Annette Warren
{{short description|American vocalist and jazz stylist (born 1922)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Annette Warren
| image = Annette Warren, vintage glamour portrait.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1922|7|11}}
| birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
| occupation = Vocalist, jazz stylist
| years_active = 1947–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Paul Smith|1958|2013|reason=died}}
| children = 4, including Lauri Johnson
}}
Annette Warren (born July 11, 1922) is an American vocalist and jazz stylist who dubbed the singing voices of such stars as Lucille Ball in Sorrowful Jones (1949) and Fancy Pants (1950), and Ava Gardner in the 1951 film version of Show Boat.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/33811 |title=Show Boat (1951) |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=2015-07-12|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017204321/http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/33811%7C0/Show-Boat.html |archive-date=October 17, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=23407 |title=(Hey) Fancy Pants! by Annette Warren Songfacts |publisher=Songfacts.com |accessdate=2015-07-12}}{{cite book|title = The Bob Hope Films|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vgGhAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA86 |publisher = McFarland|date = 2004-12-27|isbn = 978-0-7864-1050-7|first = James L.|last = Neibaur}} She was still actively performing in 2017 at the age of 95.{{Cite web|url=https://www.show-score.com/open-graph/article/887|title=60 Years Later: Annette Warren Returns, Talks Vocal Dubbing for Ava Gardner, Aggravating Ed Asner and More|website=www.show-score.com}}
Early life
Warren was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 11, 1922.[https://www.palosverdespulse.com/blog/2022/6/26/annette-warren-smith-celebrates-her-100th-birthday "Annette Warren Smith celebrates her 100th birthday"], palosverdespulse.com. Accessed July 19, 2022. She was discovered in 1945 by vocal coach and arranger Phil Moore, who arranged her first recordings.{{Cite web|url=http://www.78discography.com/BlackandWhite.htm|title=Black and White 78rpm numerical listing discography|website=www.78discography.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109200312/http://www.78discography.com/BlackandWhite.htm |archive-date=January 9, 2022}} She made her radio debut October 4, 1946, on Meredith Willson's Sparkle Time program on CBS.{{cite news|title='Sparkle Time With Meredith Willson' Heard on WHP Friday Nights, 7.30|newspaper=Harrisburg Telegraph |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2994058/harrisburg_telegraph/|agency=Harrisburg Telegraph|date=September 28, 1946|page=19|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = August 11, 2015}} {{Open access}}
Career
Warren headlined clubs and theaters in London and across the U.S., including the Bon Soir, the Blue Angel and the St. Regis Hotel Maisonette in New York City and Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills. She co-starred as Mrs. Peachum in the off-Broadway revival of The Threepenny Opera with Jerry Orbach, Ed Asner and Beatrice Arthur and was also seen in the musical Livin' The Life with Alice Ghostley and Edward Villella.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=4686 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714042513/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=4686 |archive-date=2015-07-14 |url-status=dead }}
Warren's television appearances include The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Liberace Show, and The Summer Chevy Show. She also was seen on screen in the films Midnight Frolics{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/563939/midnight-frolics|title=Midnight Frolics (1949) - Overview - TCM.com|website=Turner Classic Movies}} and The Devil's Sleep.{{Cite web|url=https://ringostrack.com/en/movie/the-devils-sleep/58620|title=The Devil's Sleep (1949) Soundtrack|website=RingosTrack}}
Her first dubbing assignment was for the film Lured in 1947, followed by The Paleface in 1948, in which she sang for Iris Adrian. She dubbed the singing voice for Lucille Ball in Sorrowful Jones in 1949,{{Citation needed |date=February 2021}} and Fancy Pants in 1950.{{cite web|url=http://www.janettedavis.net/Dubbers/dubberslist.php |title=Movie Dubbers |publisher=Janettedavis.net |date=2015-06-24 |accessdate=2015-07-12}} The following year, she auditioned to sing for Ava Gardner in MGM's remake of Show Boat (1951 film){{cite news|title = 'Ghosts' from Hollywood's past bring 'Voices' to Peninsula Symphony benefit.|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-13-me-2379-story.html|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = September 13, 1991|access-date = 2015-07-12|issn = 0458-3035|first = Gerald|last = Faris}} and won the job over such other applicants as Dinah Shore and Lee Wiley. She also provided all of the female voices for John Hubley's UPA short Rooty Toot Toot,{{Cite web|url=https://voicechasers.com/database/showprod.php?prodid=4207|title=Rooty Toot Toot (1952, Animated Short) Voice Cast|website=Voice Chasers}} which was voted No. 41 of the "50 Greatest Cartoons" of all time{{Cite web |url=http://www.nerdcore.de/ACME/50greatest.html |title=History of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of All Time |access-date=2015-07-13 }}{{dead link|date=June 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Animated Short Film".{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1952|title=The 24th Academy Awards | 1952|website=Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences}}
