Anita Gordon Explained

Anita Gordon
Birth Date:21 December 1929
Birth Place:Corsicana, TX
Death Place:Newhall, California
Nationality:American
Occupation:Singer
actress
Spouse:Dale Sheets (1948 - ?)
El Chan

Anita Gordon (December 21, 1929[1] - May 10, 2015) 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.[2] Her father was a butcher, and her mother was a housewife. They were choir director and organist, respectively, at their church in Corsicana. By age 6, Gordon's family had moved to Hollywood in October 1935,[3] where she had a role in The Pilgrimage Play.[4] She had a sister, Charlie Marie, and her uncle, Leonard Gordon, was a vocal coach in Hollywood.[5] Gordon's secondary education came at Mrs. Laskey's School for Professionals.[6]

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 voicing the "I don't talk to strangers" on the Buddy Clark hit "Linda" (1946), 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 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.

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]

In 1954, Gordon starred in ' Round Up of Rhythm ', a film short in which she, and Disc Jockey Bill Delzell, played the Bill Haley and the Comets's records ' Straight Jacket ' and 'Shake Rattle and Roll', which the group are seen playing.

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.

Death

On May 10, 2015, Gordon died at her Newhall, California, home at age 85 after several years of declining health.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anita Gordon Chan. Dignity Memorial. 26 February 2019. https://archive.today/20190226034202/https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/newhall-ca/anita-chan-6443158. 26 February 2019.
  2. News: Former Corsicana Child Is Making Good in Hollywood . 26 February 2019 . Corsicana Daily Sun . April 29, 1936 . Texas, Corsicana . 4.
  3. Web site: Anita Gordon Chan: Child Radio Star, Ghost Singer for Leading Ladies in Film . scvhistory.com . March 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220314183930/https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/obituary_anitagordonchan.htm . March 14, 2022.
  4. Web site: Anita Gordon holding a bouquet of roses, Los Angeles, 1935 . 2022-08-09 . UCLA Library Digital Collections.
  5. News: Pate . Katheryn . Radio and screen star Anita Gordon, visiting home here, still unchanged by her fame . June 18, 2021 . Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light . July 2, 1946 . 12. Newspapers.com.
  6. Swanson . Pauline . January 1948 . It's a Young World . Radio Mirror . June 19, 2021.
  7. News: The Slipper Fits Another Cinderella . 27 February 2019 . Harrisburg Telegraph . September 28, 1945 . Pennsylvania, Harrisburg . 21.
  8. Book: Smith . Dave . Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered . 2012-07-03 . Disney Electronic Content . 978-1-4231-7857-6 . June 18, 2021 . en.
  9. Book: Sterritt . David . The Cinema of Clint Eastwood: Chronicles of America . 2014-11-25 . Columbia University Press . 978-0-231-17201-1 . 66 . June 18, 2021 . en.
  10. Book: Dunning. John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. 1998. Oxford University Press. New York, NY. 978-0-19-507678-3. 226. Revised.
  11. May 1949 . Hollywood's Looking at — . Radio Mirror . June 19, 2021.
  12. News: Ames . Walter . Defense Bond Drive Opened by Networks Tonight; Anita Gordon Signed by Murray . June 18, 2021 . Los Angeles Times . September 3, 1951 . Part I - 18.
  13. News: Whirling Lady . June 19, 2021 . Motion Picture Daily . November 7, 1955 . 17.
  14. News: Anita Gordon Named Honorary Mayor . June 19, 2021 . Los Angeles Evening Citizen News . December 4, 1958 . 43. Newspapers.com.
  15. News: Television Hi-Lites . June 18, 2021 . The Sandusky Register . April 11, 1962 . 26. .
  16. News: Andy Devine Will Guest Star Monday On Ernie Ford Show . June 18, 2021 . Jefferson City Post-Tribune . May 4, 1962 . 15. Newspapers.com.
  17. Ellington . Duke . September 1948 . Facing the Music . Radio Mirror . June 19, 2021.
  18. News: Witte . Lawrence . TV-Radio News Bits . June 19, 2021 . The Evening Independent . April 22, 1955 . Ohio, Massillon . 8. Newspapers.com.
  19. News: Ray Noble starts 1st tour in decade . June 19, 2021 . Variety . May 20, 1953 . 39.
  20. News: Campbell. Bob. July 1, 1948. Anita, Corsicana Both Happy She Is Home For Centennial. 1. Corsicana Daily Sun. Texas, Corsicana. Newspapers.com. 27 February 2019.
  21. News: Kukaua . Kelsey . Actress Anita Gordon dies in Newhall home . 26 February 2019 . The Santa Clara Valley Signal . May 16, 2015 . https://archive.today/20190226033612/http://archive.signalscv.com/archives/137154/preview/ . 26 February 2019.

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