Jenny Logan
Encyclopedia
Jenny Logan is an English
actress, trained dancer and singer. Though she played WPC Sally Reed in the TV series Dixon of Dock Green
between 1968 and 1969, she is perhaps best known for her appearances as the woman in the television commercial for the carpet freshener Shake'n'Vac which was shot in 1979, and ran from 1980 to 1989.
The advert featured Jenny Logan dancing around a typical British living room
in high heels, shaking the powder onto the carpet and vacuuming it up, while singing a musical jingle
. The main lyric is "do the Shake 'n' Vac, and put the freshness back". In 2005, ITV
named it one of their best ever commercials as part of their 50th birthday celebrations.
At the time this advert was being made Logan was in a leading role at the London West End's Cambridge Theatre
in the first British production of Chicago
as Velma Kelly.
Logan continued to work in the theatre
both in the West End and in national tours. Stepping Out
, Cowardy Custard
, Annie
and Barry Manilows' Copacabana at The Prince of Wales
and a subsequent production in Denmark (directed by Craig Revel-Horwood). She also appeared as a black leather clad policewoman in a comic serial during a run of The Two Ronnies
("The Worm That Turned").
Other acting credits include Pennies From Heaven, Lovejoy
, Never the Twain
, Park Ranger and Parting Shots
and more recently London's Burning
and the John Sullivan
comedy Roger Roger
.
In 2009 she was in the touring show Cabaret
, playing Fraulein Schneider. In 2009, she appeared on The Justin Lee Collins Show
, as a blast from the past.
In 2010 Jenny was involved with the 30th anniversary celebrations since the original 'Shake 'n' Vac' advert was first shown nationally.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress, trained dancer and singer. Though she played WPC Sally Reed in the TV series Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
between 1968 and 1969, she is perhaps best known for her appearances as the woman in the television commercial for the carpet freshener Shake'n'Vac which was shot in 1979, and ran from 1980 to 1989.
The advert featured Jenny Logan dancing around a typical British living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
in high heels, shaking the powder onto the carpet and vacuuming it up, while singing a musical jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
. The main lyric is "do the Shake 'n' Vac, and put the freshness back". In 2005, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
named it one of their best ever commercials as part of their 50th birthday celebrations.
At the time this advert was being made Logan was in a leading role at the London West End's Cambridge Theatre
Cambridge Theatre
The Cambridge Theatre is a West End theatre, on a corner site in Earlham Street facing Seven Dials, in the London Borough of Camden, built in 1929-30. It was designed by Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie; interior partly by Serge Chermayeff, with interior bronze friezes by sculptor Anthony Gibbons...
in the first British production of Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
as Velma Kelly.
Logan continued to work in the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
both in the West End and in national tours. Stepping Out
Stepping Out (play)
Stepping Out is a play written by Richard Harris in 1984. It was produced in the West End, London, where it received the Evening Standard Comedy of the Year Award, and on Broadway, New York.-Plot:...
, Cowardy Custard
Cowardy Custard
Cowardy Custard is a musical revue and was one of the last Noël Coward shows staged during his life. It was devised by Gerard Frow, Alan Strachan and Wendy Toye. A book, also titled Cowardy Custard, was published in connection with the revue, similarly celebrating the Coward image.The biographical...
, Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
and Barry Manilows' Copacabana at The Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
and a subsequent production in Denmark (directed by Craig Revel-Horwood). She also appeared as a black leather clad policewoman in a comic serial during a run of The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
("The Worm That Turned").
Other acting credits include Pennies From Heaven, Lovejoy
Lovejoy
Lovejoy is a TV series about the adventures of Lovejoy, a British antiques dealer and faker based in East Anglia, a less than scrupulous yet likeable rogue. The episodes were based on a series of picaresque novels by John Grant...
, Never the Twain
Never the Twain
Never the Twain is a British sitcom that ran for eleven series from 1981 to 1991. It was created by Johnnie Mortimer, and was the only sitcom he ever created without his usual writing partner, Brian Cooke...
, Park Ranger and Parting Shots
Parting Shots
Parting Shots is a 1999 film starring Chris Rea, Felicity Kendal, Oliver Reed and Joanna Lumley. It was the last film directed by Michael Winner to date....
and more recently London's Burning
London's Burning
London's Burning was a British television drama programme produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network that focused on the lives of members of the London Fire Brigade, principally those of the Blue Watch at a fictional fire station called Blackwall.It was broadcast between 1986 and...
and the John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
comedy Roger Roger
Roger Roger
Roger Roger is a BBC television comedy-drama written by John Sullivan. The series was about a mini-cab firm called Cresta Cabs. The pilot aired in 1996 and there were three subsequent series on BBC1 in 1998, 1999 and 2003.-Pilot: 1996:...
.
In 2009 she was in the touring show Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
, playing Fraulein Schneider. In 2009, she appeared on The Justin Lee Collins Show
The Justin Lee Collins Show
The Justin Lee Collins Show is a British television talk show recently aired Thursday nights on the digital channel ITV2 starring Justin Lee Collins. Justin has a small band on the show and a continuing theme is to mention Labi Siffre as part of a joke. The series ended after one series after...
, as a blast from the past.
In 2010 Jenny was involved with the 30th anniversary celebrations since the original 'Shake 'n' Vac' advert was first shown nationally.
External links
- http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/about/search-the-company/jenny-logan/
- http://thegreen.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/movers-and-shakers-interview-with-jenny-logan-21058/