Anita Ellis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Ellis
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Anita Ellis around 1945
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| Born |
Anita Kert
April 12, 1920 |
| Died | October 28, 2015 (aged 95) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | College of Music, Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Occupation | Singer, actress |
| Known for | Dubbing singing voices for famous actresses |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Relatives | Larry Kert (brother) |
Anita Ellis (born Anita Kert, later Shapiro; April 12, 1920 – October 28, 2015) was a singer and actress. She was born in Canada and later became an American citizen. She was famous for singing the parts for other actresses in movies. A great example is when she sang for Rita Hayworth in the movie Gilda.
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Growing Up
Anita Kert was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was the oldest of four children. Her younger brother, Larry Kert, also became a famous actor and singer. He was known for playing Tony in the musical West Side Story.
When Anita was nine years old, her family moved to Hollywood. She finished high school in Hollywood in 1938. Later, she studied music at the College of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1950, Anita Ellis became a citizen of the United States.
Singing for Movies
Anita Ellis was very good at "voice dubbing." This means she would sing the songs for actresses who were on screen. This way, the audience would hear Anita's voice, but they would see the actress performing.
She sang for famous actresses like Rita Hayworth. A well-known example is the movie Gilda from 1946. Anita Ellis sang all the songs for Rita Hayworth in that film. This included the famous song "Put the Blame on Mame." She also sang for actresses like Vera-Ellen and Jeanne Crain.
Radio Star
In 1941, Anita Ellis started singing on the radio in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was known as Anita Kurt at first. She was a regular singer on shows like Open House and The New Jack Carson Show.
Later, she became known as Anita Ellis. She was a regular on The Charlie McCarthy Show. She also appeared often on The Red Skelton Show.
Her Life
Anita Ellis married Frank Wilby Ellis Jr. in 1943. They later divorced in 1946. She married again in 1960 to Dr. Mortimer Fromberg Shapiro. They stayed together until he passed away in 1995.
Anita Ellis loved to travel. She explored places like Africa and the Himalayas. She also taught about nature at the American Museum of Natural History. She even had a pilot's license and enjoyed flying her own plane!
Later Years
In her later years, Anita Ellis faced a challenge called stage fright. This is a strong fear of performing in front of people. She said it was "crippling" and stopped her from using her singing talents. Because of this, she stopped performing in 1987.
Anita Ellis passed away on October 28, 2015, when she was 95 years old. She had been living in Manhattan.
Movies She Sang In
Anita Ellis performed in the following films:
- Dancing Co-Ed (1939)
- Babes in Arms (1939)
- Forty Little Mothers (1940)
- Strike Up the Band (1940)
- Gilda (1946)
- The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
- Dakota Lil (1950)
- The Joe Louis Story (1953)
- Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955)
- Pull My Daisy (1959)
Images for kids
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Anita Ellis around 1945
See Also
In Spanish: Anita Ellis para niños
