Abigail (actress)

Infobox Actor
bgcolour=
name =Abigail


imagesize =140px
caption =Abigail promotional photo
birthdate =birth date and age|1946|07|23|df=y
location = London, England
birthname = Abigail Rogan
Australian actress
yearsactive = 1968 - present
notable role = Bev Houghton in "Number 96"

Abigail (born Abigail Rogan, 23 July 1946, to a Dutch Burgher mother from Ceylon in London, England) is an Australian based actress who was a sex symbol in the 1970s and 1980s. She had immigrated to Australia in 1968.

After arriving in Australia, Abigail landed several minor roles on both stage and screen, including the female lead in a local production of the comedy "There's a Girl in My Soup" on stage. She became well known as a sex symbol through her role as Bev Houghton in the Network Ten sexed-up soap opera, "Number 96" in 1972-73. As the show's most famous sex-symbol many people assume that Abigail was the first woman to show her breasts on Australian television; actually it was fellow cast member Vivienne Garrett in the same series.

After leaving that series suddenly in 1973 Abigail appeared in a Kings Cross revue in which she appeared nude, while struggling to find serious acting jobs. Her 1973 autobiography "Call Me Abigail" sold 150,000 copies in its first two weeks of sale. During this period she appeared in a series of brief cameo roles in a string of sex comedy films such as "Alvin Purple" (1973) its 1974 sequel "Alvin Purple Rides Again", and a nude cameo in comedy "Eliza Fraser" (1976). In 1977 she had a cameo role in "Summer City", a film which is notable for being the first to have Mel Gibson in a major role. Despite the more serious nature of this last appearance it did not lead to a serious acting career.

In 1975 she appeared in "Class of '75" for three weeks as a prim French teacher in a black wig and frumpy spectacles, and in 1977 she appeared in "The Young Doctors" as super-efficient secretary Hilary Templeton. In the story of that serial her boss was murdered and she left the storyline, only to make a return now running the company she previously worked for. In the mid 1980s she took a regular role in yet another soap opera "Sons and Daughters", playing the role of Caroline Morrell from 1985 until the series ended in 1987. In 1989 she co-starred in Elly & Jools playing the crazy Country & Western Singer wannabe, Dulcie Dickson. In 1990 she was a regular cast member of short-lived soap opera "Family and Friends" and in 1991 appeared in "Chances". In 1994, she presented a prime-time reairing of the 1977 "Number 96" retrospective, "And They Said It Couldn't Last".

Abigail had also made an attempt at popular music career in 1973 and scored a hit with a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je t'aime... moi non plus". Although this debut was a success, follow-ups, including a comedic release with ventriloquist Chris Kirby, were not. Her initial success was attributed to her stardom and not her singing talent.

She nowSpecify|date=February 2008 rarely appears in publicFact|date=February 2008.

Abigail was interviewed on Sydney, Australia radio station 2GB on her 60th birthday in 2006. At that time she was living on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Roles

"Television"
* Chances as Bambi Chute (1991-1992)
* Family and Friends as Doreen Stubbs (1990-1990)
* Neighbours as Betty Bristow (1989-1989)
* Elly & Jools as Dulcie Dickson (1988-1988)
* Sons and Daughters as Caroline Morrell (1984-1987)
* Blankety Blanks as Panellist (1977-1977)
* The Young Doctors as Hilary Templeton (1977-1977)
* Class of '75 as Angelique Dupree (1975)
* Number 96 as Bev Houghton / Eve (1972-1976)

"Movies"
* Summer City (1977)
* Eliza Fraser (1976)
* The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975)
* Alvin Rides Again (1974)
* Alvin Purple (1973)

Discography

;Singles
* 8/73 Je t'aime / Last Tango in Paris Festival Records (Australia) No.6, 11 weeks
* 1973 These Dreams / (Just As) I Am Festival Records (Australia)
* 1974 Stay A While / (?) Festival Records (Australia)
* 1974 Biting My Nails / (?) Festival Records (Australia)

;Album
* 1973 Abigail Festival Records (Australia) L-35260
** Side A: 1. An Occasional Man 2. My Baby Does it Good 3. New Fangled Tango 4. These Dreams 5. Do It Again 6. Je T'aime
** Side B 1. Sugar Me 2. The Man I Love 3. (Just As) I Am 4. Pillow Talk 5. Last Tango In Paris 6. Please Terry, Do It One More Time*

:Produced by Martin Erdman:Recorded at Festival's 'Studio 24", Sydney Australia:Terry appears by courtesy of Chris Kirby.

References

* [http://www.milesago.com/Artists/abigail.htm Biography]

External links

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