Moira Anderson | |
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Born | Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | 5 June 1938
Nationality | Scottish |
Alma mater | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama |
Occupation(s) | singer, host |
Years active | 1960-2010 |
Notable work |
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Moira Anderson OBE (born 5 June 1938) is a Scottish singer.
Moira Anderson was born on 5 June 1938 in Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. She was educated at Lenzie Academy, [1] She then attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, before getting her big break in the media after a successful audition at the BBC. [2]
She landed her first job in the media, presenting the radio programme Can't Help Singing where she sang with some prestigious names from the world of opera. She went on to make many appearances in the TV series The White Heather Club hosted by Andy Stewart. [3]
She subsequently hosted her own television show, the popular Moira Anderson Sings on BBC1 in 1968. [4] By 1970 she had signed up with the Decca Record Company, performed at the London Palladium and was hosting another show Stars On Sunday which ran for a decade from 1969. She is renowned for her charity work.[ citation needed ]
In her early career Anderson made frequent appearances alongside fellow Scottish music stars, Kenneth McKellar and other Scottish stars. The pairing was celebrated in the 1971 "Two Ronnies" spoof sketch (Programme 3, 1st Series) featuring "Kenneth Anderson" and "Moira McKellar", in which Ronnie Corbett's Ken described Ronnie Barker's (rather hefty) Moira as "that beautiful lump of Dundee cake". In the early 1980s she made a successful album of duets with Sir Harry Secombe. She recorded "A Perfect Day" by Carrie Jacobs-Bond. [5] Her musical directors over the years have included Peter Knight, Peggy O'Keefe, Nick Ingman and Gordon Cree.[ citation needed ] She has recorded many albums, including an Ivor Novello collection, conducted by Robin Stapleton, and made many appearances on the BBC TV's popular, long running series, The Good Old Days .
She received an OBE in July 1970. [6] In 2010, she sang two songs at the funeral of Sir Norman Wisdom. [7]
Anderson lives, as of 2016, in retirement on the Isle of Man with her husband of over 50 years, Stuart Macdonald. [8]
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless character called Norman Pitkin. He was awarded the 1953 BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles following the release of Trouble in Store, his first film in a lead role.
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Anne Lorne Gillies is a Scottish singer, writer, and activist.
Kenneth McKellar was a Scottish tenor.
Lenzie is an affluent town by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. It is about 6 miles (10 km) north-east of Glasgow city centre and 1 mile (2 km) south of Kirkintilloch. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 8,873. The ancient barony of Lenzie was held by William de Comyn, Baron of Lenzie and Lord of Cumbernauld in the 12th century.
Peggy O'Keefe was an Australian-Scottish pianist, bandleader, and television and radio presenter.
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The White Heather Club was a BBC TV Scottish variety show that ran on and off from 7 May 1958 to 11 April 1968
Sandra Brown,OBE, is a Scottish campaigner and leading expert on child protection issues. She has also achieved wide recognition as a writer, broadcaster and actress.
Brian Michael Fahey was a British musical director, composer and arranger, best known for composing "At the Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal", the signature tune to BBC Radio's long running programme Pick of the Pops. From 1972 he was principal conductor of the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra, until it was disbanded in 1981.
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