The Ghost Is Gone – IOTW Report

The Ghost Is Gone

Back when Hollywood made musicals they would buy a hit Broadway production and hire a beautiful leading lady.  The only problem was that often the starlet just wasn’t that good of a singer. So they would hire a “Ghost” for the musical numbers and force the person to stay anonymous so the general public would never know.

One of the best of all time died this last Sunday at the age of 86. Her name was Marni Nixon

CBS Sunday Morning Tribute Here

Varity Obit Here

Audrey Hepburn Singing “I Could Have Danced All Night” Here

Marni Nixon’s Overdub Here

 

 

16 Comments on The Ghost Is Gone

  1. I was expecting Audrey Hepburn to be awful. She wasn’t. Marni was better, marginally.

    But now I’ve got that stupid song in my head and can’t get rid of this ear worm. I’m going to have to listen to some early Black Sabbath or something to erase it.

  2. @Obamaplease My Fair Lady runs 170 minutes. That’s a lot of having hearing a listenable voice when you could have a pitch perfect 4 octave soprano do it to perfection.

    Not ever actress appreciated the substitution. Natalie Wood basically refused to cooperate when her vocals on Westside Story were replace and Nixon had to work from what had been filmed alone, a tougher task than if the actress works with the ghost.

  3. Marni Nixon never overdubbed Julie Andrews. There’s footage of her singing the Do-Ray-Me song from the Sound of Music on YouTube. It’s pretty close to my ear, though lacking some of Andrews personality.

    She did make her only screen appearance as one of the nuns in that movie.

    Just goes to show how truly talented Julie Andrews was and is.

  4. Dr. Tar

    The IOTW Committee is reviewing your man card. We’ll get back to you in short order. In the meantime we strongly urge you to no longer publicly express any interest in Broadway musicals.

  5. Tar, your man card remains valid.

    Some musicals are amazing, inspired and memorable achievements.

    Here are a few great ones:
    The King and I
    My Fair Lady
    Camelot
    The Producers
    The Music Man

    You can keep most of the Andrew Lloyd Weber stuff. Never saw Les Mis’, and I think Iit would be a two bragger if I did. Barf bag, that is.

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