Ethel Merman

Born in the Astoria section of Queens, New York City, 'Ethel Merman' (qv) surely is 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' (qv) and 'Cole Porter' (qv). 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 (1936)_ (qv) and _Call Me Madam (1953)_ (qv). That wonderfully boisterous blonde, 'Betty Hutton' (qv), had the Merman lead in both _Red, Hot and Blue (1949)_ (qv) and _Annie Get Your Gun (1950)_ (qv). Besides 'Betty Hutton' (qv), other Merman screen stand-in roles include 'Lucille Ball' (qv), (in _Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)_ (qv)), 'Ann Sothern' (qv), (in _Panama Hattie (1942)_ (qv)), 'Vivian Blaine' (qv) (in _Something for the Boys (1944)_ (qv)) and 'Rosalind Russell' (qv) (in _Gypsy (1962)_ (qv)). (Russell could never render 'Stephen Sondheim' (qv) and 'Jule Styne' (qv)'s "Everything's Coming Up Roses" the way the immortal Merman did, over and over again.) 'Ethel Merman' (qv)'s lifetime facts: her dare of birth, was on Thursday, January 16th, 1908 & her life expired on Wednesday, February 15th, 1984. Thursday, January 16th, 1908 & Wednesday, February 15th, 1984, differ 27,789 days, equaling 3,969 weeks & 6 days.::Bill Takacs <kinephile@aol.com>