Anita Harris

Infobox Actor
name = Anita Harris


imagesize =
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birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1942|6|3
birthplace = Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
occupation = actress,
yearsactive = 1960 - present
spouse =
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website = http://www.anitaharrisofficialsite.com/home.html
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Anita Harris (born 3 June 1942, Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364431/bio] ) is a British actress, singer and entertainer.

Best known in Britain as a singer and entertainer, Harris sang with the Cliff Adams Singers, and she then had a number of chart hits in the 1960s. She became known as a variety entertainer, and appeared in a number of the "Carry On" films, notably "Follow That Camel" and "Carry on Doctor" [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364431/] .

Career

Harris' musical career began as a child, although her expectations were to become a dancer. Soon after leaving school she left the UK to train as a choreographed skater in Las Vegas. Even today this would be unusual, but in the 1950s it was an exceptional experience. However, her first significant professional engagement in the UK was as a singer - briefly as one of the few ladies to sing with the Cliff Adams Singers. These were choralists who were to enjoy a long run with BBC Radio's "Sing Something Simple". Harris was still in her teens when she cut her first recording - with the John Barry Seven - a band who, at that time, were at the most active part of their own pop chart career. This early single did not succeed.

Harris recorded for the Parlophone, Vocalion and Pye record labels and, in 1966, made her first important appearance at the London Palladium. cite book
first= Joseph
last= Murrells
year= 1978
title= The Book of Golden Discs
edition= 2nd
publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
location= London
pages= p. 222
id= ISBN 0-214-20512-6]

The late 1960s saw her career at its peak. Her important hit, "Just Loving You", was acquired through her friend Dusty Springfield, from her songwriting brother, Tom Springfield. It was released in June 1967 on the CBS label, and was her biggest selling single. It peaked at #6 in the UK Singles Chart, and was a consistent seller for over six months with 625,000 copies in the UK, and 200,000 in South Africa (where it reached #1). In the United States, where it was released on Columbia Records, the record "bubbled under" the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #120 [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364431/bio] . Sales from other European countries and Australia took the total over one million copies. cite book
first= Joseph
last= Murrells
year= 1978
title= The Book of Golden Discs
edition= 2nd
publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
location= London
pages= p. 222
id= ISBN 0-214-20512-6]

She also made appearances in several British movies,posed for a nude set in "Mayfair" magazine, and had a very popular presence on UK television. She made a successful appearance at the San Remo Song Festival in Italy - something that perhaps one associates with more established stars like Petula Clark. In fact she shared the same musical arranger as Clark - Kenny Clayton.

Harris also co-hosted "The David Nixon Show" in the 1970s.

Discography

ingles

*"Just Loving You" - 1967 - UK #6
*"The Playground" - 1967 - UK #46
*"Anniversary Waltz" - 1968 - UK #21
*"Dream a Little Dream of Me" - 1968 - UK #33cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 244
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

Albums

*"Just Loving You" - 1968 - UK #29
*"The Essential" - 2003 - compilation album [http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=ANITA|HARRIS&sql=11:0nfwxqygldse~T21] cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 244
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5]

ee also

*UK Singles Chart records
*Royal Variety Performance
*Morecambe and Wise

References

External links

* [http://www.anitaharris.co.uk Anita Harris official website]
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dira/anitah.htm Anita Harris biography]