The manicuring world lost a friend in February when Jan Miner - better known to most as Madge the Manicurist - died at the age of 86. For 27 years, Miner portrayed the down-to-earth manicurist who stunned clients by revealing that their hands were soaking in gentle Palmolive dish washing liquid. Her stint as Palmolive’s on-air spokesperson even landed her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running commercial character in TV history.

Miner was also a stage actress appearing on and off Broadway from the 1940s to the 1980s. She appeared in radio programs as well, including a series in the late 1940s.

NAILS is proud to have featured Miner as Madge on our August 1996 cover - a faux cover that pulled off to reveal a more contemporary image of a nail technician underneath.

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