Noel Harrison obituary
Actor and singer of The Windmills of Your Mind, a huge 1960s hit that won an Oscar
He was not on the list.
Noel Harrison, who has died aged 79 following a heart attack, was the son of the actor Sir Rex Harrison and followed his famous father into show business. He pursued a varied career on stage and in film and television, but it was as a musician that he achieved his moment in the spotlight. In 1968 he recorded the song The Windmills of Your Mind for the soundtrack of the Steve McQueen/Faye Dunaway film The Thomas Crown Affair and it became a top 10 hit in the UK the following year.
"Recording Windmills wasn't a very significant moment," he recalled. "It was just a job that I got paid $500 for, no big deal. The composer, Michel Legrand, came to my home and helped me learn it, then we went into the studio and recorded it, and I thought no more about it." It went on to win an Oscar for best original song. (Coincidentally, Talk to the Animals, the song sung by Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle, had won the Oscar the previous year.)
"People love [Windmills]," said Noel, "and it's great to have a classic like that on my books." His pleasure was marred only slightly by the fact that he could not perform it at the Oscar ceremony because he was in Britain filming Take a Girl Like You (1970).
Noel was born in London to Rex Harrison and his first wife, Collette Thomas; they divorced when he was eight. He attended private schools, including Radley college, Oxfordshire, and when he was 16 his mother invited him to live with her in Klosters, Switzerland. He jumped at the chance, which allowed him to develop his gifts as a skier. He became a member of the British ski team and competed at the Winter Olympics in Norway in 1952 and Italy in 1956.
After completing his national service in the army, Harrison concentrated on learning the guitar and in his 20s made a living travelling around Europe playing in bars and clubs. In 1958 he was given a slot on the BBC TV programme Tonight, on which he would sing calypso-style songs about current news events.
In 1965 he left for the US with his first wife, Sara, working on both coasts as a nightclub entertainer. He scored a minor hit with his version of the Charles Aznavour song A Young Girl (of Sixteen), which also featured on his first studio album, Noel Harrison, released in 1966. Then he landed a leading role in the TV series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., playing Mark Slate opposite Stefanie Powers as April Dancer, though the show lasted for only one season.
Harrison's high profile earned him a recording deal with Reprise, for whom he made three albums, Collage (1967), Santa Monica Pier (1968) and The Great Electric Experiment is Over (1969), and notched another minor hit with Leonard Cohen's song Suzanne. He also toured with Sonny & Cher and the Beach Boys. However, while his career flourished, his marriage was disintegrating, and Sara returned to Britain with their three children. In 1972 Harrison, beguiled by the back-to-the-land spirit of the era, left Los Angeles for Nova Scotia, Canada, with his second wife, Maggie. There they built their own house and lived on home-grown fruit and vegetables.
He now earned a living from hosting a music show on CBC, Take Time, and took several stage roles in touring musicals including Camelot, The Sound of Music and Man of La Mancha. He even played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, which had been an Oscar-winning film role for his father. "I went to see my dad in New York and I said 'I really need the money, so how do you feel about it?' He said 'Oh why not? Everybody else is doing it.'" In the 80s he also staged a one-man musical, Adieu Jacques, based on the songs of Jacques Brel.
He ventured into screenwriting, penning episodes of two
"erotic" TV series, Emmanuelle, Queen of the Galaxy and The
Adventures of Justine, before returning to Britain in 2003 with his third wife,
Lori. They originally planned a short visit to his stepdaughter, Zoe, who was
running a cafe in Ashburton, Devon, but liked it so much they decided to stay.
Harrison played gigs in village halls across Devon and in 2011 performed at the
Glastonbury festival. He released two new albums, Hold Back Time (2003) and
From the Sublime to the Ridiculous (2010), and his three Reprise albums were
reissued in 2011.
He is survived by Lori and five children from his first two marriages, which both ended in divorce.
Filmography
Actor
The Murder in China Basin (1999)
The Murder in China Basin
5.4
George Guest
1999
Tracey Takes On... (1996)
Tracey Takes On...
