Quick Facts
Biography
Marion Ryan (4 February 1931 – 15 January 1999) was a popular British singer in the 1950s.
Early life
Born in Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England, she attended Notre Dame Collegiate School for Girls in Leeds, now Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College.
Career
She was once called "the Marilyn Monroe of popular song", Marion Ryan was a pop singer of the 1950s in the early years of British Independent Television. Her song "Love Me Forever" peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart in 1958. She was the regular singer in the popular musical quiz Spot the Tune on Granada Television for seven years from 1956, with a total of 209 half-hour programmes, which featured several star hosts including disc-jockey Pete Murray, the Canadian pop singer Jackie Rae, and the comedians Ken Platt and Ted Ray, and also Peter Knight and his orchestra. The show re-emerged in the 1970s as Name That Tune. Ryan made one brief appearance as herself in a film with singer Tommy Steele.
Personal life
Her first marriage was to producer Lloyd Sapherson in 1948. They had twin sons, Barry and Paul (born Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, 24 October 1948), and one daughter. Paul died of cancer in 1992, aged 44. In 1969 she married the show business millionaire Harold Davison, after which she retired. She died at age 67 in Boca Raton, Florida, United States.