Ethel Merman
Birthday: 16 January 1908, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Birth Name: Ethel Agnes Zimmermann
Height: 166 cm
Born in the Astoria section of Queens, New York City, Ethel Merman surely the pre-eminent star of 'Broadway' musical comedy. Though untrained in singing, she could belt out a song like quite ...Show More
I can hold a note as long as the Chase National Bank.
I can hold a note as long as the Chase National Bank.
[In 1959, when she was nominated for a Tony Award for "Gypsy" but had lost to Mary Martin in "The So Show more
[In 1959, when she was nominated for a Tony Award for "Gypsy" but had lost to Mary Martin in "The Sound of Music"] You can't buck a nun. Hide
Not to pat myself on the back, but when I do a show, the whole show revolves around me. And if I don Show more
Not to pat myself on the back, but when I do a show, the whole show revolves around me. And if I don't show up, they can just forget it! Hide
Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to Broadway.
Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to Broadway.
I don't want to sound pretentious, but in a funny way I feel I'm the last of a kind. I don't mean th Show more
I don't want to sound pretentious, but in a funny way I feel I'm the last of a kind. I don't mean that there aren't some girls out there somewhere who are just as talented as I was. But even if they are, where will they find the shows like Girl Crazy, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam and Gypsy? They just don't produce those vehicles anymore. Hide
You'll never prove you're too good for a job by not doing your best
You'll never prove you're too good for a job by not doing your best
I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here Show more
I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them. Hide
[In 1930, on the show that made her a star, George Gershwin's "Girl Crazy"] In the second chorus of Show more
[In 1930, on the show that made her a star, George Gershwin's "Girl Crazy"] In the second chorus of "I Got Rhythm", I held a high C note for 16 bars while the orchestra played the melodic line - a big, tooty thing - against the note. By the time I'd held that note for four bars, the audience was applauding. They applauded through the whole chorus and I did several encores. It seemed to do something to them. Not because it was sweet or beautiful, but because it was exciting. Few people have the ability to project a big note and hold it. It's not just a matter of breath; it's a matter of power in the diaphragm. I'd never trained my diaphragm, but I must have a strong one. When I finished that song, a star had been born. Me. Hide
I take a breath when I have to.
I take a breath when I have to.
[on Mary Martin] She's okay, if you like talent.
[on Mary Martin] She's okay, if you like talent.
Ethel Merman's FILMOGRAPHY
as Actor (55)
Ethel Merman'S roles
Molly Donahue
Mrs. Marcus
