Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/1/06 at 1:29pm

I know I have my facts mixed up so please be patient.I heard from someone on this board a while back that there was a feud between Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. Something about Ethel doing a play and Mary watching it opening night. Before the first act was over Mary had either her agent or a producer/lawyer find out who owned the rights so she could do the tour of that production. Anyone have any more details on that? Is it true they hated each other or has that been exagerated? Many thanks everyone!

'There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently' -Robert Evans-

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/1/06 at 3:51pm

Merman and Martin were actually good friends -- so much so that they did several concerts over the years together.

"Something about Ethel doing a play and Mary watching it opening night. Before the first act was over Mary had either her agent or a producer/lawyer find out who owned the rights so she could do the tour of that production."

The only role of Ethel's that Martin toured was Annie in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, but I never heard that story before. The story sounds apocryphal since Martin knew full well going in that Irving Berlin wrote the show and that her good friends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein produced the show. I don't know who the hell the agent or whoever would have been running off to contact in the middle of the first act.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/1/06 at 3:57pm

Thanks Margo! Like I said, my facts were shady. When I read that, I wasn't that interested in either Martin or Merman, but am now begining to and am trying to catch up on stories like that. I recently bought a dvd with the two of them performing and wasn't sure if they patched up problems or if it was just a rumor. thanks again for the reply!

'There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently' -Robert Evans-

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/2/06 at 12:24am

Ethel was pissed that Mary stole her Tony.

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/2/06 at 10:17am

Ethel Merman said, and I quote, "Mary Martin's okay...if you happen to like talent."

"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/2/06 at 11:57am

And, when she lost the Tony to Martin (Who played Maria in "Sound of Music") "How do you buck a Nun?"

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/2/06 at 12:28pm

Ethel was always very possessive of her roles. Angela Lansbury is too much of a lady to tell everyone what Merman really thought about the "Gypsy" revival.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

re: Mary Martin and Ethel Mermen Feud

Posted: 10/2/06 at 12:29pm

Until you get a couple of Scotches into her.

Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

← Back to Message Board

View all Videos

Tickets From $58

Tickets From $80

Tickets From $67

Tickets From $59