Ethel Merman, who made her Broadway debut in 1930 in Girl Crazy, was born January 16, 1908. Merman went on to become one of the biggest Broadway stars of her era, a woman whose name is synonymous with musical theatre.
Her many Broadway credits include George White's Scandals; Take a Chance; Anything Goes; Red, Hot and Blue; Stars in Your Eyes; Panama Hattie; Something for the Boys; Annie Get Your Gun; Call Me Madam; Happy Hunting; Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly!.
Merman was nominated for Tony Awards for her performances in Gypsy and Happy Hunting and won the Tony for her work in Call Me Madam. She also received a Special Tony Award in 1972. Merman died February 15, 1984.
Flip through photos of her career highlights below:
Ethel Merman and chorus in Girl Crazy
Al Siegel and Ethel Merman in rehearsals for Girl Crazy
Ethel Merman in Anything Goes.
Ethel Merman (center) in the original cast of Anything Goes
Ethel Merman and Bob Hope in Red, Hot and Blue
Ethel Merman in Panama Hattie.
Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun
Vandamm Studio / The New York Public Library
Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun
Ethel Merman and Irving Berlin in rehearsal for Call Me Madam
Vandamn Studio/©NYPL for the Performing Arts
Ethel Merman.
Ethel Merman, Fernando Lamas, and cast in Happy Hunting
Ethel Merman (center) in Gypsy.
Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library
Ethel Merman in Gypsy
Jack Klugman and Ethel Merman in Gypsy
Ethel Merman, Jacqueline Mayro, and Karen Moore in Gypsy
Sandra Church, Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman
©NYPL for the Performing Arts
Ethel Merman in Gypsy
Bruce Yarnell and Ethel Merman in the 1966 Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun.
Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library
Bruce Yarnell and Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman and Bruce Yarnell
Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
Jack Goode and Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
Ethel Merman in Hello, Dolly!