7.3
TV Series
Johnny
1999
1 episode
Déjà Vu (1997)
Déjà Vu
6.7
John Stoner
1997
The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991)
The Legend of Prince Valiant
7.4
TV Series
Valarius (voice)
1993
2 episodes
Tagget (1991)
Tagget
5.8
TV Movie
Jerrold Hicks
1991
The Young Riders (1989)
The Young Riders
7.7
TV Series
Deforest Whitcomb
1990
1 episode
Johnny Staccato (1959)
Gideon Oliver
5.9
TV Series
Professor Baker
1989
1 episode
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.7
TV Series
Charles Blanchard
1989
1 episode
Power (1986)
Power
5.7
Leonard Thompson
1986
Kate & Allie (1984)
Kate & Allie
6.9
TV Series
Owen Ives
1985
1 episode
Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and
Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)
The Love Boat
6.3
TV Series
Trevor Staines
1984
2 episodes
Hart to Hart (1979)
Hart to Hart
6.7
TV Series
Ridings
1981
1 episode
Matt and Jenny (1979)
Matt and Jenny
7.7
TV Series
Franklin
1980
1 episode
The Phoenix Team
TV Series
Rod Carson
1980
1 episode
Take Time with Noel Harrison
TV Series
Host
1974–1976
The Evil Touch (1973)
The Evil Touch
7.0
TV Series
Jonathan
1974
1 episode
Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)
Ironside
6.9
TV Series
Paul Buckler
1972
1 episode
Call Holme
6.7
TV Movie
Lester Faulkner
1972
Take a Girl Like You (1970)
Take a Girl Like You
5.6
Julian Ormerod
1970
The Name of the Game (1968)
The Name of the Game
7.6
TV Series
Steven Talbot
1970
1 episode
Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, and Clarence Williams III in Mod
Squad (1968)
Mod Squad
7.0
TV Series
Quinn
1970
1 episode
Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and
Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)
Mission: Impossible
7.9
TV Series
Nicolai
1970
3 episodes
Love, American Style (1969)
Love, American Style
6.8
TV Series
Don Lawrence (segment "Love and the Burglar")
1969
1 episode
It Takes a Thief (1968)
It Takes a Thief
7.5
TV Series
Lester V. Griffin
1968
1 episode
The Legend of Robin Hood (1968)
The Legend of Robin Hood
7.9
TV Movie
Alan-a-Dale
1968
Noel Harrison and Stefanie Powers in The Girl from
U.N.C.L.E. (1966)
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
6.5
TV Series
Mark Slate
1966–1967
29 episodes
Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll, and David McCallum in The Man
from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
7.7
TV Series
Mark Slate
1966
1 episode
Where the Spies Are (1965)
Where the Spies Are
5.6
Jackson
1965
The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)
The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders
5.6
Second Mohock
1965
No Hiding Place (1959)
No Hiding Place
7.5
TV Series
Gavin Crawford
1964
1 episode
Dirk Bogarde and Sylva Koscina in Agent 8 3/4 (1964)
Agent 8 3/4
6.1
Johnnie
1964
24-Hour Call
TV Series
Vic
1963
1 episode
Mr. Justice Duncannon
TV Series
Mr. Pelham
1963
1 episode
It Happened Like This
TV Series
Hiddicombe
1963
1 episode
Craig Stevens in Man of the World (1962)
Man of the World
7.3
TV Series
Lord Allwood
1962
1 episode
Tiara Tahiti (1962)
Tiara Tahiti
5.8
Junior Lieutenant (uncredited)
1962
Thirty Minute Theatre
TV Series
Ninian Upton
1962
1 episode
The Best of Enemies (1961)
The Best of Enemies
6.7
Lt. Hilary
1961
The Citadel
8.3
TV Mini Series
Freddie Foxley
1960–1961
