Marni Nixon- Page 2

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:11pm

on the subject of dubbing..BETTY WAND is credited as dubbing all of Rita Moreno's singing on "WEST SIDE". Moreno emphatically states this is not true. WAND dubbed her on the QUINTET and on "A BOY LIKE THAT/I HAVE A LOVE". Moreno states she sang all of "AMERICA" herself. On listening to the soundtrack and the DVD you can clearly hear it is Moreno's voice on "AMERICA", no question about that.

Moreno has been trying to get the CD soundtrack's liner notes changed for years. On the CD soundtrack CBS/Sony continue to list BETTY WAND's name under the "AMERICA" track listing, much to Moreno's chagrin.

The CD was recently re-issued and in the liner notes Moreno is interviewed, but in the track listings the glaring error still exists. BETTY WAND still continues being credited as having sung "AMERICA" for Rita Moreno.

Also interesting to note: Marni actually dubbed a bit of Moreno's part on the "I HAVE A LOVE" duet with Maria. So in actuality on some part of that song Marni is actually singing with herself! Updated On: 10/18/04 at 06:11 PM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:13pm

Marquise,

You are CORRECT sir.

Cable - Bill Lee

Bloody Mary - Muriel Smith

(Ray Walston as Billis wasn't dubbed).


I find the story of Juanita Hall being dubbed as Bloody Mary OUTRAGEOUS:

Hall was the original stage Mary. Muriel Smith played role in London.

When it came time to cast film, R&H wasn't sure which performer was "better" so they "split it down the middle": Hall ACTED role onscreen while Smith SANG the songs!

That has to be one of the most INCREDIBLE stunts in Hollywood History! :)

[Glebb]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:13pm

Love your Natalie icon Marquise.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:16pm

Thank you Glebb. I have been completely in love with Natalie Wood since I was 8 years old.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:20pm

VERY interesting re: Moreno and Wand, Marquise.

The Internet Movie Database gives Wand credit for dubbing Moreno in the "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love" number ONLY.

Wand also dubbed Leslie Caron in GIGI (195.

It looks like that she was sort of a "Marni Nixon In Training" :)

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 6:27pm

Regarding Natalie Wood in film GYPSY: all the sources I checked credited her with doing her own singing, so either she was not dubbed in that film or that fact was kept well hidden. (It does sound like her on the soundtrack.)

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 7:59pm

yes she did do her own singing in "gypsy". she did a credible job with the songs she was given with the exception of "together wherever we go". neither she nor karl malden could sustain the notes. the number was eventually dropped from the original 70mm prints. a 16mm print of the number does exist and appears on the dvd version as an "extra". you can clearly see why the number was dropped..the vocals were technically not up to par.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:06pm

The dropping of "Together" does cause for a rather awkward moment in the film.

First, Russell, Malden & Wood are sitting around all depressed, and then a split second later, they are LAUGHING together!

Of course, IMO, that whole film is nothing but a "collection of awkward moments." :)

P.S. Sondheim added revised lyrics to "Together" for the first GYPSY revival (Angela Lansbury).

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:12pm

Just wondering if anyone knew that Audrey originally was going to do her own singing in My Fair Lady. They actually recorded her vocals. I've seen a clip of her singing "Wouldn't It Be Loverly." According to the site I read,the studio decided to go with Marnie instead, liking her sound better.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:25pm

Hi Sweetie... :)

I heard the story a TAD differently. When director George Cukor cast Audrey in film MY FAIR LADY, she was told she would have to be dubbed due to incredible vocal range of role.

Hepburn thought that wasn't necessary, citing her vocal work in films FUNNY FACE and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. (Remember "Moon River"?)

Anyway, Hepburn INSISTED on recording score to prove her point. After listening to her tracks, Cukor (as well as Lerner & Loewe, authors of the score) were FULLY convinced she could NOT handle adequately the full singing range required for Eliza Doolittle role.

So, over her objections, Nixon was hired to dub her.

