Jan Miner played the iconic role as Madge the Manicurist in a 27-year series of television commercials for Palmolive from the early 1960s until the late 1990s.
Madge the manicurist cracked me up. I loved how she’d make sassy comments to the customers and shove their hand back into the bowl of Palmolive when the client is surprised to learn they’re soaking in dish liquid. My favorite comment was when she said she was a manicurist not a magician. And her parting jokes at the end were so corny.
The marketing was so strong that I wonder if salon manicurists actually used Palmolive. I still think about these ads when I do dishes. And think about her saying “You’re soaking in it”.
1960s
