Marni Nixon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marni Nixon
Nixon at the Metropolitan Room, New York City (2009)
Born	Margaret Nixon McEathron (1930-02-22)February 22, 1930 Altadena, California, U.S.
Died	July 24, 2016(2016-07-24) (aged 86) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Singer, actress
Years active	1942–2009
Spouse(s)	Ernest Gold ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1969)​ Lajos Fenster ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1975)​ Albert Block ​ ​ (m. 1983; died 2015)​
Children	3, including Andrew Gold

Margaret Nixon McEathron (February 22, 1930 – July 24, 2016), known as Marni Nixon, was an American singer and actress. She was famous for secretly singing for leading actresses in many Hollywood musical films. This meant her voice was used, but the audience didn't know it was her.

She sang for stars like Deborah Kerr in The King and I. She also sang for Natalie Wood in West Side Story. Later, she provided the singing voice for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. Many of these songs became very famous.

Besides her hidden singing roles, Marni Nixon also had her own career. She acted in films and on television. She performed in operas and musicals on Broadway. She also sang in concerts with big symphony orchestras and made her own recordings.

Early life and first performances

Marni Nixon was born in Altadena, California. Her parents were Charles and Margaret McEathron. As a child, she acted in films and played the violin. She started singing very young in choirs. She even sang solos with the Roger Wagner Chorale.

She later studied singing and opera with famous teachers. In 1947, she chose the stage name "Marni Nixon". She made her solo debut at the Hollywood Bowl. She sang in Carmina Burana with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

A secret singing career in films

Starting in Hollywood

Marni Nixon's film career began in 1948. She sang the voices of angels in Joan of Arc. That same year, she started her "dubbing" work. This means she provided the singing voice for other actors. She sang for Margaret O'Brien in Big City (1948) and The Secret Garden (1949).

She also sang for Jeanne Crain in Cheaper by the Dozen (1950). She even sang Marilyn Monroe's high notes in "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). In 1953, she sang for Ida Lupino in Jennifer.

Famous musical roles

In 1956, Marni Nixon worked closely with Deborah Kerr. She provided Kerr's singing voice for The King and I. Deborah Kerr was unusual because she publicly thanked Nixon for her singing. In 1957, Nixon sang for Kerr again in An Affair to Remember. She also sang for Sophia Loren in Boy on a Dolphin.

In 1961, Nixon sang for Natalie Wood as Maria in West Side Story. The studio kept her work a secret from Natalie Wood. Nixon also sang for Rita Moreno in the "Tonight" quintet. She asked for money from the film's success, but didn't get it at first. Later, she received money from the soundtrack album sales. She then spoke out for the rights of "ghost singers."

For My Fair Lady in 1964, she sang for Audrey Hepburn as Eliza. Because of her secret singing in these big films, Time magazine called her "The Ghostess with the Mostest." However, most people didn't know what she looked like. She even appeared on a TV show called To Tell the Truth, where people tried to guess who she was.

On-screen appearances and concerts

Marni Nixon also appeared on Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. Her first on-screen acting role was as Sister Sophia in the 1965 film The Sound of Music. The director, Robert Wise, said that audiences could finally see the woman whose voice they knew so well.

In 1967, she was the singing voice of Princess Serena in a TV movie, Jack and the Beanstalk. Throughout her career, especially in the 1960s, Nixon performed many concerts. She sang as a soloist with major orchestras like the New York Philharmonic.

Later career and teaching

From 1969 to 1971, Marni Nixon taught at the California Institute of the Arts. She also taught at the Music Academy of the West for many years. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she hosted a children's TV show called Boomerang in Seattle. She won four Emmy Awards for her work on the show.

Nixon also performed in many operas. She sang with the Los Angeles Opera and San Francisco Opera. She toured with famous musicians like Liberace and Victor Borge. She also created her own cabaret shows. In 1984, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her role in the musical Taking My Turn.

She recorded songs by famous composers like Jerome Kern and George Gershwin. She was nominated for two Grammy Awards for her classical recordings. In 1998, Nixon was the singing voice of Grandmother Fa in the Disney film Mulan. She sang on more than 50 film soundtracks in total.

She returned to Broadway in 2000 in James Joyce's The Dead. In 2006, her autobiography, I Could Have Sung All Night, was published. She continued to perform on stage, including in a 2008 tour of My Fair Lady.

Personal life and passing

In 1950, Marni Nixon married Ernest Gold, a composer. They had three children, including singer Andrew Gold. They later divorced. She was married two more times, to Lajos Fenster and then to Albert Block. Albert Block passed away in 2015.

Marni Nixon survived breast cancer twice. She passed away from the disease on July 24, 2016, in New York. She was 86 years old.

Honors and awards

Marni Nixon received several awards for her contributions to music. In 2008, she was given the Singer Symposium's Distinguished Artist Award. She was also an honorary member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity for women.

In 2011, she received the George Peabody Medal. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to American music.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Marni Nixon para niños