She is also notable for recognizing the talent of Connie Converse, and for incorporating her songs into her permanent repertoire.{{Cite news |last=Fishman |first=Howard |date=2023-05-06 |title=Before Dylan, There Was Connie Converse. Then She Vanished. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/06/nyregion/connie-converse-nyc.html |access-date=2023-07-17 |issn=0362-4331}}
Warren recorded for such labels as Capitol Records,{{cite web|author=Pat Saperstein |url=https://variety.com/2013/music/news/jazz-pianist-paul-smith-dies-at-91-1200557461/# |title=Jazz Pianist Paul Smith Dies at 91 |publisher=Variety |date=2013-07-08 |accessdate=2015-07-12}} Verve Records,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dustygroove.com/item/44276/Phil-Moore:Fantasy-For-Girl-Orchestra-Verve|title=Phil Moore : Fantasy For Girl & Orchestra (Verve) (LP, Vinyl record album)|via=www.dustygroove.com}} ABC Paramount Records,{{Cite web|url=https://www.rootsvinylguide.com/ebay_items/annette-warren-there-s-a-man-in-my-life-1958-mono-abc-paramount-vinyl-lp|title=Roots Vinyl Guide|website=www.rootsvinylguide.com}} and Outstanding Records,{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/annette-warren-mn0001521006/discography|title=Annette Warren | Album Discography|website=AllMusic}} and was married for 54 years to jazz musician Paul Smith, with whom she also occasionally performed.{{cite news|title = Paul Smith, Jazz Pianist, Is Dead at 91|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/arts/music/paul-smith-jazz-pianist-is-dead-at-91.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 2013-07-03|access-date = 2015-07-12|issn = 0362-4331|first = Peter|last = Keepnews}} She co-starred over a 20-year period with fellow "ghost singers" India Adams, Betty Wand{{cite news|title = Benefit Will Feature 'Secret Singing Stars'|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-23-ca-35137-story.html|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = September 23, 1997|access-date = 2015-07-12|issn = 0458-3035}} and Jo Ann Greer{{cite news|title = Cabaret Review: Unveiling the 'Voices' Behind Screen Illusion|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-29-ca-2001-story.html|newspaper = Los Angeles Times|date = August 29, 1991|access-date = 2015-07-12|issn = 0458-3035|first = Don|last = Heckman}} in the musical revue Hollywood's Secret Singing Stars. A two-CD retrospective of her recordings entitled "There's a Man in My Life" was released in 2016 by Fresh Sound Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WK4RSA|title = Sings... There's a Man in My Life! Plus Selected Rarities|website = Amazon|year = 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/sings..._theres_a_man_in_my_life_plus_selected_rarities_2-cd_set-cd-6366.html|title=Annette Warren - Sings... There's A Man In My Life Plus Selected Rarities (2-CD) - Blue Sounds|website=Blue Sounds}}
In January 2016, Warren sang at the La Cicada Club in Los Angeles at a party held to celebrate the release of Lyn Stanley's album Interlude. Warren had been instrumental in encouraging Stanley to embark on her jazz-singing career in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BWW-Review-LYN-STANLEYs-CD-Release-Party-for-INTERLUDES-a-Lush-Evening-of-Entertainment-20160118|title=Lyn Stanley's CD Release Party for Interludes a Lush Evening of Entertainment|author=Grigware, Don|publisher=Broadway World|date=18 January 2016|accessdate=2 February 2016 |language=}} On April 24, 2016 (at the age of 93), Warren debuted a brand-new one-woman show entitled "I Ain't Done Yet" at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, CA.{{Cite web|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/louis-efron/nearly-100-years-of-purpo_b_9684564.html|title=Nearly 100 Years Of Purpose: Annette Warren, She Ain't Done Yet|website=HuffPost|date=14 April 2016}} She is managed by Alan Eichler.
On March 30, 2017, Warren returned to New York for the first time in nearly 60 years to headline at Feinstein's/54 Below at the age of 94, to critical acclaim,{{Cite web|url=http://theaterpizzazz.com/annette-warren-i-aint-done-yet/|title=Annette Warren: I Ain't Done Yet|date=April 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://cabaretscenes.org/2017/04/03/annette-warren-i-aint-done-yet/|title=Annette Warren: I Ain't Done Yet|date=April 3, 2017}} and continues to perform regularly at such clubs as the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/category/diary-features/guest-diary/|title=Guest Diary Archives | Articles by Featured Writers|newspaper=New York Social Diary }}
Later life
She turned 100 on July 11, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Local Musical Treasure Annette Warren Smith Celebrates her 100th Birthday! By Performer Michele Ayers |url=https://www.palosverdespulse.com/blog/2022/6/26/annette-warren-smith-celebrates-her-100th-birthday |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Palos Verdes Pulse |language=en-US}}
References
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Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American singers
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:American jazz singers