Shani Wallis (born 14 April 1933) is an English actress and singer, who has worked in theatre, film, and television in both her native United Kingdom and in the United States. A graduate of the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

, she is known for her roles in the West End and for the role of Nancy in the 1968

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

-winning film musical ''

Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...

Biography

Wallis was born in

Tottenham Tottenham (, , , ) is a district in north London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, ...

, London, and made her first stage appearance at the age of four. She later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She made her theatrical debut in a lead role as young princess Maria in ''

Call Me Madam ''Call Me Madam'' is a Broadway musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions ...

'' at the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...

in March 1952. Wallis sprang to global fame when appearing as Nancy in the Oscar-winning musical film ''Oliver!'' in 1968, starring alongside

Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor, known for his upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, "hellraiser" lifestyle. His screen career spanned over 40 years, between 1955 and 1999. At the ...

as Bill Sikes,

Ron Moody Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in '' Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Glob ...

as Fagin,

Jack Wild Jack Wild (30 September 1952 – 1 March 2006) was an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as the Artful Dodger in the film ''Oliver!'' (1968), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at t ...

as the Artful Dodger, and

Mark Lester Mark Lester (born Mark A. Letzer; 11 July 1958) is an English former child actor who starred in a number of British and European films in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968 he played the title role in the film ''Oliver! (film), Oliver!'', a Musical f ...

as Oliver. Afterwards, Wallis received an offer to star in the television series ''

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired five seasons from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family of six children, with three boys and three gir ...

'', but turned it down because she wanted to do more musicals. Wallis is a

naturalised citizen Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

of the United States, where she has lived for more than 40 years. She married her agent, Bernie Rich, on 13 September 1968; the couple have one daughter and two granddaughters. Wallis is a patron of the theatre charity

The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America and the Theatre and Film Guild of Great Britain and America is a registered theatre charity and non-profit making theatre organisation based in London. The Guild's patrons include Brian Crouche ...

Selected credits

Film

* '' Ramsbottom Rides Again'' (1956) * ''

The Extra Day ''The Extra Day'' (also known as ''Twelve Desperate Hours'' and ''12 Desperate Hours'') is a 1956 British comedy-drama film directed by William Fairchild and starring Richard Basehart, Simone Simon and George Baker. Plot After the final scen ...

'' (1956) *''

A King in New York ''A King in New York'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin in his last leading role. The film presents a satirical view of certain aspects of American politics and society. It was produced in Europe after Cha ...

'' (1957) as Cabaret Singer * ''

'' (1968) as Nancy * '' Arnold'' (1973) * '' Terror in the Wax Museum'' (1973) * '' Mayday at 40,000 Feet'' (1976) * ''

The Great Mouse Detective ''The Great Mouse Detective'' (released as ''Basil the Great Mouse Detective'' in some countries and ''The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective'' during its 1992 re-release) is a 1986 American animated mystery adventure film produced by W ...

'' (voice of Lady Mouse, 1986) * ''Round Numbers'' (1992) * ''

The Pebble and the Penguin ''The Pebble and the Penguin'' is a 1995 American independent animated musical comedy-adventure film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film stars the voices of Martin Short, Jim Belushi, Tim Curry, and Annie Golden. Based on the true ...

'' (narrator, 1995) * '' Mojave Phone Booth'' (voice of "Greta", 2006)

Selected TV

* '' Two of a Kind'' (with Morecambe and Wise, 1961) * ''

The Garry Moore Show ''The Garry Moore Show'' is the name for several separate American variety series on the CBS television network in the 1950s and 1960s. Hosted by experienced radio performer Garry Moore, the series helped launch the careers of many comedic tale ...

'' (1963-1964) * ''

Once Upon a Mattress ''Once Upon a Mattress'' is a musical theater, musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway theat ...

'' (as Lady Larken, with most of the original Broadway cast, 1964) * ''

The Dean Martin Show ''The Dean Martin Show'' is a TV Variety show, variety-Television comedy, comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by Dean Martin. The theme song to the series was his 1964 hit "Everybody Loves ...

'' (singing "I'm a Girl" and " How Are Things in Glocca Morra?", 1965) * ''The Red Skelton Hour'' (1965 episode singing "

I'm Old Fashioned "I'm Old Fashioned" is a 1942 song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Johnny Mercer. It was written for the film ''You Were Never Lovelier'' (1942), where it was introduced by Nan Wynn who dubbed for Rita Hayworth as part of a song ...

" and singing/dancing "Pass Me By") * ''

This Is Tom Jones ''This Is Tom Jones'' is an ATV variety series starring Tom Jones. The series was exported to the United States by ITC Entertainment and was networked there by ABC. The series ran between 1969 and 1971 to total 65 colour episodes. Jones was ...

'' (1969, 1970) * ''

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

'' (as Stella in the episodes "Women for Sale", 1973) * ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in the fictional Genoa City (named after the real-life Genoa City, Wiscon ...

