Marni Nixon Dies at 86

A performer known for dubbing several Hollywood stars in big screen adaptations of Broadway musicals. She dubbed Deborah Kerr’s singing in The King & I (as well as An Affair to Remember), Natalie Wood’s singing in West Side Story, and most of Audrey Hepburn’s singing in My Fair Lady.

She screen tested for the role of Maria in the film adaptation of The Sound of Music, but ended up making her first onscreen appearance as Sister Sofia.

She also made her Broadway debut back in 1954 in the musical The Girl in Pink Tights. It wasn’t until 2000 when she returned to the Great White Way in James Joyce’s The Dead. Her last two appearances on Broadway were as replacements in Roundabout’s revivals of Follies and Nine.

REST IN PEACE

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Marni-Nixon-Singing-Voice-Behind-KING-AND-I-More-Dies-at-86-20160725

Great talent who deserved more recognition than she got. Rest in peace, Ms. Nixon.

What a truly unique career and woman...RIP

Three cheers for Marni!!

God Bless.

I worked with her once, back in the 1980s, and a lovelier, more gracious lady there never was.

RIP to a magnificent artist.

I'm somehow picturing her and Deborah Kerr chatting over a cuppa in heaven :)

I hope she is accorded the honor of having Broadway theatre lights go dark, in tribute.

What a voice. I was lucky enough to see her not only act, but sing in a musical called OPAL at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ when I was in my 20s. I had no idea who she was until I read the Playbill. I loved it so much I bought the cast album cd in the lobby.



http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/12/nyregion/theater-in-opal-reality-and-fantasy-with-song.html

There was, for some reason, a studio recording of songs from Mary Poppins released just about concurrently with the original soundtrack. Marni Nixon and Bill Lee, Hollywood's two most accomplished dubbers, sang the songs of Mary and Bert.

I met Marni once when I had a callback for a non-musical role in a play. She sat next to me on a bench at Ripley Grier, around ten years ago. She was very warm, very encouraging. She was rehearsing something in a different studio and was out on a break. Truly a nice woman. The Natalie/Marni combo makes my favorite Maria.