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Anita Harris at Sheppey Little Theatre, Sheerness

By: John Nurden jnurden@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 17:50, 25 February 2017

Imagine being able to chat to someone who has worked with comedy giants like Morecambe and Wise, helped magician David Nixon perform tricks on Saturday night TV for seven years and once had the most famous legs in showbusiness?

All that, and more, is on the stunning CV of actress Anita Harris who, at 74, is still touring theatres across the country.

Tonight (Saturday) she visits the Sheppey Little Theatre in Meyrick Road, Sheerness.

Anita Harris at the Sheppey Little Theatre

Tickets might be a hefty £20 but most have already sold. This is, after all, a golden opportunity to hear tales about the past from a living legend.

She has had a breathtaking career spanning more than 50 years. It all began when, as a 15-year-old ice-skater she was spotted by talent scouts and ended up in Las Vegas.

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Convent-educated Anita admitted: “It happened completely out of the blue. I had been living in Bournemouth but took up ice-skating. My skating partner was brilliant and went to the Queens rink in London to train.

“My parents drove me up the A303 so I could see what it was like and while I was dancing a talent scout offered to sign me up for a ballet in France.”

But when that fell through, Anita was offered a review as a chorus girl in the gambling capital of Las Vegas where Mae West, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack were performing. Anita recalled: “It was an incredible start.”

Anita Harris in concert

When she returned to the UK she joined The Cliff Adams Singers and appeared alongside Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams, Sid James and Jim Dale in Carry On Nurse and Carry On Follow That Camel in 1967.

She recorded hit songs and performed alongside Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark. She became a pantomime legend as a long-legged Peter Pan and was in panto again at Christmas, this time as a wicked baroness.

She has appeared in seven Royal Command Performances and starred as Grizabella in the West End production of Cats for two years.

Despite her age insists she has no plans to stop. She said: “When I am on stage the power of what I call Dr Footlights gives me the energy to keep going. I love it.”

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She has put together the story of her life with photos and videos of stars like former Goon Sir Harry Secombe and crazy magician Tommy Cooper and will pepper the evening with anecdotes guaranteed to leave the audience spellbound.

She added: “It should certainly bring back memories.”

• An Evening with Anita Harris, Sheppey Little Theatre, Meyrick Road, Sheerness. Tickets £20 from Sheppy Glass or call 01795 580006. For details of more shows click on Anita Harris.

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