Ethel Merman: The One and Only
When reminiscing on Broadway, one can’t help but picture Ethel Merman front and center. Known for her brassy voice and daring personality, Merman found her way into the hearts of Broadway’s top songwriters and audiences with her most iconic role, Rose Hovick. In her prime, she was a force to be reckoned with, but Merman wasn’t born in the spotlight. This part-time secretary’s life was flipped upside down when she was discovered in a nightclub. Merman took Broadway by storm, transforming into “the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage,” often being associated with the classic tune, “There’s No Business like Show Business.”
Merman had a humble start growing up in Queens, New York City. She attended Sunday school regularly and frequented the local music store, anxiously awaiting the new arrivals of sheet music. She fell in love with performing and tried to mimic her singing style to stars such as Blossom Seeley and Fanny Brice. However, Merman’s voice was just too bold and distinct to hide. After her high school graduation, Merman worked part time as a secretary in order to make ends meet. In her free time, she performed late nights at private parties and later, nightclubs. One evening, an employee from Warner Bros. offered her a contract after watching her performance. She accepted and never looked back.
Her big break came when renowned theater and television producer, Vinton Freedly, saw her perform, introduced her to the Gershwin brothers, who fell in love with her jaw-dropping performance of “I Got Rhythm.” The rest is history: the Gershwins cast Merman in Girl Crazy, advising her to avoid voice lessons.
At the height of her career, Merman starred in many iconic shows, including Anything Goes, Hello Dolly! and Annie Get Your Gun. She crossed over to screen as well, starring in fourteen Hollywood films including, “Strike Me Pink,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” as well as various television appearances.
Merman finished her Broadway career with a bang starring as Rose Hovick in GYPSY. According to the New York Times, “Beginning in 1930, and for more than a quarter of a century thereafter, no Broadway season seemed really complete unless it had a musical with Ethel Merman.”