p h i l a n t h ropy
the farris of them all Looking back on the illustrious life and generosity of Dame Celia Lipton Farris Born in Edinburgh and raised in London, the daughter of a renowned orchestra leader, Celia Lipton Farris was performing in leading roles on the stage in her teens. She was a featured performer at the London Palladium and became a household name throughout the U.K, performing to packed houses. She recorded for Columbia Records at the famed Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles recorded. She distinguished herself singing with 72 QUEST
both the Mantovani and the Melachrino orchestras, as well as her father’s orchestra, and has been recognized by the National Jazz Archive in the U.K. Among her most memorable performances as leading lady was in Get A Load Of This, the title role in Emile Littler’s revival of The Quaker Girl, and Peter in Peter Pan. Additionally, she played the lead of Lili, in the light operetta Lilac Time. After crossing the Atlantic, the young star’s acting and singing careers soared.
She appeared on Broadway in John Murray Anderson’s Almanac and Maggie. On television, she starred as Esmeralda on NBC’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” had the leading role in several productions of “Goodyear Playhouse,” and also appeared in network daytime dramas. While enjoying a successful career staring on Broadway and in television, Celia Lipton met, fell in love with, and married the acclaimed industrialist and inventor, Victor Farris. At that time she