Phyllis Marshall

Phyllis Irene Elizabeth Marshall (4 November 1921 – 2 February 1996) was a Canadian singer and actor. She was one of the first Canadian television stars, described by Encyclopedia of Music in Canada as a "pioneer among black Canadian performers".

Her singing career started at age 15 and included stage work in Canada and US, as well as television and radio work for CBC, CTV and the BBC.

Her 1964 LP That Girl won a Juno Award.

Early life and education Phyllis Irene Elizabeth Marshall was born to American parents on 4 November 1921 in Barrie, Ontario. As a child she studied piano and was a promising track athlete, setting the Canadian record for the girls' 100-yard dash. The family moved to Toronto where she attended Runnymede secondary school. She was inspired to get into show business after winning a high school talent contest.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s she sung jazz, touring the US with the Cab Calloway Orchestra and performing on stage in Toronto at venues such as the Park Plaza Hotel. which won a Juno Award. and lived in the Rosedale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario.

She had a daughter, Sharon Lee Marshall, who worked as a model.

Marshall died on 2 February 1996 aged 74 in Toronto.