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Lizbeth Webb

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Lizbeth Webb Famous memorial

Birth
Reading, Reading Borough, Berkshire, England
Death
17 Jan 2013 (aged 86)
London, City of London, Greater London, England
Burial
Cremated. Specifically: Ashes given to her family. Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Singer, Actress. Called the "Champagne Soprano", she was a noted radio and Big Band vocalist of the World War II years who later had a distinguished career on the West End stage. Born to a family named Holton, she was raised in Caversham as Elizabeth Sandra Wills-Webber following her mother's death and her adoption by an aunt and uncle. Athletic as a child, she also evidenced her musical talent early and broke into show business at 14, initially appearing on the BBC with the Albert Sandler Trio. Lizbeth sang on the radio with the orchestras of Jack Payne, Louis Levey, and others, entertained the troops, and on the BBC German Service made propoganda broadcasts of such effectiveness that she was under a death sentence that would have been carried out had the Nazis won the war. In 1946 she was an understudy in the cast of "Big Ben" and received a major break when she took-over the lead; she was to achieve stardom as Lucy Willow in 1947's "Bless The Bride", a work whose popularity was was aided by the impending marriage of Queen (then, Princess) Elizabeth and Prince Philip, with the song "This Is My Lovely Day" becoming a hit and her signature piece forever after. Lizbeth earned praise in Ivor Novello's 1951 "Gay's The Word" and that same year was briefly engaged to actor Peter Sellers. In 1953 she was Sarah Brown for the London premiere of "Guys and Dolls"; she continued her theatrical work and her travels to entertain military personnel, during one of her tours meeting Col. Sir Guy Campbell whom she married in 1956. Following her marriage Lizbeth concentrated on raising her family though she was to win acclaim as the title lead of a 1969 revival of Franz Lehar's "The Merry Widow". She lived in Cheltenham until Sir Guy's 1993 death after which she relocated to London; at her demise from the infirmities of age two CDs of her music were in print.
Singer, Actress. Called the "Champagne Soprano", she was a noted radio and Big Band vocalist of the World War II years who later had a distinguished career on the West End stage. Born to a family named Holton, she was raised in Caversham as Elizabeth Sandra Wills-Webber following her mother's death and her adoption by an aunt and uncle. Athletic as a child, she also evidenced her musical talent early and broke into show business at 14, initially appearing on the BBC with the Albert Sandler Trio. Lizbeth sang on the radio with the orchestras of Jack Payne, Louis Levey, and others, entertained the troops, and on the BBC German Service made propoganda broadcasts of such effectiveness that she was under a death sentence that would have been carried out had the Nazis won the war. In 1946 she was an understudy in the cast of "Big Ben" and received a major break when she took-over the lead; she was to achieve stardom as Lucy Willow in 1947's "Bless The Bride", a work whose popularity was was aided by the impending marriage of Queen (then, Princess) Elizabeth and Prince Philip, with the song "This Is My Lovely Day" becoming a hit and her signature piece forever after. Lizbeth earned praise in Ivor Novello's 1951 "Gay's The Word" and that same year was briefly engaged to actor Peter Sellers. In 1953 she was Sarah Brown for the London premiere of "Guys and Dolls"; she continued her theatrical work and her travels to entertain military personnel, during one of her tours meeting Col. Sir Guy Campbell whom she married in 1956. Following her marriage Lizbeth concentrated on raising her family though she was to win acclaim as the title lead of a 1969 revival of Franz Lehar's "The Merry Widow". She lived in Cheltenham until Sir Guy's 1993 death after which she relocated to London; at her demise from the infirmities of age two CDs of her music were in print.

Bio by: Bob Hufford


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