Shani Wallis (born 14 April 1933) is an English actress and singer.

Wallis was born in Tottenham, London. Making her first stage appearance at the age of four, she later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) on a scholarship. Wallis went on to play many leading roles in the West End, but she is best known for the role of Nancy in Carol Reed's 1968 film production of Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! which co-starred Ron Moody, Harry Secombe, Oliver Reed, Jack Wild and Mark Lester. Wallis has appeared with Liberace, Jack Benny, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Wallis is a naturalized citizen of the United States, where she has lived for some time. She married her agent/manager Bernie Rich on Friday 13 September 1968. Asked, "Why on that day?" she replied, "Everything good has happened to me on Friday 13th and Shani means 'lucky jewel'. The couple have one child, Rebecca, and two granddaughters. She is also the sister of jazz drummer Leon Roy.

Wallis is a patron of the theatre charity The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.

Credits

Theatre

• Call Me Madam, London Coliseum (as "Princess Marie") with Anton Walbrook.
• Wish You Were Here (London Casino) with Elizabeth Larner and Dickie Henderson.
• Happy As A King, at the Princes Theatre, London (as "Juliet") with Warren Mitchell.
• Wonderful Town, (1953) London Casino (as "Fay Tomkin") with Pat Kirkwood and Dickie Henderson
• Irma La Douce, (1961) Lyric Theatre (title role) with Denis Quilley.
• Fine Fettle, (1959) Palace Theatre with Benny Hill and Robertson Hare.
• Green Room Rags, Princes Theatre (1954) with Beryl Reid and Larry Adler
• The Dave King Show, London Hippodrome.
• Aladdin, (pantomime) Streatham Hill Theatre (as "Aladdin") with Hughie Green and Lauri Lupino Lane
• King Cole (pantomime) - Palace Manchester (played "Miranda") with Alfred Marks, Tommy Cooper and Gary Miller
• Bus Stop, Golders Green Hippodrome (1958) (as "Cherie"). Dir: Sam Wanamaker.
• You'll Be Lucky, Adelphi Theatre with Lauri Lupino Lane
• Cowardy Custard, (1989) Theatre Royal Bath.
• A Time for Singing, (1966) Broadway Theater, NYC - Opened May 12 and closed after 41 performances with Tessie O'Shea.
• Finian's Rainbow, (1958) Liverpool, New Shakespeare Theatre - (as "Sharon") with Bobby Howes
• 42nd Street, Drury Lane Theatre, London (as "Dorothy Brock") with Frankie Vaughan and Maxine Audley.
• Always, (1996) Victoria Palace Theatre in London (as "Aunt Bessie") with Sheila Ferguson.

Film

• A King in New York (as cabaret singer) with Charles Chaplin, Dawn Addams, Maxine Audley and Sid James
• The Extra Day with George Baker, Beryl Reid and Richard Basehart
• Oliver! with Ron Moody, Harry Secombe, Sheila White, Oliver Reed and Jack Wild and herself
• Mayday at 40,000 Feet with David Janssen and Jane Powell
• Arnold with Roddy McDowall
• Round Numbers (as "Binki")
• Terror in the Wax Museum with Broderick Crawford
• The Pebble and the Penguin (as Narrator)
• Mojave Phone Booth (as Greta)
• Walt Disney's Pocahontas 2 (vocal)
• Walt Disney's Basil The Great Mouse Detective (Voice of "Lady Mouse")

TV

• Gunsmoke
• The Young and the Restless (as "Frances the Governess")
• Charlie's Angels (Guest appearance as "Ellen Jason") with Gene Barry
• Columbo
• Murder, She Wrote
• Night Gallery
• Mickie Finn's
• On The Move with Jack Jones
• The Ed Sullivan Show - Where she was spotted and subsequently auditioned and won the part of Nancy in the 1968 film Oliver
• The Red Skelton Show singing "I'm Old Fashioned" and singing/dancing "Pass Me By" (appeared on episode w/Archie Moore)
• The Dean Martin Show singing "I'm A Girl" & "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?"

British TV

• The Tom Jones Show
• Give Us a Clue
• Highway with Harry Secombe
• The Morecambe and Wise Show
• Oliver! The Reunion Herself

Recordings

• Oliver! (1968) - Original film cast recording
• Call Me Madam - Original London stage recording
• Wish You Were Here - Original London stage recording
• The Girl From Oliver
• I'm a Girl!, Kapp Records Stereo KS-3472
• Personality, Please Don't Say No, Don't Take Your Love Away From Me, There Goes My Heart, with Wally Stott
• Don't ringa da bell
• The Trolley Song
• Bell Bottom Blues
• Secondhand Rose
• Our Melody
• "From Atlanta To Goodbye" (Richard Ahlert-Leon Carr) KAPP K-2044 produced by Hy Grill; Musical Director: Jimmy Dale
• "Another Monday" (Stanley Jay Gelber) KAPP K-2044 produced by Hy Grill; Musical Director: Jimmy Dale

External links

• Shani Wallis at the Internet Movie Database
• Simply Shani Fansite