Emily Perry (English actress)

==Madge Allsop==

==Madge Allsop==

Although the character of Madge Allsop was created by Barry Humphries during the 1960s, she was only mentioned in passing by Dame Edna and did not appear on stage until the late 1970s, when she was portrayed by the London-based Australian actress [[Madeleine Orr]]. Orr died of cancer in 1979, so when the role of Madge was written into Humphries' 1987 film ''[[Les Patterson Saves the World]]'', she was portrayed by another Australian actress, Connie Hobbs. Later that year, when Humphries decided to cast "the definitive Madge" for his new TV series, ''The Dame Edna Experience'', he auditioned many elderly actresses for what would be a recurring role. As he recalled, "All of them tried too hard. Some were whimsical, some camp, but most were far too over the top to resemble an oppressed, inarticulate New Zealand spinster whom life had passed by."<ref name="Humphries">Humphries, Barry. ''My Life as Me'', pp. 232–33.</ref> Perry herself later recalled: "I did nothing at the audition, and I've done nothing since."<ref name="Barker">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/dame-ednas-doleful-sidekick/2008/02/24/1203788144284.html|title=Dame Edna's doleful sidekick|work=The Age|date=25 February 2008}}</ref> Humphries paid tribute to Perry in the second volume of his autobiography, ascribing her with "the rare gift of being able to do nothing in the face of overwhelming provocation".<ref name="Humphries"/>

Although the character of Madge Allsop was created by Barry Humphries during the 1960s, she was only mentioned in passing by Dame Edna and did not appear on stage until the late 1970s, when she was portrayed by the London-based Australian actress [[Madeleine Orr]]. Orr died of cancer in 1979, so when the role of Madge was written into Humphries' 1987 film ''[[Les Patterson Saves the World]]'', she was portrayed by another Australian actress, Connie Hobbs. Later that year, when Humphries decided to cast "the definitive Madge" for his new TV series, ''The Dame Edna Experience'', he auditioned many elderly actresses for what would be a recurring role. As he recalled, "All of them tried too hard. Some were whimsical, some camp, but most were far too over the top to resemble an oppressed, inarticulate New Zealand spinster whom life had passed by."<ref name="Humphries">Humphries, Barry. ''My Life as Me'', pp. 232–33.</ref> Perry herself later recalled: "I did nothing at the audition, and I've done nothing since."<ref name="Barker">{{cite news |last=Barker |first=Dennis |date=25 February 2008 |title=Dame Edna's doleful sidekick |url=https://www.theage.com.au/world/dame-ednas-doleful-sidekick-20080225-ge6ro3.html |access-date=12 July 2025 |work=The Age}}</ref> Humphries paid tribute to Perry in the second volume of his autobiography, ascribing her with "the rare gift of being able to do nothing in the face of overwhelming provocation".<ref name="Humphries"/>

Perry's portrayal of Madge Allsop in ''The Dame Edna Experience'' was well-received, and she subsequently reprised the role in many of Humphries' other TV specials, including ''One more Audience with Dame Edna Everage'' (1988), ''A Night on Mount Edna'' (1990), ''[[Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch]]'' (1992) and ''Dame Edna's Hollywood'' (1993). Madge became something of a cult figure – much to the apparent annoyance of Dame Edna – and appeared in a coffee commercial in the late 1980s.{{cn|date=September 2022}}

Perry's portrayal of Madge Allsop in ''The Dame Edna Experience'' was well received, and she subsequently reprised the role in many of Humphries' other TV specials, including ''One more Audience with Dame Edna Everage'' (1988), ''A Night on Mount Edna'' (1990), ''[[Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch]]'' (1992) and ''Dame Edna's Hollywood'' (1993). Madge became something of a cult figure—much to the apparent annoyance of Dame Edna—and appeared in a coffee commercial in the late 1980s.{{cn|date=September 2022}}

In 1997, she made a memorable appearance as Madge Allsop on a [[Comic Relief]] TV Special, in which she danced and sang "Today I Feel So Happy". She was to have been accompanied on the piano by [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] but, as he did not know the music, a member of the audience was conscripted instead, with Webber turning the pages of the sheet music. This brief performance, which represented the only time Madge Allsop spoke on camera, received a huge ovation from the studio audience. Perry's last on-screen appearance as Madge Allsop was a cameo in the TV special ''Dame Edna: Live at the Palace'' (2003), in which the then 96-year-old actress was 'caught' in bed with [[Ozzy Osbourne]].{{cn|date=March 2022}}

In 1997, she made a memorable appearance as Madge Allsop on a [[Comic Relief]] TV Special, in which she danced and sang "Today I Feel So Happy". She was to have been accompanied on the piano by [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] but, as he did not know the music, a member of the audience was conscripted instead, with Webber turning the pages of the sheet music. This brief performance, which represented the only time Madge Allsop spoke on camera, received a huge ovation from the studio audience. Perry's last on-screen appearance as Madge Allsop was a cameo in the TV special ''Dame Edna: Live at the Palace'' (2003), in which the then-96-year-old actress was 'caught' in bed with [[Ozzy Osbourne]].{{cn|date=March 2022}}

==Other appearances==

==Other appearances==

==Later life and death==

==Later life and death==

Perry retired in 2004 and took up residence in [[Brinsworth House]], [[Twickenham]], where she died on 19 February 2008, aged 100.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7254308.stm|title=Edna's 'bridesmaid' dies at 100|publisher=BBC News|date=20 February 2008}}</ref>

Perry retired in 2004 and took up residence in [[Brinsworth House]], [[Twickenham]], where she died on 19 February 2008, aged 100.<ref>{{cite news |date=20 February 2008 |title=Edna's 'bridesmaid' dies at 100 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7254308.stm |access-date=12 July 2025 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

==References==

==References==