Anita Gordon (December 21, 1929 - 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. 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, where she had a role in ''

The Pilgrimage Play ''The Pilgrimage Play'' is a 1949 historical drama film directed by Frank Strayer, from an original screenplay by Arthur Pierson. It was adapted from the play by Christine Wetherill Stevenson. The film stars Nelson Leigh, Stephen Chase, and Le ...

''. She had a sister, Charlie Marie, and her uncle, Leonard Gordon, was a vocal coach in Hollywood. Gordon's secondary education came at Mrs. Laskey's School for Professionals.

Career

In 1945, Gordon signed a film contract with

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, a radio contract with

Edgar Bergen Edgar John Bergen (born Edgar John Berggren; February 16, 1903 – September 30, 1978) was an American ventriloquist, actor, comedian, vaudevillian and radio performer, best known for his proficiency in ventriloquism and his characters Ch ...

, and a recording contract with Columbia. 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 ''Fun and Fancy Free'' is a 1947 American animated musical fantasy package film produced by Walt Disney and released on September 27, 1947 by RKO Radio Pictures. It is the ninth Disney animated feature film and the fourth of the package films th ...

'' (1947) and dubbing the singing voices of

Pamela Tiffin Pamela Tiffin Wonso (October 13, 1942 – December 2, 2020) was an American film and television actress. Early life Tiffin was born in Oklahoma City to Stanley Wonso and Grace Irene (Tiffin) Wonso of Russian and British ancestry, but grew up in ...

in ''

State Fair A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...

'' (1962) and

Jean Seberg Jean Dorothy Seberg (; ; November 13, 1938August 30, 1979) was an American actress who lived half of her life in France. Her performance in Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 film ''Breathless'' immortalized her as an icon of French New Wave cinema. Seb ...

in '' Paint Your Wagon'' (1969). On radio, Gordon was a vocalist on ''

The Chase and Sanborn Hour ''The Chase and Sanborn Hour'' is the umbrella title for a series of American comedy and variety radio shows sponsored by Standard Brands' Chase & Sanborn Coffee Company, Chase and Sanborn Coffee, usually airing Sundays on NBC Radio Network, NBC ...

''. Her work on television in Los Angeles included singing, along with Bob Graham, on ''Starlight Time'', on KNBH in 1949, frequently performing on

KTTV KTTV (channel 11) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNetworkTV outle ...

's ''Hollywood Studio Party,'' and singing on ''Bandstand Revue'' on

KTLA KTLA (channel 5) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship of The CW. It is the largest directly owned property of the network's majority owner, Nexstar Media Group, and is the seco ...

-TV. Network TV programs on which Gordon appeared included ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', '' The Millionaire'', ''

Sugarfoot ''Sugarfoot'' is an American Western television series that aired for 69 episodes on ABC from 1957-1961 on Tuesday nights on a "shared" slot basis – rotating with ''Cheyenne'' (first season); ''Cheyenne'' and ''Bronco'' (second season); and ...

'', ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psy ...

'' and ''The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show''. In 1951, Ken Murray signed her to share singing duties with

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

on his New York-based TV show. Gordon sang with

Ray Noble Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United ...

's orchestra on a Columbia recording of "

It's a Most Unusual Day "It's a Most Unusual Day" is a popular song composed by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Harold Adamson. It is considered part of the Great American Songbook. It was introduced in the film ''A Date With Judy'', when it was sung by Jane Powell in the ope ...

", and she was heard (uncredited) on

Buddy Clark Buddy Clark (born Samuel Goldberg, July 26, 1912 – October 1, 1949) was an American popular singer of the Big Band era. He had some success in the 1930s, but his career truly blossomed in the late 1940s, after his return from service in Worl ...

's recordings of "I'll Dance At Your Wedding" and "

Linda Linda may refer to: As a name * Linda (given name), a female given name (including a list of people and fictional characters so named) * Linda (singer) (born 1977), stage name of Svetlana Geiman, a Russian singer * Anita Linda (born Alice Lake i ...

". In 1955, Gordon recorded "His Hands" for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

. 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.

Personal life

In June 1948, Gordon married CBS executive Dale Sheets, 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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Anita 1929 births 2015 deaths 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American women American radio personalities