Centenary Celebration: Ethel Merman
By Jim Linz
Ethel Merman (January 18, 1908-February 15, 1984) was a star of stage and film musicals often referred to as “The Grande Dame of the Broadway Stage.”
Born Ethel Agnes Zimmerman in Queens, New York, Ethel had an early fascination with the stage, often hanging around the Famous-Players-Lasky Studios to catch a glimpse of Broadway star Alice Brady.
After graduating from high school, Merman found employment as a stenographer at a local factory, largely because her parents wanted her to have skills to fall back on in case she did not succeed on the stage. While working full time as a stenographer, Merman worked evenings and weekends singing at private parties and nightclubs.
As her singing jobs grew, her parents gave Ethel permission to give up her day job and pursue her dream. Merman got her big break in 1930 when she auditioned for George and Ira Gershwin’s new musical Girl Crazy. When Merman introduced “I Got Rhythm” at the premiere, the audience went wild, leading to multiple encores.
After stellar performances in two so-so Broadway shows, George White Scandals (1931) and Take a Chance (1932), Merman made her first film appearances in We’re Not Dressing (1934) and Kid Millions (1934).
Returning to Broadway, Merman starred in the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, introducing two songs that would forever be among her standards—“I Get a Kick Out of You” and “You’re the Top.” In 1936, she starred in the film version.
After one more movie role, in Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Merman again returned to Broadway where she remained for most of her remaining career. In addition to Anything Goes, Merman starred in five other Cole Porter musicals including Red, Hot and Blue; Dubarry Was a Lady; and Panama Hattie. Her other starring roles on Broadway included Call Me Madam, Gypsy, and Annie Get Your Gun. Her last Broadway performance was in 1970 when she appeared as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! Ironically, the role was originally written for Merman.
Merman continued to perform in television specials and in the movies after her retirement from Broadway. Her final movie role was in Airplane. She played a soldier suffering from shell-shock who thinks he is Ethel Merman.
Merman was married and divorced four times.
See Ethel Merman sing “You’re the Top” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7cpPVmJifc
This article originally appeared in Trans-Lux volume 26, number 2, Spring 2008.
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Created Thursday, November 27, 2008; Modified Thursday, November 27, 2008.
