Anita Gordon

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Anita Gordon
Anita Gordon-Radio Mirror cover January 1948.jpg
Gordon on the cover of the January 1948 issue of Radio Mirror
BornDecember 21, 1929
DiedMay 10, 2015
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSinger
actress
Spouse(s)Dale Sheets (1948 - ?)
El Chan

Anita Gordon (December 21, 1929[1] - May 10, 2015[2]) was an American singer who performed on radio and television and sang on films and records.

Early years[]

Gordon was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Gordon of Corsicana, Texas.[3] Her father was a butcher, and her mother was a housewife. They were choir director and organist, respectively, at their church in Corsicana.[4] By October 1936, the family had moved to Hollywood.[5] She had a sister, Charlie Marie, and her uncle, Leonard Gordon, was a vocal coach in Hollywood.[6] Gordon's secondary education came at Mrs. Laskey's School for Professionals.[4]

Career[]

In 1945, Gordon signed a film contract with 20th Century Fox, a radio contract with Edgar Bergen, and a recording contract with Columbia.[7] Gordon performed off-camera for films, including singing the part of the Golden Harp in Fun and Fancy Free (1947) and dubbing the singing voices of Pamela Tiffin in State Fair (1962)[8] and Jean Seberg in Paint Your Wagon (1969).[9]

On radio, Gordon was a vocalist on the The Chase and Sanborn Hour.[10] Her work on television in Los Angeles included singing, along with Bob Graham, on Starlight Time, on KNBH in 1949,[11] frequently performing on KTTV's Hollywood Studio Party,[12] and singing on Bandstand Revue on KTLA-TV.[13] Network TV programs on which Gordon appeared included Death Valley Days, Gunsmoke, The Millionaire, Sugarfoot,[14] The Bob Newhart Show[15] and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show.[16] In 1951, Ken Murray signed her to share singing duties with Patti Page on his New York-based TV show.[12]

Gordon sang with Ray Noble's orchestra on a Columbia recording of "It's a Most Unusual Day", and she was heard (uncredited) on Buddy Clark's recordings of "I'll Dance At Your Wedding" and "Linda".[17] In 1955, Gordon recorded "His Hands" for Decca Records.[18] In 1953, she made personal appearances with Noble's orchestra, singing with Larry Neill on a tour that included two weeks in Houston and four weeks in New Orleans.[19]

Personal life[]

In June 1948, Gordon married CBS executive Dale Sheets,[20] and they had three daughters. In the 1970s, she married El Chan, an airline executive.[1]

Death[]

On May 10, 2015, Gordon died at her Newhall, California, home at age 85.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Anita Gordon Chan". Dignity Memorial. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Kukaua, Kelsey (May 16, 2015). "Actress Anita Gordon dies in Newhall home". The Santa Clara Valley Signal. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Former Corsicana Child Is Making Good in Hollywood". Corsicana Daily Sun. Texas, Corsicana. April 29, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Swanson, Pauline (January 1948). "It's a Young World". Radio Mirror. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Sings In Hollywood". Corsicana Daily Sun. Texas, Corsicana. October 9, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  6. ^ Pate, Katheryn (July 2, 1946). "Radio and screen star Anita Gordon, visiting home here, still unchanged by her fame". Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light. p. 12. Retrieved June 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "The Slipper Fits Another Cinderella". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. September 28, 1945. p. 21. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  8. ^ Smith, Dave (2012-07-03). Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered. Disney Electronic Content. ISBN 978-1-4231-7857-6. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Sterritt, David (2014-11-25). The Cinema of Clint Eastwood: Chronicles of America. Columbia University Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-231-17201-1. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  10. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
  11. ^ "Hollywood's Looking at —". Radio Mirror. May 1949. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Ames, Walter (September 3, 1951). "Defense Bond Drive Opened by Networks Tonight; Anita Gordon Signed by Murray". Los Angeles Times. p. Part I - 18. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  13. ^ "Whirling Lady". Motion Picture Daily. November 7, 1955. p. 17. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Anita Gordon Named Honorary Mayor". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. December 4, 1958. p. 43. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Television Hi-Lites". The Sandusky Register. April 11, 1962. p. 26. Retrieved June 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Andy Devine Will Guest Star Monday On Ernie Ford Show". Jefferson City Post-Tribune. May 4, 1962. p. 15. Retrieved June 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Ellington, Duke (September 1948). "Facing the Music". Radio Mirror. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  18. ^ Witte, Lawrence (April 22, 1955). "TV-Radio News Bits". The Evening Independent. Ohio, Massillon. p. 8. Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Ray Noble starts 1st tour in decade". Variety. May 20, 1953. p. 39. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  20. ^ Campbell, Bob (July 1, 1948). "Anita, Corsicana Both Happy She Is Home For Centennial". Corsicana Daily Sun. Texas, Corsicana. p. 1. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
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