Series work not all champagne and roses

Press, 26 April 1989, Page 19

Series work not all champagne and roses

When Dina Panozzo’s agent told her Grundys wanted her to audition for a new serial, she was not particularly hopeful. Up until that time, most of her career had concentrated on stage work and her television roles had been limited to small guest appearances. “I was playing a Chinese peasant girl in the film ‘The Imposters’ in Melbourne,” she says. “I did the audition and put it out of my mind.” “Two days later my agent rang and said, ‘They want you for the Jill Warner role in ‘Richmond Hill.’ “I was overjoyed. I’d found what I wanted — my first full-time role in TV. A whole new area had opened up to me, along with some welcome money and security.” Danozzo’s “Richmond Hill” character, Jill Warner, is 22 and a career real estate agent. Danozzo calls her “a role model for women of the eighties and nineties.” The role is a change from some of the characters Panozzo has played on stage in theatre companies in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. "I’ve been a prostitute, a Nicaraguan freedom fighter, a scheming housewife, and Wendy in ‘Peter Pan’ in my time,” she says. “I was a prostitute in ‘Cop Shop,’ one of my many television guest appearances, and I was

Gary Sweet’s romantic interest in ‘The Sullivans,’ my first TV show.” New Zealanders may remember Panozzo from her guest roles in “A Country Practice” and “Carson’s Law.” After landing her biggest role so far, Danozzo quickly discovered that working on a continuing serial was not all champagne and roses. “At the beginning I did a lot of location work. It meant setting my alarm for 4 a.m., getting up when it still felt like the middle of the night and driving out into the country. I’d be in a state of shock for a couple of hours,” she says. “I was glad when my body clock adjusted to the early rising.” She also found it difficult to adapt to the more light-hearted character of Jill. “When you’re playing scenes packed with enormous emotion, it gives you a lot more to work with. To play a lighter role is very difficult. “That’s the challenge I’ve found in Jill, with the transition from theatre to television.” Now based in Sydney, the Italian-born actor has strong ties with her family in Adelaide. "I was brought up in Adelaide with three sisters — Oriana, Stella and Josephine. We were a family who loved music, singing and dancing.

“Dad would dance around the house and Mum was a prima ballerina who also played the piano. “Oriana shared my interest in theatre. Remember her in ‘Sons and Daughters’? Stella became a pianist and singer, and Josephine is the writer of . the family.” Away from the cameras, Danozzo loves dining with friends, listening to music, and dancing for hours at a stretch. “I also enjoy quiet times by myself, watching European films, reading, and taking long walks at sunset.” Danozzo left Adelaide in 1979 to do a drama course and won her first television role in “The Sullivans” while still a drama student. Other guest roles followed while she went on to make a name for herself on the stage. Now firmly established on the small screen, she is enjoying playing Jill Warner and identifies strongly with the character. “She’s independent like me. She’s intelligent and she’s worked hard to get where she is. “As well as having a fiery spirit, she exudes a natural charm and an ability to generate warmth. She makes me smile.” “Richmond Hill” screens tonight at 7.30 on Two.