Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon
#0Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/17/04 at 11:41pm
Anyone else feel kind of bad for her?
I mean she has dubbed so many people, like Natalie Wood in WSS, Hepburn in MY FAIR LADY, Deborah Kerr in THE KING AND I....
And most people don't know who she is...
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
Matt_G
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/1/04
#1re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/17/04 at 11:43pm
Well the woman is amazing. I got to meet her a few years ago when she was in THE DEAD and my friend and I just talked her ear off and she was so kind and told us all about "The olden days" 
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
sweetiedarlinmia
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/8/04
#2re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/17/04 at 11:44pmi get what you're saying here. My cousin was asking me about Audrey this weekend and I told her about Marnie and she didnt believe me. My response: Watch all of the movies you listed, and listen to the voice. IT'S THE SAME! She has one of the best voices ever.
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#3re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:06amI don't feel sorry for her. she's milking it for all it's worth now. not that i have anything against her.
#4re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:09am"Milking it"? That sounds harsh. She's a lovely woman, generous, warm, with a gorgeous voice, a beautiful soul, and she's had a lovely career.
#5re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:13amLove this woman! What a voice. I do hope to meet her one day, because this IS the one that I'd get weepy over.
"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism -- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."
Conan O'Brien
#6re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:19amI had the good fortune to be in a course in grad school taught by Marni Nixon. It was a vocal performance class, and lemme tell you -- there is so much more to this woman than being a "ghost voice". First and foremost, she is an impeccable musician. She looks at her dubbing career as an amusing footnote to her name, and is grateful for the recognition that it affords her. It was fascinating to hear her talk about the 'art' of dubbing -- it's not just standing in front of a microphone and singing the songs. It's a very meticulous process: the ghost singer not only has to sing the songs, but match the vocal inflections, tone, accent, etc. of the actor, as IF they were singing. It's a big job, and a very exacting one.
#7re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:45amSince she had SUCH a namazing voice, can anyone figure out why she was never actually CAST in movies?!? I just don't get that. Was she ever actually on Broadway too? I don't even know what the woman looks like, but I adore her singing!
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#8re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:32amI saw an interview once with Marni, and just to build on what rlbgbc was saying, Marni said that in one rehearsal she actually stood behind Deborah Kerr and shadowed her every move so that Marni would know what position Kerr's body would be in when singing. That's dedication.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#9re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:27pm
I found an interview with Marni Nixon on the internet:
http://myvanwy.tripod.com/companies/barrington/marninixon.html
Apparantly, she thought dubbing jobs were better than chorus roles or singing commercial jingles, so she was happy to do them.
I agree with comments about her abilities. ANYONE who can sing/act Anna in THE KING AND I, Maria in WEST SIDE STORY and Eliza in MY FAIR LADY is one VERSATILE TALENT!
P.S. She did APPEAR in THE SOUND OF MUSIC film as Sister Sophia. Per interview, she now does regional musicals and cabaret.
P.P.S. Audrey Hepburn was NOT nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for MY FAIR LADY in 1964 because Academy felt Hepburn had not given the "complete" performance. (Although Kerr WAS nominated for THE KING AND I in 1956--go figure.) :)
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#10re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:30pmDidn't she do JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD? She's certainly keeping busier than Audrey Hepburn or Natalie Wood, that's fo sho.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
capnkidd
Broadway Star Joined: 9/11/04
#11re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:32pmYes,she was in The Dead @ the Belasco-also understudied there in Follies...
emonkeygirl
Featured Actor Joined: 3/30/04
#12re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:36pm
She was part of a Broadway lyricist talk at the Met Museum las Tuesday & she sang, too! It was fabulous, & June La Bell who was hosting the talk made her sing/speak the the opeing of "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You". Yay!
& her classical & cabaret recordings are fantastic, too!
& here's a link to an interesting article. I definitely don't feel bad for her...
:)
Marni Nixon
It's hot and it's monotonous.
I want my glasses.
