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 and Call Me Madam. That wonderfully boisterous blonde, Betty Hutton, had the Merman lead in both Red, Hot and Blue and Annie Get Your Gun. Besides Hutton, other Merman screen stand-ins included Lucille Ball (in Du Barry Was a Lady), Ann Sothern (in Panama Hattie), Vivian Blaine (in Something for the Boys) and Rosalind Russell (in Gypsy). (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.)



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. Her daughter, Ethel Jr. died of an overdose of drugs and alcohol in 1967. One son, Bobby. 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. 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. Former mother-in-law of murdered Barbara Colby whose untimely funeral she attended 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. Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 560-562. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. Nominated for 1957 Tony for Leading Actress in a Musical for "Happy Hunting". Recreated both her Broadway starring roles of Mrs. Sally Adams from Call Me Madame and Reno Sweeney from Anything Goes! in the movie versions. Daughter Ethel Levitt was born July 20, 1942. 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. She suffered a miscarriage during her marriage to Robert Levitt. Won a 1972 Special Tony Award (New York City).