Jeanne Little facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeanne Little OAM
Little in 2008
Born	Jeanne Mitchell (1938-05-11)11 May 1938 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died	7 November 2020(2020-11-07) (aged 82) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Television personality actress stage performer singer deviser costume designer
Years active	1969–2011
Known for	Appearance on The Mike Walsh Show, Midday with Ray Martin, Beauty and the Beast
Spouse(s)	Barry Little ​ (m. 1971⁠–⁠2019)​ (his death)

Jeanne Little (born Jeanne Mitchell; 11 May 1938 – 7 November 2020) was a famous Australian entertainer. She was a comedian and a television star. People knew her for her amazing outfits and fun personality. She often said her famous catchphrase, "Oh Dahling!" in a special way.

Jeanne Little became very popular on The Mike Walsh Show. This show helped her win the top TV award in Australia, the Gold Logie, in 1977. She also appeared on other popular shows like Midday with Ray Martin. Later, she became a regular on the talk show Beauty and the Beast. She even became known around the world after being on Sir Michael Parkinson's chat show in the UK.

Jeanne's Early TV Career

Jeanne Little was born in Sydney, Australia. She first appeared on TV in September 1974. This was on Network Ten's The Mike Walsh Show. She was a guest showing off special clothes for pregnant women.

People loved her so much that she quickly became a regular on the show. She even moved with The Mike Walsh Show to Channel Nine. For about 15 years, Jeanne entertained and won over audiences.

The Seven Network tried two short shows with Jeanne. These were Jeanne's Little Show, a variety and chat series, and Cuckoo in the Nest, a comedy show. In Cuckoo in the Nest, she played a fun and quirky character.

Winning Awards and International Fame

Jeanne Little was a guest on the Midday with Ray Martin show. Her appearance on the BBC's Michael Parkinson chat show in London surprised many. The London Evening News even wrote: "What a woman! With her in the house you wouldn't want a TV." She appeared with famous stars like Phyllis Diller and George Burns.

In 1976, Jeanne won a Gold Logie for being the most popular TV personality. She later won two more Logies for her work on The Mike Walsh Show. She was very surprised to win the Gold Logie. She said, "Well daaahling, I was in total shock. Absolute shock, I thought, 'What me? Winning a Gold Logie? For heaven's sake this is ridiculous, there's been a mistake.'" During her most famous TV years, she even released a song called "Dahling, Are You Paying Attention?". This song was named after her famous catchphrase.

Stage Performances

In 1988, Jeanne performed at a special concert in Sydney. This was for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Her stage career really took off after that.

She starred in Jerry's Girls with famous entertainers like Marcia Hines and Debra Byrne. She then appeared in Legends at the Sydney Opera House.

Since 1978, she performed in many theatre shows. One of her most famous was Marlene, a one-woman show. It was a tribute to the actress and singer Marlene Dietrich. This show toured Australia and the US and received great reviews. She also had shows like More of a Little and A Tribute to Marilyn Monroe.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jeanne was a regular on the talk show Beauty and the Beast.

Later Life and Family

Jeanne Little married interior decorator Barry Little in 1971. Their daughter, Katie Little, is a writer, comedian, and music producer. Katie is a supporter of the Jeanne Little Alzheimer's Research Fund. This fund helps raise money for research into Alzheimer's disease. In 2019, Katie wrote a book about her family called Catch a Falling Star.

In 2011, it was announced that Jeanne had Alzheimer's disease. She was first diagnosed in 2009. By 2014, her family said her illness had progressed. She no longer knew where she was or what was happening around her. She was cared for in a nursing home in Sydney. Her husband Barry also lived there until he passed away in 2019.

Jeanne Little passed away on 7 November 2020, at the age of 82.

Awards and Recognition