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Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 - February 15, 1984) was a star of stage and film musicals, well known for her strident voice and comic acting.

She was born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, in Astoria, Queens, New York, of a German Lutheran father and Scottish Presbyterian mother, although many people assumed she was Jewish.

Merman was married and divorced four times.

  • Bill Smith (Theatrical agent.)
  • Sam Neuman (a marriage of convenience)
  • Robert Levitt (Newspaper executive. The couple had two children. Divorced in 1952.)
  • Robert Six (Airline executive, 1953-1960)
  • Ernest Borgnine (Actor, in 1964. Merman filed for divorced after 32 days.)

She was known for her powerful alto voice, exact enunciation, and accurate pitch. Because stage singers performed without microphones when she began singing professionally, she had great advantages in show business.

She began singing while working as a secretary. She eventually became a full time vaudeville performer, and played the pinnacle of vaudeville, the Palace Theater in New York City. She had already been engaged for Girl Crazy, a musical with songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Her rendition of "I Got Rhythm" in the show was popular, and by the late 1930s she had become the first lady of the Broadway musical stage. Many consider her the leading Broadway musical performer of the twentieth century with her signature song being There's No Business Like Show Business.


Theater performances

  • 1930 Girl Crazy
  • 1931 George White's Scandals
  • 1932 Take a Chance
  • 1934 Anything Goes
  • 1936 Red, Hot and Blue
  • 1939 Stars In Your Eyes
  • 1939 Du Barry Was a Lady
  • 1940 Panama Hattie
  • 1943 Something for the Boys
  • 1944 Sadie Thompson (replaced in previews)
  • 1946 Annie Get Your Gun
  • 1950 Call Me Madam
  • 1956 Happy Hunting
  • 1959 Gypsy
  • 1966 Hello, Dolly! (replacement)
  • 1966 Annie Get Your Gun
  • 1975 A Gala Tribute to Joshua Logan
  • 1977 Together on Broadway (Mary Martin & Ethel Merman)

Film performances

  • 1930 Follow the Leader
  • 1930 The Cave Club
  • 1931 The Devil Sea
  • 1931 Roaming
  • 1932 Let Me Call You Sweetheart
  • 1932 You Try Somebody Else
  • 1932 Time on My Hands
  • 1932 Old Man Blues
  • 1932 Ireno
  • 1933 Song Shopping
  • 1933 Be Like Me
  • 1934 We're Not Dressing
  • 1934. Kid Millions
  • 1936 The Big Broadcast of 1936
  • 1936 Strike Me Pink
  • 1936 Anything Goes
  • 1938 Happy Landing
  • 1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band
  • 1938 Straight, Place and Show
  • 1943 Stage Door Canteen
  • 1953 Call Me Madam
  • 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
  • 1963 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
  • 1965 The Art of Love
  • 1967 Tarzan and the Mountains of the Moon
  • 1968 Around the World of Mike Todd
  • 1971 Journey Back to Oz (voice)
  • 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood
  • 1978 A Salute to American Imagination
  • 1979 Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
  • 1980 Airplane!
  • 1981 Something a Little Less Serious

Television performances

  • 1953 The Ford 50th Anniversary Show
  • 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business
  • 1954 Anything Goes
  • 1958 Panama Hattie
  • 1961 Merman on Broadway
  • 1962 The Lucille Ball Show (2 appearances)
  • 1963 The Judy Garland Show (2 appearances)
  • 1965 An Evening with Ethel Merman
  • 1966 Batman (as recurring character "Lola Lasagne")
  • 1967 Annie Get Your Gun
  • 1967 That Girl
  • 1967 The Carol Burnett Show
  • 1970 Evening at Pops
  • 1972 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin
  • 1975 Match Game PM
  • 1976 The Muppet Show
  • 1977 The Love Boat (5 episodes)
  • 1978 A Special Sesame Street Christmas
  • 1985 Judy Garland: The Concert Years (archival footage from The Judy Garland Show)

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. The couple has a daughter, Ripley, born in 2000. Many consider her the leading Broadway musical performer of the twentieth century with her signature song being There's No Business Like Show Business. Newton married film writer Oliver Parker in 1998. Her rendition of "I Got Rhythm" in the show was popular, and by the late 1930s she had become the first lady of the Broadway musical stage. John Carter, on the American television series ER, and also appeared in The Chronicles of Riddick. She had already been engaged for Girl Crazy, a musical with songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Newton recently plays Kem, the love interest of Dr.

