I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story [Hardcover]

Marni Nixon (Author), Stephen Cole (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

The most celebrated "voice" in Hollywood speaks for herself!


Everyone knows Marni Nixon...even if they think they don’t. One of the best-known and best-loved singing voices in the world, Nixon dubbed songs for Natalie Wood in West Side Story, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, and Deborah Kerr in The King and I. She was the voice of Hollywood’s leading ladies, arriving in filmland after a debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at 17 and continuing her career with Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, Stephen Sondheim, Rogers and Hammerstein, and many others. Her inspiring autobiography reveals Nixon as a singer, an actress, and a woman fighting for artistic recognition. Today, a survivor of breast cancer, she works on Broadway and television’s Law & Order SVU, tours with her own stage show, and teaches master classes in voice. I Could Have Sung All Night reveals the woman behind the screen in a frank, funny biography that is as remarkable as the woman whose story it tells.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Marnie Nixon is the unacknowledged star of some of the greatest Hollywood musicals of all time.Those who loved Anna in The King and I, Maria in West Side Story, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and Grandmother Fa in Mulan were responding to her wonderful voice and talent, and at last in her autobiography she comes out from behind the screen and takes a richly deserved bow." Roger Ebert "Working with the brilliantly talented Marni Nixon on Broadway did not prepare me for the rich and wonderfully written memoir that she has given us. I Could Have Sung All Night is not to be missed by anyone who loves music, theater, movies, or the follies of life itself. Read it now!" Blythe Danner "Some of us have always know that Marni Nixon is the quintessential musician, having worked with Stravinsky and Bernstein and Rodgers as well as having sung for Kerr and Hepburn and Wood. Marni is as successful delivering "I Feel Pretty" as she is Schoenberg’s one-woman epic opera, Pierrot Lunaire. Her autobiography covers a golden period in modern music. Read This Book!." Hal Prince "Marni has the voice that every actress wishes she had herself. Her story is every bit as eloquent and moving as the music she creates." Frances MacDormand Marni Nixon writes of her life and illustrious career; joyous, humorous, honest, informative, and lyrically detailed. The only thing missing in I Could Have Danced All Night is that the reader is being denied the sound of her glorious voice...and what voice. Polly Bergen "All through my tenure as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic one name stood out whenever singing in the movies or engaging a soprano of real professional caliber was concerned: Marni Nixon! Any aspiring professional singer reading this book will have tremendous insight into the life of a singer with a deep understanding of musical life in Hollywood." Zubin Mehta "What a delicious book! Marni tells her story straight from the heart with great candor and personal courage. It made me laugh and it made me cry. A "must read" for anyone interested in the inner working sof some of Hollywood’s most famous musicals." Russ Tamblyn "As I read this book I am reminded of how Marni’s voice has brought us all closer to our own song."

Celeste Holm

About the Author

Marni Nixon is renowned as the singing voice of many of Hollywood’s greatest stars. On stage, she has starred in Cabaret, My Fair Lady, Opal, Taking My Turn, and James Joyce’s The Dead. The winner of four Emmy awards for the children’s program Boomerang and the star of her own one-woman show (also called Marni Nixon: The Voice of Hollywood), she lives in New York City.

Stephen Cole wrote That Book About That Girl, a companion to the Marlo Thomas television series. As a librettist and lyricist, his musicals include The Night of the Hunter, After the Fair, Dodsworth, and many others. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Billboard Books; 1st edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823083659
• ISBN-13: 978-0823083657
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,164,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Fair and Wonderful Lady, October 12, 2006

By 

Jan Comsky - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story (Hardcover)

"I Could Have Sung All Night" by Marni Nixon is a wonderful, enjoyable autobiography of her life. Marni Nixon has dubbed singers Audrey Hepburn (My Fair Lady), Deborah Kerr (The King and I), and to my surprise Natalie Wood (West Side Story). Growing up with these movie musicals I knew about Marni Nixon's dubbing in "My Fair Lady", but when reading the chapter on "West Side Story" regarding the dubbing for Natalie Wood, I was surprised. When watching West Side Story, I really thought it was Natalie Wood doing her own singing!
Marni Nixon tells wonderful stories about her travels in Israel with Liberace, her stint with Victor Borge, and many other anecdotes.
The book is a fun and entertaining read, and I could not put it down. Thank you Marni Nixon!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood's most famous vocal "Ghost" appears in the shimmering flesh!, October 18, 2006

By 

M. Topor "Zak" (Hotlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story (Hardcover)

Marni Nixon's was one of those famous people who fascinated me from the moment I heard her story of being the vocal "ghost" in three of Hollywood's most remarkable musicals. Her's is a story I was waiting to hear, and with this great book, it was worth the wait.

For anyone interested in musicals, Hollywood or performing, Ms. Nixon's wonderful book will be a boon. From her personal stories about Hollywood to her journey from singer to remarkable actress, the book is a wonderful read.

Her story would make one of the most fascinating movie musicals ever. Part "Singing in the Rain" and part Hollywood Grimm's fairy tale, I want to see this story made into a movie musical. Anyone out there listening?

Bravo to Ms. Nixon! Thank you for sharing your amazing story. I was completely enthralled as well as inspired.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Could Have Read All Night, June 23, 2008

By 

P. EMERY "PFE" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story (Paperback)

Great walk through the 20th century. This woman's life arc hits all of the pioneering moments in musical entertainment from the great depression to present day. The back stories in Hollywood are a particular good read. At last there's a face and story to all of the great songs I've listened to over the years.