Ethel Merman

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Birth name Ethel Agnes Zimmermann
Nationality USA
Birth 16 january 1908 at New York City (USA)
Death 15 february 1984 (at 76 years) at New York City (USA)

Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage."

Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm" (from Girl Crazy); "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Some People", and "Rose's Turn" (from Gypsy—Merman starred as Rose in the original 1959 Broadway production); and the Cole Porter songs "It's De-Lovely" (from Red, Hot and Blue), "Friendship" (from DuBarry Was a Lady), and "I Get a Kick Out of You", "You're the Top", and "Anything Goes" (from Anything Goes). The Irving Berlin song "There's No Business Like Show Business", written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun, became Merman's theme song.

Biography

Marriages and children
Merman was married and divorced four times. Her first marriage was to theatrical agent William Smith, whom she married in 1940. They were divorced in 1941. Later that same year, Merman married newspaper executive Robert Levitt. The couple had two children: Ethel (born July 20, 1942) and Robert, Jr. (born August 11, 1945). Ethel Levitt died on August 23, 1967, of a drug overdose that was ruled accidental. Robert, Jr., was married to actress Barbara Colby, who, along with her boyfriend (Robert and she were estranged at the time), was shot and killed in a parking garage in Los Angeles in July 1975, by apparent gang members who had no apparent motive. Merman and Levitt were divorced in 1952. In March 1953, Merman married Robert Six, the president of Continental Airlines. They separated in December 1959 and were divorced in 1960.

Merman's fourth and final marriage was to actor Ernest Borgnine. They were married in Beverly Hills on June 27, 1964. They separated on August 7 and Borgnine filed for divorce on October 21. Merman filed a cross-complaint shortly thereafter charging Borgnine with extreme cruelty. She was granted a divorce on November 17, 1964. Borgnine later told fellow actor Frank Wilson that he spent the majority of the short marriage arguing with Merman. By the end, he recounted how she came back from a film one day and said, "The director said I looked sensational. He said I had the face of a 20-year-old, and the body and legs of a 30-year-old!". Borgnine replied, "Did he say anything about your old c____?" "No" replied Merman, "he didn't mention you at all."

In a radio interview, she said of her many marriages: "We all make mistakes. That's why they put rubbers on pencils, and that's what I did. I made a few lulus!" In her autobiography Merman (1978), the chapter entitled "My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine" consists of one blank page.

Profanity
Merman was notorious for her love of vulgar jokes. She delighted in telling dirty jokes and vulgar stories at public parties. For instance, she once shouted a dirty joke across the room at José Ferrer during a formal reception. Merman also enjoyed sending out greeting cards with obscene jokes in them. Merman was known for swearing during rehearsals and meetings.

Politics
Merman, a lifelong Republican, was a frequent guest at the Eisenhower White House.