She eventually became a full time vaudeville performer, and played the pinnacle of vaudeville, the Palace Theater in New York City. She was also in the movie Mission: Impossible II as Nya Hall, the love interest of Tom Cruise's character Ethan Hunt and was signed to appear in the film version of Charlie's Angels but when the Mission: Impossible film went over schedule she lost the other part. She began singing while working as a secretary. Newton made her film début in Flirting (1991) and gained international recognition opposite Nick Nolte in the film Jefferson in Paris that led to her being cast in 1998's Beloved, (alongside Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey), where she played the title character. She was known for her powerful alto voice, exact enunciation, and accurate pitch. Because stage singers performed without microphones when she began singing professionally, she had great advantages in show business. Her mother is a princess of the Shona tribe. Merman was married and divorced four times. She was educated at Downing College, Cambridge.

She was born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, in Astoria, Queens, New York, of a German Lutheran father and Scottish Presbyterian mother, although many people assumed she was Jewish. She was raised in Zambia and Cornwall, England. Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 - February 15, 1984) was a star of stage and film musicals, well known for her strident voice and comic acting. Thandiwe Newton was born of a Zimbabwean mother and an English father. 1985 Judy Garland: The Concert Years (archival footage from The Judy Garland Show). Thandie Newton (born November 6, 1972) is a British actress. 1978 A Special Sesame Street Christmas.

1977 The Love Boat (5 episodes). 1976 The Muppet Show. 1975 Match Game PM. 1972 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin.

1970 Evening at Pops. 1967 The Carol Burnett Show. 1967 That Girl. 1967 Annie Get Your Gun.

1966 Batman (as recurring character "Lola Lasagne"). 1965 An Evening with Ethel Merman. 1963 The Judy Garland Show (2 appearances). 1962 The Lucille Ball Show (2 appearances).

1961 Merman on Broadway. 1958 Panama Hattie. 1954 Anything Goes. 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business.

1953 The Ford 50th Anniversary Show. 1981 Something a Little Less Serious. 1980 Airplane!. 1979 Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July.

1978 A Salute to American Imagination. 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood. 1971 Journey Back to Oz (voice). 1968 Around the World of Mike Todd.

1967 Tarzan and the Mountains of the Moon. 1965 The Art of Love. 1963 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business.

1953 Call Me Madam. 1943 Stage Door Canteen. 1938 Straight, Place and Show. 1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band.

1938 Happy Landing. 1936 Anything Goes. 1936 Strike Me Pink. 1936 The Big Broadcast of 1936.

Kid Millions. 1934. 1934 We're Not Dressing. 1933 Be Like Me.

1933 Song Shopping. 1932 Ireno. 1932 Old Man Blues. 1932 Time on My Hands.

1932 You Try Somebody Else. 1932 Let Me Call You Sweetheart. 1931 Roaming. 1931 The Devil Sea.

1930 The Cave Club. 1930 Follow the Leader. 1977 Together on Broadway (Mary Martin & Ethel Merman). 1975 A Gala Tribute to Joshua Logan.

1966 Annie Get Your Gun. 1966 Hello, Dolly! (replacement). 1959 Gypsy. 1956 Happy Hunting.

1950 Call Me Madam. 1946 Annie Get Your Gun. 1944 Sadie Thompson (replaced in previews). 1943 Something for the Boys.

1940 Panama Hattie. 1939 Du Barry Was a Lady. 1939 Stars In Your Eyes. 1936 Red, Hot and Blue.

1934 Anything Goes. 1932 Take a Chance. 1931 George White's Scandals. 1930 Girl Crazy.

Merman filed for divorced after 32 days.). Ernest Borgnine (Actor, in 1964. Robert Six (Airline executive, 1953-1960). Divorced in 1952.).

The couple had two children. Robert Levitt (Newspaper executive. Sam Neuman (a marriage of convenience). Bill Smith (Theatrical agent.).