Updated On: 10/18/04 at 12:36 PM
#13re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 2:23pm
The reason Audrey Hepburn wasn't nominated is simply because of politics- A lot of people felt Julie Andrews was robbed by not playing that part, and so punished Hepburn by not acknoledging her fine work in the film.
I personally don't really care for her voice..I know I'm the minority here but, even though I know it's very pretty and all, it simply fails to move me.
And Borstalboy....are you for real? I really hope that was a joke - Both Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood are dead. Let's hope Nixon is indeed busier than that.
"Years from now, when you talk about this - And you will - Be kind. "
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#14re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:26pmShe may be keeping busier than both Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood because sadly both Ms Hepburn and Ms Wood are no longer with us.
Matt_G
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/1/04
#15re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:31pmAt this point in her career, everyone knows who she is and what she did. It is beyond me why she is not cast in more shows. I would definately go see a "Marni Nixon Show" as I'm sure many people would.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#16re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:35pmi don't have anything against marni nixon. the previous "milking it" comment was written in jest. it was basically in reference to the fact that she basically had to keep it hushed back then and now she has the opportunity to let it be known that it was her amazing voice we were all hearing in those movies. i didn't mean to slight her in any way. her contributions to the soundtracks of "west side story", "the king and i" and "my fair lady" were important. they should never be overlooked. the woman is enormously talented. i'm glad she's well and is still performing and teaching.
#17re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:39pmMatt_G I am so with you on that one.
"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism -- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."
Conan O'Brien
Matt_G
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/1/04
#18re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:40pmWhen I saw THE DEAD, I remember half the audience talking before and after about how they were there because she was in it. Someone needs to write her a show, PRONTO.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#19re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:45pm
Was it ever a secret that she was the voice behind those roles?
I can't remember a time when it was not known.
I believe Ms. Nixon did have a show on tour a few years ago called "An Evening With Marnie Nixon: The Ghostess with the Mostest."
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Matt_G
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/1/04
#20re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:47pmThat's a great title! If I'm not mistaken, didnt' the studios try to hide the fact she did the voices for years?
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#21re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:51pmI am not certain about that, but I am certain that I've known since childhood about the dubbings.
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#22re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 5:56pm
i believe she herself stated that contractually she was not allowed to say she did the dubbing. this came straight from her mouth in an interview she did not too long ago. she also stated that when she dubbed audrey hepburn in "my fair lady" word did get out and the studio unjustifiably reprimanded her because she wasn't the one to leak that out.
at the "my fair lady" premiere audrey was questioned as to the dubbing and on the spot she had to fess up that it wasn't her "on the high soprano parts, i'm not a soprano..."
also marni stated that contrary to popular belief she did not dub natalie wood in "gypsy", she never worked on that film.
on the other hand, natalie wood has never tried to hide the fact that she was dubbed in "west side"...it's clearly not her voice, anyone can hear that. i'm not sure rosalind russell was too happy about her dubbing in "gypsy" and to her dying day denied the fact, even writing in her auto-bio that she did her own singing.
Updated On: 10/18/04 at 05:56 PM
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#23re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:02pm
It usually is NOT made public WHENEVER a performer is dubbed in a movie musical--UNLESS the artist involved obviously cannot sing. Then, sometimes it is used as part of the publicity for the film.
Example: Giorgio Tozzi dubbing Rozanni Brassi in SOUTH PACIFIC (195
. Tozzi even got screen credit as 'singing voice of Emile Becque.'
P.S. Tozzi got opportunity to ACT as well as sing role in Lincoln Center revival of SOUTH PACIFIC in 1967.
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#24re: Marni Nixon
Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:05pm
yes Mary_Ethel, that's true i have the dvd and Tozzi did receive screen credit. i loved giorgio tozzi's voice on the SOUTH PACIFIC soundtrack. that's one of my favorite soundtracks. and MITZI GAYNOR is excellent in the film as well. i think MITZI was the only one that wasn't dubbed in that film and everyone else was.
Updated On: 10/18/04 at 06:05 PM
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