Marni Nixon, the “ghost singer” for Audrey Hepburn and Deborah Kerr in “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music” respectively, has died aged 86.
She was a classically-trained soprano who became one of the most sought-after voice actresses in Hollywood, providing the singing voice for stars in films such as “West Side Story” and “My Fair Lady”.
Born in 1930, Nixon began her singing career in the 1950s and became a regular on the TV show “The Jackie Gleason Show”.
In the early 1960s, she was recommended to Hollywood studios by the singer Perry Como, and went on to provide the singing voice for stars in films such as “West Side Story” and “My Fair Lady”.
However, it was her work on “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music” that brought her the most attention.
For “The King and I”, she provided the singing voice for Deborah Kerr, who lip-synched to her voice on-screen.
For “The Sound of Music”, she provided the singing voice for Audrey Hepburn, who also lip-synched to her voice on-screen.
Nixon’s voice was so well-disguised that most people did not realize it was her until after she revealed herself in the 1970s.
In a 2008 interview, Nixon said, “I was the singing voice for two of the most famous movie stars in the world and I was never credited.
“I think the studios were afraid that if they put my name on the screen, people would say, ‘Who’s that?’ “
After providing the singing voice for stars in a number of Hollywood films, Nixon retired from the industry in the 1980s.
However, in the 1990s, she made a number of television appearances, including a cameo on “The Simpsons”.
In a 2008 interview, Nixon said, “I was the singing voice for two of the most famous movie stars in the world and I was never credited.
“I think the studios were afraid that if they put my name on the screen, people would say, ‘Who’s that?’ “
Marni Nixon, the “ghost singer” for Audrey Hepburn and Deborah Kerr in “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music” respectively, has died aged 86.
She was a classically-trained soprano who became one of the most sought-after voice actresses in Hollywood, providing the singing voice for stars in films such as “West Side Story” and “My Fair Lady”.
Born in 1930, Nixon began her singing career in the 1950s and became a regular on the TV show “The Jackie Gleason Show”.
In the early 1960s, she was recommended to Hollywood studios by the singer Perry Como, and went on to provide the singing voice for stars in films such as “West Side Story” and “My Fair Lady”.
However, it was her work on “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music” that brought her the most attention.
For “The King and I”, she provided the singing voice for Deborah Kerr, who lip-synched to her voice on-screen.
For “The Sound of Music”, she provided the singing voice for Audrey Hepburn, who also lip-synched to her voice on-screen.
Nixon’s voice was so well-disguised that most people did not realize it was her until after she revealed herself in the 1970s.
In a 2008 interview
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Did Marni Nixon ever appear in a movie?
Marni Nixon (February 22, 1930 – July 24, 2016) was an American soprano and actress, who was best known for dubbing the voices of other actresses in Hollywood movies. She is perhaps most famous for dubbing the singing voice of Audrey Hepburn in the film My Fair Lady.
Nixon made her screen debut in the 1952 film The King and I, in which she dubbed the singing voice of Deborah Kerr. She went on to dub the voices of Natalie Wood in West Side Story (1961), Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (1964), and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra (1963). She also voiced the title role in the 1973 animated film The Point!.
Nixon never appeared in a movie herself, but she did make occasional television appearances. In 1967, she starred in an episode of the anthology series Love, American Style entitled “Love and the Dubious Singing Career”. She also made a guest appearance on an episode of the sitcom The Odd Couple in 1973.
Marni Nixon died on July 24, 2016, at the age of 86.
Was Marni Nixon a nun in Sound of music?
Marni Nixon was an American opera singer and actress who is best known for providing the singing voice for Deborah Kerr in The King and I, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, and Natalie Wood in West Side Story.
In the popular 1965 film The Sound of Music, Nixon provided the singing voice for the lead character Maria von Trapp, played by Julie Andrews. Many people have wondered whether Nixon was a nun in real life, as her character in the film is. However, Nixon has stated that she was not a nun and that her only connection to nuns was that she had once sung for a convent school choir.
What did Marni Nixon sing for Marilyn Monroe?
Marilyn Monroe is one of the most iconic actresses to ever grace the silver screen. She was known for her breathy voice and her sex appeal. However, most people don’t know that she had a dubbing artist, Marni Nixon, who sang for her in several of her movies.
Marni Nixon was born in 1930 in Los Angeles, California. She started her career as a singer and actress in the late 1940s. In the early 1950s, she started dubbing the voices of other actresses in movies. She is most well-known for dubbing the voices of Marilyn Monroe, Deborah Kerr, and Audrey Hepburn.
Nixon sang for Monroe in the movies The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, and The Prince and the Showgirl. She also sang the song “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” for Monroe at her birthday party in 1962.
Nixon’s voice was a perfect match for Monroe’s voice. She was able to match Monroe’s breathy voice and her sex appeal. Nixon’s voice added an extra layer of intrigue to Monroe’s movies.
Nixon continued to dub the voices of other actresses until the late 1990s. She died in 2016 at the age of 86.
Marilyn Monroe is one of the most iconic actresses of all time. However, most people don’t know that she had a dubbing artist, Marni Nixon, who sang for her in several of her movies.
Marni Nixon was born in 1930 in Los Angeles, California. She started her career as a singer and actress in the late 1940s. In the early 1950s, she started dubbing the voices of other actresses in movies. She is most well-known for dubbing the voices of Marilyn Monroe, Deborah Kerr, and Audrey Hepburn.