6 episodes
Additional Crew
Biography (1987)
Biography
7.7
TV Series
photographs & memorabilia courtesy of
1998
1 episode
Thanks
Biography (1987)
Biography
7.7
TV Series
very special thanks
1998
1 episode
Soundtrack
Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan in The Trip to Spain (2017)
The Trip to Spain
6.6
performer: "The Windmills of your Mind"
2017
Love Lasts Three Years (2011)
Love Lasts Three Years
6.1
performer: "The Windmills of your Mind"
2011
Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair
(1968)
The Thomas Crown Affair
6.9
performer: "The Windmills of your Mind"
1968
Hullabaloo (1965)
Hullabaloo
7.4
TV Series
performer: "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue",
"Homeward Bound", "Daydream"
1966
1 episode
Hollywood a Go Go (1964)
Hollywood a Go Go
8.5
TV Series
performer: "A Young Girl (of Sixteen)", "Dear
Eliza"
1965
1 episode
Ed Sullivan in The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
The Ed Sullivan Show
7.9
TV Series
performer: "Padam... Padam... (How it Echoes the Beat
of my Heart)"
1960
1 episode
Self
The 100 Greatest Family Films (2005)
The 100 Greatest Family Films
7.2
TV Movie
Self
2005
Biography (1987)
Biography
7.7
TV Series
Self - Son
1998
1 episode
The Bob Braun Show (1967)
The Bob Braun Show
2.6
TV Series
Self - Actor
1982
1 episode
Canada After Dark
TV Series
Self
1978
1 episode
90 Minutes Live
5.8
TV Series
Self
1977
1 episode
Mike Douglas in The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
The Mike Douglas Show
7.1
TV Series
Self
Self - Co-Host
Self - Actor ...
1965–1973
13 episodes
Val Doonican in The Val Doonican Show (1970)
The Val Doonican Show
6.1
TV Series
Self
1972
1 episode
Saturday Variety (1972)
Saturday Variety
TV Series
Self
1972
1 episode
The Golden Shot (1967)
The Golden Shot
7.0
TV Series
Self
1972
1 episode
David Frost in The David Frost Show (1969)
The David Frost Show
7.2
TV Series
Self
1970–1971
3 episodes
The Roy Leonard Show (1971)
The Roy Leonard Show
TV Series
Self
1971
1 episode
Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
(1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
8.5
TV Series
Self
Self - Guest
1966–1971
7 episodes
The Leslie Crowther Show
TV Series
Self
1971
1 episode
Gracie Fields in Stars on Sunday (1969)
Stars on Sunday
3.6
TV Series
Self - Guest
1971
1 episode
Vera Lynn and The Fortunes in Vera Lynn (1969)
Vera Lynn
TV Series
Self
1971
1 episode
Cilla Black in Cilla (1968)
Cilla
7.2
TV Series
Self
1971
1 episode
Mary Hopkin in the Land of ... (1970)
Mary Hopkin in the Land of ...
TV Series
Self
1970
1 episode
The Harry Secombe Show (1968)
The Harry Secombe Show
8.2
TV Series
Self
1970
1 episode
Playboy After Dark (1969)
Playboy After Dark
6.9
TV Series
Singer
1969–1970
2 episodes
Della (1969)
Della
9.2
TV Series
Self
1970
2 episodes
The Joey Bishop Show (1967)
The Joey Bishop Show
7.2
TV Series
Self
Self - Host
Self - Guest Host
1968–1969
7 episodes
Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters (1969)
Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters
7.6
TV Series
Self - Singer
1969
1 episode
Bobbie Gentry in Bobbie Gentry (1968)
Bobbie Gentry
8.7
TV Series
Self
1969
1 episode
The Talk of the Town
TV Series
Self
1969
1 episode
The Spring Thing (1969)
The Spring Thing
TV Special
Self - Co-Host
1969
Hallelujah, Leslie!
