Post by Kaz ~;~ on Aug 15, 2010 19:34:48 GMT -5
[/size][/url][/center]
-------------------------------
Date of Birth
16 January 1908, Astoria, New York, USA
Date of Death
15 February 1984, New York City, New York, USA (following surgery for brain cancer)
Birth Name
Ethel Agnes Zimmermann
Biography
Born in the Astoria section of Queens, New York City, Ethel Merman was surely the pre-eminent star of 'Broadway' musical comedy. Though untrained in singing, she could belt out a song like quite no one else, and was sought after by major songwriters such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Having debuted in 1930 in "Girl Crazy, " she is yet remembered for her marvelous starring appearances in so many great musicals that were later adapted to the silver screen. Among the film versions, Merman herself starred in Anything Goes (1936) and Call Me Madam (1953). That wonderfully boisterous blonde, Betty Hutton, had the Merman lead in both Red, Hot and Blue (1949) and Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Besides Hutton, other Merman screen stand-ins included Lucille Ball (in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)), Ann Sothern (in Panama Hattie (1942)), Vivian Blaine (in Something for the Boys (1944)) and Rosalind Russell (in Gypsy (1962)). (Russell could never render Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne's "Everything's Coming Up Roses" the way the immortal Merman did, over and over again.)
Spouse
Ernest Borgnine (26 June 1964 - 28 July 1964) (divorced)
Robert Six (9 March 1953 - 1960) (divorced)
Robert Levitt (1941 - 10 June 1952) (divorced) 2 children
William Smith (15 November 1940 - 1 October 1941) (divorced)
Trade Mark
The song, sung in her inimitable way, "There's No Business Like Show Business."
------------------------
Trivia
Thrice-wed Merman married twice-wed Ernest Borgnine in 1964. Their marriage was dissolved after 32 days. They had announced their impending nuptials at the legendary New York night spot P.J. Clarke's, but Borgnine, who was riding high as the star of "McHale's Navy" (1962) at the time, said the marriage began unraveling on their honeymoon, when he received more fan attention than she did. The competitive Merman was left seething. "By the time we got home, it was hell on earth," Borgnine recalled in a 2001 interview. "And after 32 days I said to her, 'Madam, bye.'" Borgnine went on to marry a third time, but Merman remained single after her divorce. In her 1978 biography, she devoted a chapter of her autobiography to the marriage: It consisted of one blank page.
She won a Tony for "Call Me Madam"
Her daughter, Ethel Jr. died of an overdose of drugs and alcohol in 1967.
Was at one time passionately involved with Jacqueline Susann. After their relationship ended in anger, Susann based the character of the lonely, pathetic, faded Broadway star Helen Lawson on Merman.
One son, Bobby.
Of German-Scottish ancestry.
Bertolt Brecht actually desired to have the raucous Ethel play the title role of his masterpiece "Mother Courage...and Her Children." She, of course, never did.
She loved Christmas so much, that she kept her Christmas tree up year-round
In 1979 she released her most controversial album-to-date. A disco LP simply titled "The Ethel Merman Disco Album." Despite it not even charting on the Billboard charts, and many people's skeptically on the the then 71-year-old veteran, it was a smash hit, being played in Studio54 regularly, with live appearances by Merman, herself. It also became a staple period album for the majority of the gay community.
Devised her screen and stage name by removing the first three letters (Zim) and the last letter (n) from her birth name - Zimmermann
Former mother-in-law of murdered Barbara Colby whose untimely funeral she attended
Won a Tony for her role in the musical "Call Me Madam" (1951); Tony-nominated for musical "Happy Hunting" (1957); Tony-nominated for musical "Gypsy" (1960); Recipient of Tony Special Award (1972)
Her final film role was in the Jerry Zucker / Jim Abrahams / David Zucker film, Airplane! (1980). Coincidentally, John Houseman died soon after filming The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), also a ZAZ film, but before its theatrical release.
Her third husband, Robert F. Six, was CEO of Continental Airlines.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 560-562. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
Nominated for 1960 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Gypsy".
Nominated for 1957 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Happy Hunting".
Winner of 1951 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Call Me Madam".
