Cheryl Rixon

Cheryl Rixon is an Australian actress and model born on 12 October 1954 in Perth, Western Australia. Rising to prominence in the 1970s, she became widely known for her appearances in international magazines and for her later transition into design and entrepreneurship. Having built a career that spanned modelling, acting, and business, Rixon established herself both in Australia and the United States, where she eventually settled. Her jewellery brand and continuing involvement in creative work reflect a multifaceted professional life shaped across several decades.

Early Life and Initial Career in Australia

Rixon’s early public profile emerged in Western Australia during the early 1970s. She was a twice-selected finalist in the Miss West Coast bikini beauty pageant, a highly visible annual event held each January in Perth. These pageants served as stepping stones for many aspiring models and performers from the region, and her repeated placement drew attention to her growing presence in local entertainment circles.
Her early television experience included working as a game show assistant on Perth-based programmes. Rixon later entered the Australian film and television industry through minor acting roles. Her screen debut came in Plugg (1975), a low-budget sex-comedy filmed in Perth. Following this, she relocated to Melbourne, a major hub for Australian television production, to pursue further acting opportunities.
In Melbourne, Rixon worked with Crawford Productions, one of Australia’s leading television production companies. She appeared in three distinct roles during the final episodes of the crime series Homicide, demonstrating her versatility and expanding her acting credentials. Beginning in mid-1975, she also took on the role of Angela O’Malley, a young television starlet, in the sex-comedy soap opera The Box. Her appearances on the series continued intermittently into 1976, contributing to her national visibility at a time when Australian television dramas were achieving strong domestic followings.

Rise to International Modelling Fame

Cheryl Rixon’s move to the United States in the late 1970s marked a turning point in her career. She gained international fame when she was selected as Penthouse magazine’s Pet of the Month for December 1977. Her popularity in the magazine’s readership led to her being crowned Pet of the Year in October 1979 during a televised event held at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, an occasion that significantly expanded her public profile. Her Pet of the Year pictorial appeared in the November 1979 issue, where she also appeared on the cover.
Her modelling success continued into the early 1980s. In July 1980, she opened New York Mayor Ed Koch’s Festival of Fragrances, a promotional event showcasing the growing perfume industry. She received further editorial exposure with a ten-page spread in Penthouse in 1980. In 1982, Rixon appeared again on a magazine cover, this time for Oui magazine, in which she featured in a special pictorial.
During this phase of her career, Rixon also appeared in a number of American films, widening her presence in popular culture and demonstrating her ability to transition between modelling and acting.

Legal Case Against Penthouse Magazine

A significant moment in Rixon’s career came in 1985 when she pursued legal action against Penthouse’s publisher for failing to deliver certain prizes associated with her Pet of the Year title. Rixon brought the case before the New York State Supreme Court, which ruled in her favour, affirming her entitlement to the promised awards. The decision was later upheld on appeal, marking a notable instance of an international model asserting contractual rights within the entertainment industry.

Film and Television Roles

Across her acting career, Cheryl Rixon accumulated a variety of screen credits in both Australia and the United States. Her filmography includes roles in:

• Plugg (1975) as Kelli Kelly
• Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) as an extra
• Swap Meet (1979) as Annie
• Used Cars (1980) as Margaret
• I Like to Play Games (1995) as Sean
• Dark Secrets (1996) as Philipa
• Scorpio Men on Prozac (2010), credited as Cheryl Rixon Davis, playing Mrs Everyman

Her television work includes:

• The Box (1975–1976) as Angela O’Malley
• Homicide (1976–1977), with three guest roles
• Telethon ’79 (1979), appearing as herself
• Penthouse Pet of the Year 1980 TV special in the United States

These roles reflect a career rooted in diverse genres, from crime drama to comedy and independent film productions.

Later Career and Jewellery Design

In later years, Cheryl Rixon shifted towards design and entrepreneurship. After settling in the United States, she launched a jewellery line under the brand name Royal Order, which specialised in high-end designs incorporating motifs such as crowns, fleur-de-lis, and heraldic emblems. The brand gained a following among celebrities and fashion circles, contributing to her reputation beyond modelling and performance.
Rixon’s work in jewellery design demonstrates her evolution from entertainer to creative businesswoman, maintaining a steady presence in artistic industries. Her designs are sold internationally, and the brand continues to reflect her distinctive aesthetic influences.