Marni Nixon: Ghostess With Mostest

Marni Nixon (Photo – dev2.cinemaartscentre.org).

Marni Nixon gained fame as a “ghost singer” for many Hollywood actresses like Deborah Kerr in “The King and I,” Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” and Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady,” by making herself sound like them, while still singing on-key. That distinction earned her the title “the ghostest with the mostest.”

By Marguerite Kribs

Born as Margaret Nixon McEathron in Altadena and trained in Pasadena, acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and singing on radio programs, she had the rare gift of “perfect pitch.” She performed classical works with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and worked in Hollywood as a “ghost singer” while continuing working on Broadway and television.

Nixon taught at many colleges and universities including the California Institute of the Arts in Santa Clarita (1969 to 1971) while appearing on stage in operatic roles. She married three times and her son, Andrew Gold (died in 2011), was known for the song Thank You for Being a Friend that served as the theme song for the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls.

Marni Nixon died of breast cancer on Sunday, July 25, 2016 in New York City. She is survived by two daughters, three sisters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was 86.