Shirley Harmer

Harmer, Shirley

Shirley Harmer. Singer, actress, b Thornton's Corners (now Oshawa), Ont, 25 Mar 1932. In her teens she sang in the dance bands of, and was coached by, Boyd Valleau and Art Hallman. After performing on CBL and CFRB radio in Toronto, she came to notice in 1953 on CBC TV's 'The Big Revue' then appeared in the USA 1953-4 on Dave Garroway's NBC TV show and intermittently 1953-6 with Paul Whiteman's orchestra on ABC radio and in concert. Harmer starred 1954-7 in Toronto on CBC TV's 'C.G.E. [Canadian General Electric] Showtime' and was a regular 1957-8 in Hollywood on NBC TV's 'The George Gobel Show'. She appeared in the US feature film The Hangman at this time. In later years Harmer pursued a nightclub career in Toronto (where she sang again on CBC TV - eg, in 1962 on 'A Summer Night'), 1968-72 in Italy (as Vida Durinzi) and after the mid-1970s in Florida. She recorded in New York for MGM in the 1950s, in Toronto (Shirley Harmer Sings, 1964, CTL CTLS-5052) and in Milan for Miura. Harmer was married 1954-9 to George Murray.

Writings

'Why I flopped in Hollywood,' Star Weekly, 17 Mar 1960