Recreated both her Broadway starring roles of Mrs. Sally Adams from Call Me Madame and Reno Sweeney from Anything Goes! in the movie versions.
Son Robert Levitt Jr. was born August 11, 1945.
Daughter Ethel Levitt was born July 20, 1942.
She was either seen or heard (or both) in several of the opening credits of film of TV adaptations of shows in which she recreated her original roles. In the 1936 film of "Anything Goes" she appears singing a phrase of the title song before the opening credits even appear; in the 1953 film of "Call M
She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 7044 Hollywood Boulevard and for Recording at 1751 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
Her daughter Ethel was married to William Geary in 1960. She gave birth to Merman's first grandchild, Barbara Jean, on February 20, 1961. She later gave birth to a son, Michael Geary.
She suffered a miscarriage during her marriage to Robert Levitt.
When she died, she left $800,000 to be divided between her son and her two grandchildren.
Won a 1972 Special Tony Award (New York City).
----------------------------------
Personal Quotes
[In 1959, when she was nominated for a Tony for "Gypsy" but had lost to Mary Martin in "The Sound of Music"] You can't buck a nun.
[on the show that made her a star, George Gershwin's "Girl Crazy", 1930] In the second chorus of "I Got Rhythm", I held a high C note for 16 bars while the orchestra played the melodic line - a big, tooty thing - against the note. By the time I'd held that note for four bars the audience was applauding. They applauded through the whole chorus and I did several encores. It seemed to do something to them. Not because it was sweet or beautiful, but because it was exciting. Few people have the ability to project a big note and hold it. It's not just a matter of breath; it's a matter of power in the diaphragm. I'd never trained my diaphragm, but I must have a strong one. When I finished that song, a star had been born. Me.
[on Mary Martin] She's okay, if you like talent.
I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them.
I don't want to sound pretentious, but in a funny way I feel I'm the last of a kind. I don't mean that there aren't some girls out there somewhere who are just as talented as I was. But even if they are, where will they find the shows like Girl Crazy, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam and Gypsy? They just don't produce those vehicles anymore.
I take a breath when I have to.
I can hold a note as long as the Chase National Bank.
Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to Broadway.
You'll never prove you're too good for a job by not doing your best
-------------------------------
Date of Birth
16 January 1908, Astoria, New York, USA
Date of Death
15 February 1984, New York City, New York, USA (following surgery for brain cancer)
Birth Name
Ethel Agnes Zimmermann
Biography
Born in the Astoria section of Queens, New York City, Ethel Merman was surely the pre-eminent star of 'Broadway' musical comedy. Though untrained in singing, she could belt out a song like quite no one else, and was sought after by major songwriters such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Having debuted in 1930 in "Girl Crazy, " she is yet remembered for her marvelous starring appearances in so many great musicals that were later adapted to the silver screen. Among the film versions, Merman herself starred in Anything Goes (1936) and Call Me Madam (1953). That wonderfully boisterous blonde, Betty Hutton, had the Merman lead in both Red, Hot and Blue (1949) and Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Besides Hutton, other Merman screen stand-ins included Lucille Ball (in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)), Ann Sothern (in Panama Hattie (1942)), Vivian Blaine (in Something for the Boys (1944)) and Rosalind Russell (in Gypsy (1962)). (Russell could never render Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne's "Everything's Coming Up Roses" the way the immortal Merman did, over and over again.)
Spouse
Ernest Borgnine (26 June 1964 - 28 July 1964) (divorced)
Robert Six (9 March 1953 - 1960) (divorced)
Robert Levitt (1941 - 10 June 1952) (divorced) 2 children
William Smith (15 November 1940 - 1 October 1941) (divorced)
Trade Mark
The song, sung in her inimitable way, "There's No Business Like Show Business."
------------------------
Trivia
Thrice-wed Merman married twice-wed Ernest Borgnine in 1964. Their marriage was dissolved after 32 days. They had announced their impending nuptials at the legendary New York night spot P.J. Clarke's, but Borgnine, who was riding high as the star of "McHale's Navy" (1962) at the time, said the marriage began unraveling on their honeymoon, when he received more fan attention than she did. The competitive Merman was left seething. "By the time we got home, it was hell on earth," Borgnine recalled in a 2001 interview. "And after 32 days I said to her, 'Madam, bye.'" Borgnine went on to marry a third time, but Merman remained single after her divorce. In her 1978 biography, she devoted a chapter of her autobiography to the marriage: It consisted of one blank page.