Nixon sang for Monroe in the movies The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, and The Prince and the Showgirl. She also sang the song “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” for Monroe at her birthday party in 1962.
Nixon’s voice was a perfect match for Monroe’s voice. She was able to match Monroe’s breathy voice and her sex appeal. Nixon’s voice added an extra layer of intrigue to Monroe’s movies.
Nixon continued to dub the voices of other actresses until the late 1990s. She died in 2016 at the age of 86.
What musicals did Marni Nixon dub?
Marni Nixon was an American opera singer and actress who is known for dubbing the voices of actresses in popular musicals. She worked on a number of famous films, including “The King and I” (1956), “West Side Story” (1961), and “My Fair Lady” (1964). Nixon also had a successful career as an opera singer, and she performed with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras.
Nixon was born in Whittier, California, in 1930. She showed a talent for music from a young age, and she studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Nixon made her professional debut as an opera singer in 1954. She soon became a sought-after performer, and she worked with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic.
In 1956, Nixon made her debut as a voice dubber for the film “The King and I”. She would go on to dub the voices of actresses in a number of other popular musicals, including “West Side Story” (1961), “My Fair Lady” (1964), and “The Sound of Music” (1965). Nixon’s voice was so well-recognized that she became known as “the voice of the movies”.
Despite her success as a voice dubber, Nixon continued to have a successful career as an opera singer. She performed with the New York City Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera. In 1978, she was awarded a Grammy Award for her work on the opera “Akhnaten”.
Marni Nixon passed away in 2016, at the age of 86. She was remembered as one of the most talented and successful opera singers of her generation.
What movies did Marni Nixon sing in?
Marni Nixon (February 22, 1930 – July 24, 2016) was an American singer and actress who is best known for providing the singing voices for Hollywood actresses in movie musicals, most notably for Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady” (1964).
Nixon sang in a number of movies, often as a double for the lead actress. She sang for Deborah Kerr in “The King and I” (1956), Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” (1961), and Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady” (1964), among others.
Nixon also sang in the 1978 film version of the musical “The Wiz”, playing the role of Glinda the Good Witch.
Did Marni Nixon sing in Mary Poppins?
Did Marni Nixon sing in Mary Poppins?
Marni Nixon is an American operatic soprano who is best known for dubbing the singing voices of actresses in Hollywood films. She has lent her voice to films such as West Side Story, The King and I, and My Fair Lady.
In the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins, Nixon provided the singing voice of actress Julie Andrews, who played the title role. Andrews had been suffering from laryngitis during the film’s production and was unable to sing on set. Nixon recorded all of Andrews’ singing parts in the studio and her voice was blended with Andrews’ in the final film.
Nixon’s voice is not heard in the film’s opening number, “A Spoonful of Sugar”, which was sung by Dick Van Dyke (who played Bert in the film). However, her voice can be heard in later songs such as “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Feed the Birds”.
Despite her contributions to the film, Nixon was not credited in the final release. She was only given a credit in the film’s re-release in 2000.
Did Marni Nixon sing in Mary Poppins? The answer is yes. Nixon provided the singing voice of actress Julie Andrews, who played the title role in the 1964 Disney film. Andrews had been suffering from laryngitis during the film’s production and was unable to sing on set. Nixon recorded all of Andrews’ singing parts in the studio and her voice was blended with Andrews’ in the final film.
How many movies did Marni Nixon sing in?
Marni Nixon (February 12, 1930 – July 24, 2016) was an American singer and actress who was best known for providing dubbed vocals for leading actresses in movie musicals, including Deborah Kerr in The King and I (1956), Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (1964), and Natalie Wood in West Side Story (1961).
She sang in four movies that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: The King and I, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music. She also sang in the 1967 movie Thoroughly Modern Millie, which was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Nixon was born in Altadena, California, the daughter of Edwin “Ed” Nixon (1906–1985) and Lillian Lux (née Koehler; 1910–1994). She had one brother, Edwin “Ed” Nixon, Jr. (born 1932), and one sister, Karen (born 1938). Her father was of English and Irish descent, and her mother was of German and Swiss descent.
Nixon began her career as a child actress, appearing in the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday. She later attended the University of Southern California, where she studied drama.
In the early 1950s, Nixon provided the voice of Princess Jasmine for the animated feature Aladdin. In 1954, she made her Broadway debut in the musical The King and I, playing the role of Eliza Doolittle. She reprised the role in the 1956 film version of The King and I, and also sang the song “Hello, Young Lovers”.
In 1957, she was cast as the singing voice of Audrey Hepburn in the film My Fair Lady. She also sang for Hepburn on the original cast album of the musical. Nixon’s voice was used instead of Hepburn’s because the actress’ singing voice was not yet well-known.
In 1961, she provided the singing voice for Natalie Wood in the movie West Side Story. She sang the song “Somewhere”, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
In 1965, she provided the singing voice for Patricia Neway in the movie The King and I.
In 1967, she provided the singing voice for Julie Andrews in the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie. The movie was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
In 1971, Nixon provided the singing voice for Elizabeth Taylor in the movie Cleopatra.
Nixon married James A. Cox on October 15, 1955. The couple had two children, Stephanie and Christopher. The marriage ended in divorce in 1972.
Nixon died on July 24, 2016, at the age of 86.