Jan Miner American character actress Date of Birth: 15.10.1917 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Career
2. Radio and Television Stardom
3. The Iconic "Madge"
4. Stage and Theatre
5. Personal Life and Later Years

Early Life and Career

Janice Miner was born on October 15, 1917, in Boston, Massachusetts, to a dentist father and an artist mother. After graduating from Boston's Vesper George School of Art, she studied acting under the renowned Lee Strasberg in New York City. Miner made her stage debut in Boston at age 27 in Elmer Rice's "Street Scene."

Radio and Television Stardom

Throughout the 1950s, Miner was a prolific radio performer, starring in several popular series. She voiced Della Street in "Perry Mason," Anne Williams in "Casey, Crime Photographer," and Mary Wesley in "Boston Blackie." From 1948 to 1957, she played Julie Erickson in the soap opera "Hilltop House," sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive.

When radio dramas declined due to television, Miner transitioned to the small screen. She reprised her roles from "Crime Photographer" and "Boston Blackie" on television, and also guest-starred in shows such as "Studio One," "Naked City," and "The Defenders."

The Iconic "Madge"

In 1966, Miner achieved widespread recognition as the lovable manicurist Madge in the Palmolive dish soap commercials. The character's catchphrase, "You're soaking in it!", became an American pop culture icon. The commercials aired for 27 years in the United States and in several other countries, establishing Madge as Miner's most memorable role.

Stage and Theatre

Miner made her Broadway debut in 1960 in "Hail to Madison Avenue!" After that, she appeared in numerous stage productions, including Tennessee Williams' "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore," "The Lady of the Camellias," "Butterflies Are Free," "The Women," "The Heiress," "Watch on the Rhine," and "Heartbreak House." She also performed Shakespearean roles, such as Emilia in "Othello" and Juliet's Nurse in "Romeo and Juliet."

Personal Life and Later Years

Miner was married for 35 years to actor and writer Richard Merrell, who passed away in 1998. The couple often performed together on stage, including in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night" at the Woodstock Playhouse. Miner spent her later years in Southbury, Connecticut, where she passed away on February 15, 2004, due to declining health.