She was was born in London's East End, the daughter of a Russian immigrant family who settled in Britain at the turn of the century. During WWII she was evacuated to South Wales where Welsh choirs fascinated her and she remembers the miners harmonising which made her want to sing professionally. Her first engagement at 17 was at London's Stork Club where she sang Blues numbers. She got steady work in cabaret and on the variety circuit. Tiring of all the touring in 1956 she auditioned for and got...
Read more: Imdb