'' (as Frances the Governess, 2004) * ''

The $10,000 Pyramid ''Pyramid'' is an American game show franchise that has aired several versions domestically and internationally. The show was developed by Bob Stewart. The original series, ''The $10,000 Pyramid'', debuted on CBS on March 26, 1973, and spawned ...

'' * ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

'' (guest appearance as Ellen Jason, 1977) * ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

'' (as Gwen, in the "Strange Bedfellows" episode, 1995) * ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' (guest appearance as Olivia Waverley, 1989) * ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, '' The Twilight Zon ...

'' (as Miss Danton - segment "The Doll", 1971) * ''

Mickie Finn's Mickie Finn's (also known as Mickey Finn's) was a nightclub in San Diego, California, established in 1960 by piano player Fred E. Finn (Fred Soetje) and his wife Barbara, who used the stage name "Mickie Finn". Finn later extended the brand to a se ...

'' (as herself, 1966) * ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' (where she was spotted and subsequently auditioned and won the part of Nancy in the 1968 film ''Oliver'')

Theatre

* ''

'', (1952), London Coliseum (as Princess Marie) * ''

Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here may refer to: Film, television, and theater Film * ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987 film), a British comedy-drama film by David Leland * ''Wish You Were Here'' (2012 film), an Australian drama/mystery film by Kieran Darcy-Smith ...

'', (1953), London Casino * ''Happy As a King'', (1953), Princes Theatre, London (as Juliet) * ''

Wonderful Town ''Wonderful Town'' is a 1953 musical theatre, musical with book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Leonard Bernstein. The musical tells the story of two sisters who aspire to be ...

'' (1954), London Casino (as Fay Tomkin) * ''

Irma La Douce ''Irma la Douce'' (, "Irma the Sweet") is a 1963 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond, based on the 1956 French stage musical of the same name by Marguerite Monnot and Al ...

'' (1961), Lyric Theatre (title role) * ''Fine Fettle'' (1959), Palace Theatre * ''Green Room Rags'' (1954), Princes Theatre * '' The Dave King Show'', (1956), London Hippodrome * ''

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...

'', (

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

), (1955), Streatham Hill Theatre (as Aladdin) * ''

King Cole Coel (Old Welsh: ''Coil''), also called ''Coel Hen'' (Coel the Old) and King Cole, is a figure prominent in Welsh literature and legend since the Middle Ages. Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen, a 4th-century leader in Roman or Sub-Rom ...

'' (pantomime, 1962), Palace Manchester (as Miranda) * '' Bells Are Ringing'' (1958), Princess Theatre, MelbournePrincess Theatre, Melbourne theatre programme (1958) * ''

Bus Stop A bus stop is a place where Public transport bus service, buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelter (building), shelters ...

'' (1958), Golders Green Hippodrome (as Cherie) * ''You'll Be Lucky'', (1954), Adelphi Theatre with Lauri

Lupino Lane Henry William George Lupino (16 June 1892 – 10 November 1959) professionally Lupino Lane, was an English actor and theatre manager, and a member of the famous theatrical Lupino family, which eventually included his cousin, the screenwriter/di ...

* '' Cowardy Custard'' (1989), Theatre Royal Bath * ''

A Time for Singing ''A Time for Singing'' is a musical with music by John Morris, lyrics by Gerald Freedman and John Morris, and a book by Freedman and Morris. The work was based on Richard Llewellyn's novel of a Welsh mining village, ''How Green Was My Valley''. ...

'' (1966), Broadway Theater * ''

Finian's Rainbow ''Finian's Rainbow'' is a musical with a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane, produced by Lee Sabinson. The original 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances, while a film version was re ...

'' (1958), New Shakespeare Theatre * ''

42nd Street 42nd Street most commonly refers to: *42nd Street (Manhattan), a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan It may also refer to: *42nd Street (film), ''42nd Street'' (film), a 1933 American Warner Bros. musical film with lyri ...

'', (1985), Drury Lane Theatre * ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot centers on a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Follies ...

'' (1990), Long Beach Civic Light Opera, 20th Anniversary Revival (as Sally Durant Plummer) * ''Always'' (1997), Victoria Palace Theatre

Recordings

* ''Call Me Madam'' – original London stage recording (1952) * ''Wish You Were Here'' – original London stage recording (1953) * ''Shani!'' EP (1960) – Philips BBE 12337 ("Personality", "Please Don't Say No", "Don't Take Your Love Away from Me", "There Goes My Heart") * ''A Time for Singing'' (1966) – original Broadway cast recording * ''I'm a Girl!'' LP (1967) – Kapp Records KS-3472 * ''Look to Love'' LP (1967) – Kapp Records KS-3527 * ''

'' (1968) – original film cast recording * ''As Long As He Needs Me'' LP (1968) – Kapp Records KS-3573 * ''The Girl from Oliver'' LP (1969) – Kapp Records KS-3606

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wallis, Shani Living people 1933 births American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American women singers American musical theatre actresses American voice actresses Audiobook narrators English film actresses English television actresses English women singers English emigrants to the United States English musical theatre actresses English voice actresses English stage actresses Actors from the London Borough of Haringey Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Kapp Records artists 21st-century American women People from Tottenham