Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman

Source: The Dickenson

Born on 16 January of 1908 in Queens, actress Ethel Merman was a secretary when she began her career in theatre in the mid-twenties in vaudeville. Yet popular during her early career, Broadway and Hollywood spelled the doom of the vaudeville variety show, particularly w the introduction of sound in films in the latter twenties ('The Jazz Singer' starring Al Jolson in 1927). Merman is a bridge figure from vaudeville to Broadway and film. Everything got popularized with film, which wedding with the recording industry was made in heaven. The power of the silver screen has been the major overall contributor to the popular genre. Musicians who appeared on camera became more widely popular than those who didn't.

Merman is among the numerous film stars in the United States who were also popular vocalists. She appeared in her first film, 'Follow the Leader', in 1930, but the major boost to her early career arrived with her performance of 'I Got Rhythm' in her first theatre performance, 'Girl Crazy', the same year.

'I Got Rhythm'   Ethel Merman   1930

From the Broadway play, 'Girl Crazy'

Composition: 'George & Ira Gershwin

'The Devil Sea'   Ethel Merman   Film   Released 27 February 1931

Music: Vernon Duke   Lyrics: Yip Harburg

'After I've Gone'   Ethel Merman   Film: 'Be Like Me'   Released 24 Oct 1931

Composition:

Seems another version of 'After You've Gone' first issued in 1918 by Henry Burr w Albert Campbell.

That was composed by Henry Creamer, Turner Layton and Ray Sherman.

'An Earful of Music and an Armful of You'   Ethel Merman   Film: 'Kid Millions'    1934

Music: Walter Donaldson   Lyrics: Gus Kahn

'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'   Ethel Merman   Film: 'Kid Millions'    1950

Composition: Jule Styne / Leo Robin   1949

Written for the 1949 Broadway musical 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'

First performance by Carol Channing

As mentioned, Merman was a bridge figure from early to modern popular while illustrating the powerful roles of Broadway and Hollywood musicals in the metamorphosis of entertainment. Younger folk probably remember Merman better as Lucille Ball's sidekick on the television comedy, 'I Love Lucy' (1951-57), though those who can remember that are likely senile by now and not sure. Merman's first autobiography, 'Who Could Ask for Anything More?', was published in 1955. Politically, she was Republican and performed for the Eisenhowers in 1957. Among Merman's more significant Broadway engagements during her later career was 'Gypsy', a biographical account of Gypsy Rose Lee in which she was cast as Lee's mother, opening in 1959. She lost the film role to Rosalind Russell in 1962. Thirty-seven years after her first film she performed 'Walk Happy' on the television variety show, 'Hollywood Palace', she now age fifty five:

'Walking Happy'   Ethel Merman   Television: 'Hollywood Palace'    1967

Composition: Sammy Cahn / Jimmy Van Heusen

Below is a performance 10 years later at the Broadway Theatre, deep into her sixties by now:

'Blow, Gabriel, Blow'   Ethel Merman   Broadway Theatre   1977

Composition: Cole Porter

In 1978 Merman published her second memoir, 'Merman'. She died in her sleep of brain tumor on 15 February 1984.