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:37pm

Interesting and makes more sense. Thanks Mary_Ethel!
On the clip I've seen it was quite clear that,even though I adore Audrey, she was not able to hit those notes.

Edit* My memory just kicked in to remind me that it was a Audrey fan site I saw this on, so it would probably be slanted towards her. I really need to start taking Ginkgo Biloba. Updated On: 10/18/04 at 08:37 PM

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:58pm

Finally! Somebody else feels the same way! This poor, amazingly talented unknown woman! Does anyone know why she only dubbed - could she not act? Luckily she was in "Nine" revival as Guido's mother, though.

Updated On: 10/18/04 at 08:58 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:11pm

Clear up some more rumors:

Did Andy Williams dub Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not"?

Were some of Julie Andrews notes in "The Sound of Music" dubbed?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:20pm

Yes, Williams dubbed Bacall in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT.

Regarding Julie and THE SOUND OF MUSIC, that is the first mention I have ever heard of ANYTHING like that.

I read the book THE MAKING OF THE SOUND OF MUSIC (VERY thorough) and that point doesn't come up at all.

My take is that Andrews' voice is so magnificent on its own it would NEVER require dubbing; but it could be one of those "buried secrets" that Hollywood likes to hide from the public.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:25pm

In the FOLLIES revival, Joan Roberts was hired to play the part of the aging operetta star. Shortly after the production opened, Ms Roberts (who lives on Long Island) insisted that the producers provide her with an apartment in Manhattan. They demurred and Roberts quit FOLLIES. She was replaced full-time by Marni Nixon.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:31pm

That's right!!!

I saw Nixon onstage and forgot all about it!

[Princess MimiChica]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 10:47pm

if Natalie did her own singing in Gypsy, then I assume she had a decent voice and could carry a tune? I never saw that movie and have never heard Natalie sing, but I heard she tried to sing the role of Maria and it was just too high. I wonder why they couldn't have tweaked the score so Natalie could have sang it??

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 10:55pm

Wood handled the part of Louise in GYPSY in a competent manner, but the part does not require a huge vocal range. I don't think the score had to be "tweaked" for her.

On the other hand, Maria in WEST SIDE STORY is a role for a true soprano (like Carol Lawrence, the original stage Maria). I don't think management would've considered altering the score to fit Wood's somewhat limited vocal abilities and so, hired Nixon to dub her.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 11:13pm

very well put Mary_Ethel. Natalie was clearly out of her element (singing wise) for the role of "Maria". Her acting of the role was one of my favorites. It would have been a disservice to the score if Bernstein's score would have been *tweaked* for her. The correct decision was made by having Marni Nixon dub her.

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 4:31am

MARNI NIXON TRIVIA QUESTION:

Along with another famous Hollywood dubber named BILL LEE, Marni recorded an album of songs from a famous movie musical she did not star in or dub. This movie musical had it's own original soundtrack and all the songs were sung by the film's original stars. This additional album was also released by the studio who produced the film but it was not the film's ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK. Can anyone here name the film in question? The person who comes up with the correct answer first gets my undying admiration.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 5:34am

In 1964, Disneyland Records released a "studio cast" version of MARY POPPINS featuring Marni Nixon as Mary.

It was a "children's record" that trimmed the original score's songs as well as simplifying the orchestrations to make the LP more enjoyable for children. The LP also included brief snippets of the story in between songs.

P.S. On this LP, Bert the Chimney Sweep was sung by... Bill Lee. :)

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 5:54am

Mary_Ethel, you from now on have my undying admiration...an honor i bestow on only a fortunate few! Great Job! You ROCK!

[Marquise]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 6:00am

in addition that studio album included an illustrated book which was bound into the LP cover which opened up!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 6:22am

Marquise,

You ROCK too!!!

I think we should have MORE trivia contests! :)

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 6:28am

According to The Internet Movie Database, Marni Nixon dubbed Marilyn Monroe's "high notes" in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1953).