Sally Ann Howes

Her stage career took off in 1950 with the musical Caprice, leading to an 18-month run of Paint Your Wagon opposite her father in 1953. She also performed in plays like Romance by Candlelight and A Hatful of Rain, and the musical Summer Song. In 1958, she took over from Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in Broadway's My Fair Lady, a role offered to her three times before she could accept. That same year, she married composer Richard Adler, who wrote Gift of the Magi for a CBS TV special and later Kwamina for her. Her performance in Brigadoon earned her a Tony nomination in 1963. She then appeared in What Makes Sammy Run and the TV production of Brigadoon (1966), which won seven Emmys.

After divorcing Adler in 1966, she starred in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) as Truly Scrumptious, the role for which she is best remembered. Filmed over 14 months in England, France, and Bavaria, the movie became a massive hit and spawned a merchandising phenomenon. Despite mixed reviews, children loved it, and the costumes sparked a revival in Edwardian fashions. After this, her film roles became sporadic, and she returned to the stage, where she worked for the rest of her career. She appeared in numerous musicals and plays, including Camelot, The Sound of Music, and A Little Night Music. She sang at the White House for three US Presidents. She became a naturalized US citizen and lived in New York with her second husband, Douglas Rae, for over 30 years. Her last stage appearance was in 1992.