TV Special
Self
1969
Rolf Harris in The Rolf Harris Show (1967)
The Rolf Harris Show
5.0
TV Series
Self
1969
1 episode
Simon Dee and Susan Hampshire in Dee Time (1967)
Dee Time
7.6
TV Series
Self
1969
1 episode
Paul Lynde in The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965)
The Hollywood Squares (Daytime)
6.8
TV Series
Self - Panelist
1967–1969
38 episodes
Funny You Should Ask (1968)
Funny You Should Ask
8.4
TV Series
Self
1969
5 episodes
Personality (1967)
Personality
6.7
TV Series
Self
1968–1969
3 episodes
The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show
8.3
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
The Peter Martin Show
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
Gene Rayburn in The Match Game (1962)
The Match Game
7.4
TV Series
Self - Team Captain
1967–1968
10 episodes
Where the Girls Are
TV Movie
Self
Various
1968
The Dick Cavett Show (1968)
The Dick Cavett Show
8.3
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
Dick Martin and Dan Rowan in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
(1967)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
8.0
TV Series
Self
Alan-a-dale (uncredited)
1968
1 episode
The Jerry Lewis Show (1967)
The Jerry Lewis Show
6.4
TV Series
Self
1968
1 episode
Fred Astaire and Barrie Chase in The Hollywood Palace (1964)
The Hollywood Palace
8.1
TV Series
Self - Singer
Sketch Actor
1967
2 episodes
The O'Keefe Centre Presents: The Rock Scene - Like It Is!
8.3
TV Special
Self - Host
1967
Snap Judgment (1967)
Snap Judgment
5.3
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Dick Smothers, Tom Smothers, and Smothers Brothers in The
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967)
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
8.0
TV Series
Self
1967
2 episodes
Clay Cole in The Clay Cole Show (1959)
The Clay Cole Show
TV Series
Self
1965–1967
3 episodes
Benny Hill in Spotlight (1967)
Spotlight
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Steve Allen, 1968 - Copyright 1968, 2000 MPTV.NET - photo
credit: Elmer Holloway
The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
8.1
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Dateline: Hollywood
5.9
TV Series
Self - Actor
1967
1 episode
Everybody's Talking
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Password (1961)
Password
7.4
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Go!!!
TV Movie
Self
1967
Gypsy (1965)
Gypsy
8.0
TV Series
Self
1967
1 episode
Dream Girl of '67 (1966)
Dream Girl of '67
6.2
TV Series
Self - Bachelor Judge
1967
5 episodes
Miss Teen International Pageant (1967)
Miss Teen International Pageant
TV Special
Self - Host
1967
Merv Griffin in The Merv Griffin Show (1962)
The Merv Griffin Show
6.6
TV Series
Self
1965–1967
4 episodes
The Andy Williams Show (1962)
The Andy Williams Show
7.4
TV Series
Self
1966–1967
2 episodes
Where the Action Is (1965)
Where the Action Is
8.2
TV Series
Self
1966–1967
2 episodes
Ed Sullivan in The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
The Ed Sullivan Show
7.9
TV Series
Self - Singer
1960–1966
3 episodes
The Lloyd Thaxton Show (1961)
The Lloyd Thaxton Show
8.6
TV Series
Self
1965–1966
3 episodes
The Kraft Summer Music Hall (1966)
The Kraft Summer Music Hall
TV Series
Self - Guest
1966
1 episode
Hullabaloo (1965)
Hullabaloo
7.4
TV Series
Self
Self - Guest
1965–1966
3 episodes
Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie in Today (1952)
Today
4.6
TV Series
Self
1966
1 episode
Shivaree (1965)
Shivaree
8.7
TV Series
Self
1965–1966
2 episodes
Hollywood a Go Go (1964)
Hollywood a Go Go
8.5
TV Series
Self - Singer
1965
1 episode
The Young Set
TV Series
Self
1965
1 episode
Helen Atkinson Wood, Nell Campbell, Simon Hickson, Brian
Travers, and Trevor Neal in Juke Box Jury (1959)
Juke Box Jury
7.6
TV Series
Self - Panellist
1965
1 episode
That's for Me
TV Series
Self
1965
1 episode
London in the Raw (1964)
London in the Raw
5.2
Self - Nightclub Compere (uncredited)
1964
Teddy Johnson in Music Shop (1958)
Music Shop
TV Series
Self - Performer
1959
1 episode
Archive Footage
Easy Listening Hits at the BBC (2011)
Easy Listening Hits at the BBC
6.9
TV Movie
Self (archive footage)
2011
The Doors: Soundstage Performances (2002)
The Doors: Soundstage Performances
8.0
Video
Self (archive footage)
2002
Annette Funicello in Hullabaloo Vol. 8 (1996)
Hullabaloo Vol. 8
8.0
Video
Self (archive footage)
1996
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