Herself TV series, 1 episode
2010 The Project Herself TV series, 1 episode
2010 Hey Hey It's Saturday Herself TV series, 1 episode
2010-2011;2013 The Circle Herself - Host w Georgie Coghlan, Chrissie Swan & Yumi Stymes TV series
2010 Sleuth 101 Marjorie ABC TV series, 1 episode, Guest role
2010 Lights! Camera! Party! Television City Celebrate Herself sings "Hey Paula" w Ernie Sigley TV special
2011 You Have Been Watching Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2013 Celebrity Splash! Australia Herself TV series, 2 episodes
2013 Tractor Monkeys Herself - Game contestant ABC TV series, 1 episode
2014 Dirty Laundry Live Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2014 Young Talent Time Herself - Guest judge TV series, 1 episode
2014 When The Beatles Drove Us Wild Herself ABC TV special
2014 The Flamin' Thongs Brenda Thong (voice) TV series, 26 episodes
2014 Please Like Me Ginger ABC TV series, 5 episodes
2014;2015 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 2 episodes
2015 Darren & Brose Herself TV series, 2 episodes
2015- ) Studio 10 Herself - Co-host TV series, Regular
2017 Stop Laughing... This Is Serious Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2018-2019 One Fat Lady And One Thin Lady Herself w Jessica Rowe Podcast series
2018 Back In Time For Dinner Herself ABC TV series, 1 episode
2018 Neighbours Nance Slugget TV series, 2 episodes
2019 Celebrity Name Game Herself - Game contestant TV series, 1 episode
2021 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself SBS TV series, 1 episode

STAGE/THEATRE

  • Buttons (1972)
  • Grease (1972)
  • Dimboola (1975)
  • The Sentimental Bloke (1976)
  • The Barry Crocker Show (1979)
  • Two Gentlemen Of Verona (1980)
  • Salad Days (1983)
  • Hello Dolly! (1994-1995)

Discography

Charting singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart
positions 		Certification
AUS
[20]
1974 "Hey Paula" (with Ernie Sigley) 2
"The Loving Song"/"Green" 42

Awards and nominations

Go-Set Pop Poll

The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper Go-Set and was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll during 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.[22]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1966 herself Female Vocal 3rd

Logie Awards

The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by magazine TV Week, with the first ceremony in 1959, known then as the TV Week Awards, the awards are presented in 20 categories representing both public and industry voted awards. Drysdale has won two Gold Logie awards for Most Popular Female Personality on Australian television. [9][10]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
Logie Awards of 1975 herself Gold Logie Won
Logie Awards of 1976 herself Won

In 1998, as part of Melbourne's Moomba Festival, Drysdale was crowned 'Moomba Monarch'.[23]

In January 2008, Drysdale was awarded the 'Australia Day Citizen of the Year' award by Baw Baw Shire.[24]

In 2018, Drysdale was honoured by Australia Post with her portrait featuring on a special collection of post stamps issued as part of "The Legends of Television" series.[25]

Personal life

Drysdale has two sons, and at least one grandson.[3]

References

  1. ^ Studio 10 – 26 April 2018
  2. ^ "Today's Birthdays". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 5 December 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Talking Heads". ABC. 1 May 2006. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  4. ^ Australian Speakers Bureau Archived 7 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 8 January 2011
  5. ^ "They're dancing in South street". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848–1957). 8 September 1956. p. 7. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  6. ^ Denise Drysdale on Life, Love and the Universe Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ McIntyre, Iain (2006). Tomorrow is Today: Australia in the Psychedelic Era, 1966–1970. Wakefield Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-86254-697-4.
  8. ^ "Red China Bases to far for Air War". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 28 October 1967. p. 4. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Logies for Ernie and Ding Dong". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 8 March 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Schoolgirl steals Logie show". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 13 March 1976. p. 3. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  11. ^ Wallace, Mark (11 February 1991). "It wasn't the best of mornings for the host of 'GMA'". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). p. 9. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Behind the scenes of Hey Hey its Saturday". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 3 July 1989. p. 21. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  13. ^ Knox, David (7 March 2007). "Denise on Daryl". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  14. ^ Butler, Dianne (2 October 2009). "Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion proves interminable". Courier mail. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  15. ^ Bonner, Frances (2003). Ordinary Television: Analyzing Popular TV. SAGE Publications. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-8039-7570-5.
  16. ^ "Denise Drysdale". Celebrity Speakers. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  17. ^ Full circle | The Daily Telegraph 24 September 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2013
  18. ^ Willis, Charlotte (17 November 2015). "Denise Drysdale joins Studio 10: New host to replace Ita Buttrose three days a week". news.com.au. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  19. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (24 September 2018). "Neighbours' Gary Canning gets blackmailed by mischievous newcomer Nance Sluggett". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  20. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 96. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  21. ^ "Cash Box Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 October 1974. p. 36. Retrieved 15 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  23. ^ "Monarch History". Moomba. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  24. ^ "Denise Drysdale receives Baw Baw Shire 2008 Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award". Baw Baw Shire. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  25. ^ Manning, James (19 January 2018). "New Australia Post stamps feature Ding Dong, KAK, Ray Martin, Daryl Somers and Bert". Mediaweek. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
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