Lisa Davis, a talented English actress, has been captivating audiences with her on-screen presence since her early childhood. Born Shirley Ann Davis to a family with a rich musical heritage, her father Harry Davis was a skilled banjo player, guitarist, and singer who even led the Oscar Rabin Orchestra as co-leader. Her sister Beryl Davis was a big band vocalist and occasional actress, and Lisa's own musical inclinations were nurtured from a young age.
Lisa received her training at the prestigious Arts Educational School in Chiswick, West London, and began her acting career in British films as a child. At the tender age of fourteen, she was invited to Hollywood by Walt Disney to audition for a role in the live-action adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, but unfortunately, the project never came to fruition. Two years later, she was again overlooked for a part in the MGM movie Young Bess.
Undeterred, Lisa remained in America and attended acting schools at MGM and Columbia, eventually landing guest roles on several TV programs, including The Bob Cummings Show, The George Burns Show, and Perry Mason. On the big screen, she took on leading roles in two horse operas, Fury at Gunsight Pass and The Dalton Girls, showcasing her range by playing a ruthless outlaw.
Lisa's filmography also includes the infamous Queen of Outer Space, in which she played the role of Motiya, Zsa Zsa Gabor's Venusian acolyte. A decade after her arrival in Hollywood, Disney offered her the voice-over part of Cruella De Vil in One Hundred and One Dalmatians, but Lisa, an avid dog lover, opted instead to read for the role of Anita Dearly, the protagonist.
In addition to her film work, Lisa also had a successful stage career, performing on Broadway from 1955 under the stage name Cherry Davis. She was an understudy for the part of Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera and appeared in Damn Yankees. After retiring from acting in 1968, Lisa has resided in Studio City, California, under her married name, Lisa Waltz.