She won a Tony for "Call Me Madam"
Her daughter, Ethel Jr. died of an overdose of drugs and alcohol in 1967.
Was at one time passionately involved with Jacqueline Susann. After their relationship ended in anger, Susann based the character of the lonely, pathetic, faded Broadway star Helen Lawson on Merman.
One son, Bobby.
Of German-Scottish ancestry.
Bertolt Brecht actually desired to have the raucous Ethel play the title role of his masterpiece "Mother Courage...and Her Children." She, of course, never did.
She loved Christmas so much, that she kept her Christmas tree up year-round
In 1979 she released her most controversial album-to-date. A disco LP simply titled "The Ethel Merman Disco Album." Despite it not even charting on the Billboard charts, and many people's skeptically on the the then 71-year-old veteran, it was a smash hit, being played in Studio54 regularly, with live appearances by Merman, herself. It also became a staple period album for the majority of the gay community.
Devised her screen and stage name by removing the first three letters (Zim) and the last letter (n) from her birth name - Zimmermann
Former mother-in-law of murdered Barbara Colby whose untimely funeral she attended
Won a Tony for her role in the musical "Call Me Madam" (1951); Tony-nominated for musical "Happy Hunting" (1957); Tony-nominated for musical "Gypsy" (1960); Recipient of Tony Special Award (1972)
Her final film role was in the Jerry Zucker / Jim Abrahams / David Zucker film, Airplane! (1980). Coincidentally, John Houseman died soon after filming The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), also a ZAZ film, but before its theatrical release.
Her third husband, Robert F. Six, was CEO of Continental Airlines.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 560-562. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
Nominated for 1960 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Gypsy".
Nominated for 1957 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Happy Hunting".
Winner of 1951 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Call Me Madam".
Recreated both her Broadway starring roles of Mrs. Sally Adams from Call Me Madame and Reno Sweeney from Anything Goes! in the movie versions.
Son Robert Levitt Jr. was born August 11, 1945.
Daughter Ethel Levitt was born July 20, 1942.
She was either seen or heard (or both) in several of the opening credits of film of TV adaptations of shows in which she recreated her original roles. In the 1936 film of "Anything Goes" she appears singing a phrase of the title song before the opening credits even appear; in the 1953 film of "Call M
She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 7044 Hollywood Boulevard and for Recording at 1751 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
Her daughter Ethel was married to William Geary in 1960. She gave birth to Merman's first grandchild, Barbara Jean, on February 20, 1961. She later gave birth to a son, Michael Geary.
She suffered a miscarriage during her marriage to Robert Levitt.
When she died, she left $800,000 to be divided between her son and her two grandchildren.
Won a 1972 Special Tony Award (New York City).
----------------------------------
Personal Quotes
[In 1959, when she was nominated for a Tony for "Gypsy" but had lost to Mary Martin in "The Sound of Music"] You can't buck a nun.
[on the show that made her a star, George Gershwin's "Girl Crazy", 1930] In the second chorus of "I Got Rhythm", I held a high C note for 16 bars while the orchestra played the melodic line - a big, tooty thing - against the note. By the time I'd held that note for four bars the audience was applauding. They applauded through the whole chorus and I did several encores. It seemed to do something to them. Not because it was sweet or beautiful, but because it was exciting. Few people have the ability to project a big note and hold it. It's not just a matter of breath; it's a matter of power in the diaphragm. I'd never trained my diaphragm, but I must have a strong one. When I finished that song, a star had been born. Me.
[on Mary Martin] She's okay, if you like talent.
I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them.
I don't want to sound pretentious, but in a funny way I feel I'm the last of a kind. I don't mean that there aren't some girls out there somewhere who are just as talented as I was. But even if they are, where will they find the shows like Girl Crazy, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam and Gypsy? They just don't produce those vehicles anymore.
I take a breath when I have to.
I can hold a note as long as the Chase National Bank.
Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to Broadway.
You'll never prove you're too good for a job by not doing your best