Elizabeth Larner

Elizabeth Larner (29 October 1932 – 11 March 2022) was a British actress and singer born in Wigan, England, whose soprano voice carried her through a career spanning West End productions, Broadway, television, film, and studio recordings.

Larner's early stage work brought her into the chorus of the original London Coliseum production of Kiss Me, Kate, where she served as understudy to star Patricia Morison. When Morison fell ill, Larner stepped into the leading role, drawing significant attention to her voice. She subsequently toured in the production as Kate/Lilli opposite Christopher Hewett, who played Fred/Petruchio. Her West End career continued with leading roles in Wish You Were Here, Kismet, and Camelot, the latter featuring Laurence Harvey as Arthur.

Her recording work included an album of vocal selections from The New Moon and Rose-Marie, made with Andy Cole for His Master's Voice, the EMI label, in one of the company's first stereo recordings. She continued contributing to His Master's Voice and EMI studio recordings of musicals through the late 1960s. On television, Larner's appearances began in the mid-1950s and extended across several decades. She played Ammonia in the BBC sitcom Up Pompeii! and later appeared in The Two Ronnies, taking part in the 1981–1982 comic detective serial Band of Slaves alongside Ronnie Barker as Piggy Malone and Ronnie Corbett as Charley Farley. Her film credits include Song of Norway in 1970 and Royal Flash in 1975.

During the 1980s, while living in the New York City area, Larner appeared in two Broadway productions. In 1984 she played Mrs. Bumble and Mrs. Bedwin in the Cameron Mackintosh revival of Oliver!, a production that also starred Ron Moody and Patti LuPone. In 1986 she took on the roles of Lady Diss and Mrs. Brown in the first American production of Me and My Girl, which featured Robert Lindsay, Maryann Plunkett, and Jane Connell. She also performed in the Off-Off-Broadway cabaret revue Don't Cry, Baby, It's Only a Movie, with lyrics by Fran Landesman and music by Jason McAuliffe.

By the 1990s Larner had retired to Venice, Florida, where she died on 11 March 2022 at the age of 89.