Denise Drysdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denise Drysdale
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Drysdale at the 2016 Logie Awards at the Crown Palladium
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Born |
Denice Anne Christina Drysdale
5 December 1948 Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia
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Other names | Ding Dong |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1951–present |
Employer | Network 10 |
Known for | Studio 10 |
Children | 2 |
Awards | 2× Gold Logie |
Denise Anne Christina Drysdale (born 5 December 1948) 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. She is currently a co-host of the morning show Studio 10.
Contents
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.
By the age of six, Drysdale had won a number of dancing competitions.
At about ten years of age, she began her television career with GTV9 in Melbourne, working in the junior ballet on the Tarax Show.
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.
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.
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. This popularity led to an invitation to perform for the troops in Vietnam for three weeks in 1967, along with Patti Newton, the Strangers, and Doug Owen. 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, and won her second Gold Logie the following year. 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. 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 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. 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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
In June 2018, Drysdale joined the cast of Neighbours as Nance Sluggett. She made her first appearance on 3 October 2018.
Filmography
Film
Year | Film | Character | Type |
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1979 | Snapshot aka 'The Day After Halloween' | Lily | Feature film |
1979 | The Last of the Knucklemen | Feature film | |
1989 | Blowing Hot and Cold | Shelley | Feature film |
Television
Year | Title | Character | Type |
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1956 | The Tarax Show | Herself | TV series |
1962 | Sunnyside Up | Herself | TV series |
1963 | In Melbourne Tonight | Herself | TV series |
1966 | Four Corners | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1966–1967 | The Go!! Show | Herself | TV series, 11 episodes |
1966–1967 | Kommotion | Herself | TV series |
1967 | Start Living | Herself | TV series |
1967 | Dig We Must | Herself | TV series, 26 episodes |
1968 | Uptight | Herself (singing "Rescue Me") | TV series, 1 episode |
1973 | The Barry Crocker Comedy Hour | Herself | TV special |
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 (singing "The Loving Song") | TV series, 3 episodes |
1975 | Countdown | Herself (singing "Green") | TV series, 1 episode |
1975 | Bellbird | 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 (singing "Having My Baby" with Norman) | TV series, 1 episode |
1975, 1976 | Celebrity Squares | Panellist | TV series, 4 episodes |
1976 | The Bluestone Boys | Nurse Peachum | TV series |
1976 | The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards | Herself – Gold Logie winner | TV special |
1976 | Ernie | Herself | TV series |
1976 | Countdown | Herself (singing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight") | TV series, 1 episode |
1976 | Bandstand '76 | Herself (singing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight") | TV series, 1 episode |
1976 | The Bob Maumill Show | Herself | TV series, Regular |
1976 | Me & Mr Thorne | Sally | TV movie |
1977 | The Celebrity Game | Panellist | TV series |
1977 | Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal | Herself | TV special |
1977 | Six Tonight | Guest - Herself | TV special |
1978 | The Truckies | 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 |
1979; 1980 | Young Talent Time | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1980 | Celebrity Tattletales | Panellist | TV series, 1 episode |
1980 | Young Talent Time | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1980; 1981 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1981 | And Here Comes Bucknuckle | TV series | |
1981 | Channel Nine Celebrates: 25 Years Of Television | Herself in audience with Ernie Sigley | TV special |
1981 | The Don Lane Show | Herself (singing "Hey Paula" with Ernie Sigley) | TV series, 1 episode |
1981; 1985 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself with Ernie Sigley | TV series, 1 episode |
1981–1982 | Beauty and the Beast | Panellist | TV series, Regular |
1982 | Mastermind | Contestant | 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 | Host | TV series |
1983; 1989 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Herself as Co-host | TV series, 1 episode |
1984 | The Love Game | Herself on panel with Andrew Clarke & Red Symons | TV series, 1 episode |
1984–1988 | Channel Seven Perth Telethon | Herself | TV special |
1984 | Life's a Risky Business | Herself | Film documentary |
1985 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1985 | Daryl Somer's Blankety Blanks | Panellist | TV series |
1985 | Neighbours | TV series, 1 episode | |
1985 | It's a Knockout | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
1986 | Moomba Procession | Herself | TV special |
1986 | Channel Ten Telethon | Herself | TV special |
1986 | Late Night with Jono and Dano | Herself | TV series |
1986 | Star Search | Guest judge | TV series, 1 episode |
1987 | Have a Go | 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 |
1987 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Herself with Ian 'Molly' Meldrum/Red Faces | TV series, 1 episode |
1987, 1988 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Herself (Red Faces) | TV series, 1 episode |
