Sally Ann Howes was born on July 20 1930 in St. John's Wood, London. She was the daughter of comedian Bobby Howes and actress Patricia Malone. During World War II her family moved to their house in Essendon, Hertfordshire. She appeared in school plays before making her film debut in Thursday Child (1943) as a young girl. She appeared in the film The Halfway House (1944) before appearing as Sally O'Hara as a girl attending a Christmas party that takes a turn for the macabre in Dead of Night (1945). For the remainder Sally Ann Howes appeared in such movies as Pink Sting and Sealing Wax (1945), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947), Anna Karenina (1948), My Sister and I (1948), The History of Mr. Polly (1949), Fools Rush In (1949), and Stop Press Girl (1949). She made her television debut in a production of Cinderella in 1950. She made her stage debut in Caprice in Glasgow in the same year.
In the Fifties Miss Howes appeared in the movies Honeymoon Deferred (1951) and The Admirable Crichton (1957). She appeared on the West End in such productions as Paint Your Wagon and A Hatful of Rain. She appeared on Broadway in My Fair Lady. She appeared on television in such productions as The Golden Year, Paint Your Wagon, and The Gift of the Magi. She guest starred on the shows Kaleidoscope, Buick-Electra Playhouse, and Sunday Showcase.
In the Sixties Sally Ann Howes appeared in the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). She guest starred on the shows Play of the Week, The United States Steel Hour, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Run for Your Life, Journey Into Fear, Mission: Impossible, and Bracken's World. She appeared on stage in such productions as Brigadoon at New York City Center Light Opera Company, My Fair Lady at the Melody Top Theatre in Chicago, and Camelot at the Muny in St. Louis.
In the Seventies Sally Ann Howes guest starred on the shows The Virginian and Marcus Welby, M.D. She appeared in the TV movie The Hound of the Baskervilles. She appeared in the movie Death Ship (1980). For the remainder of her career Sally Ann Howes appeared almost exclusively on stage, in such productions as The Sound of Music at the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera in 1972, a British tour of The King and I in 1973, Hamlet at the Gardner Centre Theatre in Brighton in 1983, A Little Night Music at the Lincoln Center in 1992, and an American tour of My Fair Lady in 2008. She only appeared on television two more times, once when Live from Lincoln Center broadcast A Little Night Music in 1990 and two guest appearance on Secrets in 1992.
I have to think the majority of people will remember Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and with her beautiful voice she was certainly suited to the role. That having been said, Miss Howes had a long career on stage and appeared in movies other than Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In fact, I don't think I'm alone when my favourite role she played was Sally in Dead of Night. As a young teenager she gave a remarkable performance. She also gave solid performances on her various guest appearances on TV shows. For instance, on Mission: Impossible she played an agent for the Impossible Missions Force who must pose as a baroness and Phelps's wife. She was a remarkable actress with a good deal of talent.
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