Screen and stage actor Sally Ann Howes has died at 91. Perhaps best known for her role as Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, she had a career that spanned over six decades and both sides of the Atlantic.
A dual British-American citizen, Sally was born in London in 1930 to actor, comedian and variety star Bobby Howes and actress and singer Patricia Malone and had her first acting role aged only 12 in film Thursday’s Child.
She went on to star in Paint Your Wagon with her father on the West End, followed by Summer Song, and A Hatful of Rain.
She reached fame on Broadway when she replaced Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 1957, and went on to be nominated for a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1963 for her performance in Brigadoon.
Sally performed for presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson during their times in office.
She also performed at many charity gala evenings in the West End, most recently in performing at a charity gala concert in tribute to vocal coach Ian Adam at Her Majesty’s Theatre London in 2008.