1988 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Herself (Red Faces) | TV series, 1 episode |
1988 | Life Education Television Appeal | Herself | TV special |
1989 | The Flying Doctors | Guest: Marge Malarvy | TV series, 1 episode |
1989, 1996 | Burke's Backyard | Celebrity Gardener | TV series, 1 episode |
1989–1990 | In Melbourne Today | Co-Host | TV series |
1989–1990, 1994, 2009 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Herself | TV series |
1991–92 | In Sydney Today | Co-host | TV series |
1992 | Supermarket Sweep | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
1992, 1994, 1995 | What's Cooking | Guest | TV series, 3 episodes |
1992 | People's Choice Awards | Presenter | TV special |
1993–95 | Ernie and Denise | Co-host | TV series, Regular |
1993 1996 |
Sale of the Century | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
1993 | Ernie and Denise In Paradise | Herself | TV special |
1994 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | 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 | 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 |
1996–98 | In Melbourne Tonight | Herself | TV series |
1996, 1997 | Burke's Backyard | Celebrity Gardener | TV series, 2 episodes |
1996 | Midday with Kerri-Anne | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1996 | Television: The Way We Were | Herself | TV special |
1997 | Between the Lines | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1997 | Blankety Blanks | Contestant | TV series, 2 episodes |
1997 | This Is Your Life: Denise Drysdale | Herself - Special Guest | TV series |
1996 | 40 Years of Logies | Host | TV special |
1997 | Our House | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1998–2001 | Denise | Host | TV series |
1998 | Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | 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 | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
1999 | I Believe In Angels | Herself | TV special |
2001 | The Bob Downe Show | Herself (singing "Hey Paula" with Bob Downe) | TV series, 1 episode |
2001 | The Big Schmooze | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2001 | The Election Chaser | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2002–03 | Dig & Dine | 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 | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
2005 | Good Morning Australia | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2006 | Get This | Herself | Podcast series |
2006 | Talking Heads | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2006–14 | Spicks and Specks | Contestant | 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 | Made In Melbourne | Herself - Guest (with Charles 'Bud' Tingwell) | TV special |
2006 | TV Turns 50: The Events That Stopped a Nation | Herself | TV special |
2007 | Bert's Family Feud | Game team captain | TV series, 1 episode |
2008 | Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune | 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 | You Have Been Watching | Herself - Panelist (with Adam Richard & Tommy Dean) | TV series, 1 episode 10: "Beauty And Fashion" |
2010–2011, 2013 | The Circle | Co-host | TV series |
2010 | Sleuth 101 | Marjorie | TV series, 1 episode |
2010 | Lights! Camera! Party! Television City Celebrate | Herself (singing "Hey Paula" with Ernie Sigley) | TV special |
2011 | You Have Been Watching | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2012 | Today Tonight | Guest - Herself (with Carmen Duncan & Hazel Phillips) | TV series, 1 episode |
2013 | Celebrity Splash! Australia | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
2013 | Tractor Monkeys | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
2014 | Dirty Laundry Live | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2014 | Young Talent Time | Guest judge | TV series, 1 episode |
2014 | When The Beatles Drove Us Wild | Herself | TV special |
2014 | The Flamin' Thongs | Brenda Thong (voice) | TV series, 26 episodes |
2014 | Please Like Me | Ginger | TV series, 5 episodes |
2014, 2015 | A Current Affair | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
2015 | Darren & Brose | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
2015–present | Studio 10 | Co-host | TV series |
2017 | Stop Laughing... This Is Serious | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2018–19 | One Fat Lady and One Thin Lady | Herself (with Jessica Rowe) | Podcast series |
2018 | Back In Time For Dinner | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2018 | Neighbours | Nance Slugget | TV series, 2 episodes |
2019 | Celebrity Name Game | Contestant | TV series, 1 episode |
2021 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2023 | Christmas with the Australian Women's Weekly | Herself | TV special |
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
Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
Certification |
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AUS |
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1974 | "Hey Paula" (with Ernie Sigley) | 2 |
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"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.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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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.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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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'.
In January 2008, Drysdale was awarded the 'Australia Day Citizen of the Year' award by Baw Baw Shire.
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.
Personal life
Drysdale has two sons, and at least one grandson. Drysdale has recently sold her home in Victoria and moved to Queensland for its climate.