Laurie Anders

Laurie Anders (January 16, 1922 – October 5, 1992) was an American actress and singer, best known for her work with television personality Ken Murray.

Laurie Anders
Anders in 1953
BornJanuary 16, 1922
Casper, Wyoming, US
DiedOctober 5, 1992(1992-10-05) (aged 70)
Los Angeles, California, US
Other namesLoRaye Raddatz
OccupationActor, singer
Spouse(s)Leslie Raddatz (m. 1974)

Birth and early life

Anders was born and grew up on a ranch in Casper, Wyoming. Her first employment was as a stenographer and secretary at a labor union. Still in Wyoming, she joined a country band as a singer. She relocated to California in the 1940s, eventually finding her way to Ciro's nightclub in Los Angeles as a cigarette girl. She was noticed there by Ken Murray, who signed her to be part of his "Blackouts" traveling production. She continued with Murray when he moved to television.[1]

Acting career

Laurie Anders was a regular on the variety program The Ken Murray Show for its full run, from January 1950 until June 1953.[2] She began the show as part of the "Glamourlovelies" female dance chorus featured on the program.[3] Previously unknown, she was given a solo number in the production number "Oh, Susanna". This song, entitled I Like the Wide Open Spaces generated instant impact among viewers.[3] From that point on, Anders was billed as the "glamour cowboy" in promotional material, and the song was repeatedly plugged. Anders was showcased on the Arthur Godfrey's show, singing the song as a duet with Godfrey, where response was so positive that advance orders of 50,000 units were reportedly received for a recording that had not even been made yet.[3][4] Previously television shows had been unwilling to air a song unknown to audiences, in fear of audience displacement. Anders' performance demonstrated beyond doubt that an unknown performer, singing an unknown song, could effect significant influence on the current musical landscape. From that time on, television was used as a promotional vehicle for new artists and compositions.[3]

Anders starred in a 1953 western comedy motion picture entitled The Marshal's Daughter. The United Artists film co-starred Ken Murray and western silent-film star Hoot Gibson and was directed by William Berke.[5]

Singing career

Together with Arthur Godfrey, Anders had a top-20 hit with the song I Like the Wide Open Spaces, partially composed by Ken Murray[4] which was released by Columbia Records in 1951.[6] This recording placed in the top-5 of Billboard's "Disc Jockeys Picks".[7] In the mid 1950s, she toured as a featured performer in WLW's "Midwestern Hayride."[8]

Discography
YearTitleb-sideLabel/Catalog #Billboard Top 100 ChartNotes
1951I Like the Wide Open SpacesLove Is the ReasonColumbia 3940413[6]
1954Sure Fire Kisses"T" for TexasPIC 0010-[9]

Later life

By the late 1950s, Anders had ceased working as an actress. She became highly proficient at jujitsu. In 1974 she married Leslie Raddatz, a publicist, and became known by the name LoRaye Raddatz. She died of cancer on October 5, 1992 at age 70, at her home in the Tarzana, Los Angeles neighborhood.[1]

References
  1. "Laurie Anders; Retired Actress". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 6, 1992. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  2. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. Random House. p. 733. ISBN 9780307483201.
  3. Forman, Murray (2012). One Night on TV Is Worth Weeks at the Paramount: Popular Music on Early Television. Duke University Press. pp. 110–113. ISBN 9780822350118.
  4. "Advertisement for "I Like Those Wide Open Spaces"". Billboard. May 12, 1951. p. 19. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  5. Lackmann, Ronald W. (1997). Women of the Western Frontier in Fact, Fiction, and Film. McFarland. p. 167. ISBN 9780786404001.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 21. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  7. "Music Popularity Charts:The Disk Jockeys Pick". Billboard. May 26, 1951. p. 34. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  8. "GAC Eyeing Outdoors for Country Bookings". Billboard. April 23, 1955. p. 61. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  9. "Reviews of New Pop Records". Billboard. November 20, 1954. p. 42. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
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