While there are many who won’t necessarily recognize the name Sally Ann Howes when mentioned off the cuff, you would be just as hard pressed to not have seen her at least once on screen whatever generation you are from, as Truly Scrumptious in the much-loved movie musicalChitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was therefore a sad revelation this morning that the now 91-year-old actress passed away in her sleep on Sunday, as was revealed by her nephew onTwitter.
Posting on the social media site, Susan Granger posted that her friend had passed away, which was confirmed by Toby Howes in a reply which read, “I can also confirm the passing of my beloved Aunty [Sally Ann Howes] who died peacefully in her sleep yesterday. My brother & I thought Sally Ann might hold on until the Christmas screening ofChitty Chitty Bang Bangas this would have greatly appealed to her mischievous side”
The British-American London-born actress had a career spanning six decades since the launch of her career in 1943 in the movieThursday’s Child, which led her to sign a contract with Ealing and Rank in the U.K. as well as appear in a string of big stage hits in London’s West End. After gaining critical acclaim in numerous shows, she was offered a role as Eliza Doolittle inMy Fair Ladyon Broadway, but would turn down the role twice before finally accepting the part, which she took over from Julie Andrews in New York’s theater district.
The actress flourished throughout the 1960s, appearing in Tony Award Winning Broadway shows, including a revival ofBrigadoonat the New York City Opera, which saw her earn a Tony Award nomination and become the first to be nominated for a revival performance, and that in turn led her to appear in the 1966 TV version ofBrigadoonwith Robert Goulet and Peter Falk along with some of the Broadway cast, which itself picked up six awards at the Emmys.
In 1968, Howes appeared in probably her most iconic role as Truly Scrumptious oppositeDick Van Dykein the Ian Flemming/Roald Dahl pennedChitty Chitty Bang Bang. For the film, the actress was paid $1.1 million in today’s money, while Dick Van Dyke received what would equate to a massive $15.5 million, obviously due to having previously appeared in Disney’s Mary Poppins and being one of the most sought after actors of the time.
Although the huge hit ofChitty Chitty Bang Bangdidn’t propel Howes to superstardom, the actress continued to appear in numerous TV shows as a guest star and in a 2013 interview said, “I would have liked a film career, but I didn’t pursue it – I just loved connecting with an audience. The theatre is a drug. The problem is that to be remembered, you have to do films." It is probably due to her love of the stage that she spent much of the rest of her career in stage productions, fromThe Sound of Musicin 1972, through Sondheim’sA Little Night Music, and evenHamlet.
Her second husband Douglas Rae, whom she married in 1972, passed away in September this year, to be followed by his wife only a few months later. Our thoughts are with family and friends at this time and with the certain generation for which she will always be Truly Scrumptious.Rest in peace, Sally Ann Howes.
