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Guest Character Profiles > Melody Jones Robyn Arthur

Melody Jones 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008
Occupation: Manager, Dress Shop Assistant, Publisher

No-nonsense talent manager Melody Jones already had several clients – including boyband Roger and Robbie D – under her belt when she approached Erinsborough resident Nina Tucker about signing up with her. After spotting Nina singing at a Country and Western theme night at Lou Carpenter’s pub, she left her card with Lou and left Nina to get in touch. After debating the offer with her boyfriend, Jack Scully, Nina contacted Melody and arranged a meeting. Although Melody was somewhat brash, she won Nina over when she mentioned that Nina’s parents need not be involved with the deal if she didn’t want them to. When Melody heard that Lou wanted Nina for another last-minute gig at the pub, she showed her worth and ended up getting Lou to wait on Nina hand and foot as she prepared to sing. As time went on, Melody convinced Lou to give Nina a regular gig at the pub so that she could showcase her material. Nina soon realised that Melody might be her ticket to stardom and agreed to sign up, but was forced to forge her mother’s signature on the forms in order to keep her parents out of her work life.

The following week, Melody set about arranging the first gig and made attempts to get Nina’s face out and about in the world of showbiz. Although Jack thought Melody was being a little pushy, she arranged for Nina to go to a movie premiere with Robbie D. Jack, however, had other ideas and Nina decided to pull out, rather than risk her relationship. But when Melody mentioned that this one event could bring about Nina’s big break, she decided that it was worth that risk. Unfortunately, on the night, Robbie leaned in for a kiss, a moment which was caught by a photographer and left Nina worried that her secret would be exposed to Jack. Melody was less than sympathetic, and pointed out to Nina that being seen with Robbie had improved her profile and she was being booked for interviews and bigger gigs.

Although the incident almost cost Nina her relationship with Jack, Melody told Nina that she’d just have to trust her if she wanted to make a career as a singer. After a few months, Melody told Nina that one of her other singers had had an accident and Nina could take her place on an Asian tour – with a line-up that also included Robbie D. In the end, Nina agreed to go, even though she couldn’t take Jack with her. Several weeks later, Nina was alarmed to hear one of her songs on the radio, being sung by Robbie D. She contacted Melody, who explained that Nina had signed a contract which also handed over all of her recording rights. Nina was horrified and was forced to own up to her mother, Trixie. Fortunately, Lou pointed out that the contract wasn’t valid with a forged signature on it, and that Melody had no hold over Nina or any of her money or music.

The following year, it seemed that Melody had taken a break from management when Steph Scully was out with her friends, Libby and Susan, looking for a wedding dress. As they entered one of the bridal shops, Susan was surprised to see Melody behind the counter and couldn’t resist making a dig about Nina. Melody, however, explained that she’d given up managing people as she couldn’t trust anyone, but it seemed that she hadn’t given up ripping people off and before long, Steph was out the door, complaining about the ridiculous prices.

By the end of 2005, Melody had reinvented herself once again, this time as a publisher, and had already made a good name for herself around Melbourne. When Ramsay Street resident Janelle Timmins decided to write a novel, and it ended up being emailed around half the town as part of a practical joke, Melody got to read it. She contacted Janelle and announced that she was interested in publishing the work, The Bogan's Tipped Hair. After several weeks of test readings of the book, Melody met up with Janelle and her husband, Kim and told her that it would need to be slightly longer before it could be published. But what only the Timmins family knew was that the youngest daughter of the Timmins family, Bree, had actually written a lot of the book in order to bring it up to scratch.

A couple of years later, Melody's career as an agent was once again over, and she was back working as a sales assistant in a dress shop in Erinsborough Plaza. When teenagers Bridget Parker and Rachel Kinski came in, looking for outfits for their school formal, Melody believed that they were simply planning to try everything on without buying anything and, annoyed by her attitude, the girls left. At home, Bridget informed her mum, Miranda and aunty Nicola of what had happened, and the women took Bridget and Rachel back to the shop, making several large purchases with the help of junior sales assistant Jane Cosi, who got the commission, much to Melody's annoyance.

Trivia Notes

Trivia Notes
• Robyn Arthur returned in 2024 as Moira Tohu
• To read our 2005 interview with Robyn Arthur, click here

Biography by Steve

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