Ethel Merman Quotes — Page 3

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/ethel_merman.html

found this site when searching for information about Patti in ALNM

This is one of my favorite threads ever! Gotta love the Merm.

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Way back in 1939 Merman was in a show called Stars In Your Eyes with Jimmy Durante, and also featuring Tamara Toumanova with choreography by Robert Alton and George Balanchine.

Merman watched the corps performing from the wings and was rumored to have said: "that little jewish boy over there dancing up a storm, what a talent. I'd like to work with him someday!"

Turned out it was Jerome Robbins!

When Merman was in Something for the Boys, the wonderful Betty Garrett had a featured role. Porter wrote a second act opener for her and it literally stopped the show. Garrett went offf and saw Merman approaching her, saying to herself, "well I guess I'll be fired." Merman turned her around, threw her on stage and said, "don't you dare come back until you've taken all your bows."

Miriam

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Here's Ethel doing a detergent commercial - I wonder how Mr. Sondheim felt about these lyrics?
Ethel sells detergent

He obviously did not write that soap commerical lyric. There's an imperfect rhyme in it.

Do they still sell Vel? I'm taking it from the Merm.

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Off-topic, but has anyone seen "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World" with the Merm in it? It is one of my alltime favorite movies. She is effing hillarious.

I think they should rename the Broadway for her.

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Just want to add another quick 'Hi, Miriam - so NICE to see you here again'!

Miriam, I am assuming that the only reason you have not been posting here is because you are working on that book! Is it coming out soon?
Missed you. Have you seen Margo Channing by any chance?

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I saw Ethel Merman in her final public performance, at Carnegie Hall, appearing with the American Symphony Orchestra conducted by HER conductor Eric Knight, presented by the Friends of the Theatre Collection of the Museum of the City of New York. The one woman concert was fabulous and the crowd went wild in their appreciation of her. At the stage door she didn't sign autographs but got into a limo as the crowd applauded her.

Afterwards, I went to a posh hotel down the street from Carnegie Hall and went to the bar where I struck up a conversation with the bartender and learned that Merman was at a party at the hotel in her honor. I kept drinking and waiting for her to eventually leave the event. The bartender told me when she was about to leave, and I waited in the hotel lobby. First Jule Styne came down in the elevator and I got his autograph. Then Merman finally got off the elevator. I went up to her and asked for her autograph. She was very gracious to me and as she was signing her name I cited the final words from GYPSY: "Madam Rose...and her daughter, Gypsy!" She smiled and merely said,"1959 to 1961" And then she left. I treasure that night as one of the highlights of my life.

Incidentally, I did see Rita McKenzie in her one woman show titled "Ethel Merman's Broadway" off Broadway somewhere. She did a great job playing Merman. It was a very enjoyable show.

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Updated On: 7/18/07 at 03:44 PM

Welcome back, Miriam!

It's an absolute joy to see you posting, and to read of these things from someone who saw it first-hand...

One of my close friends—one of America’s most famous dancers—lurks here all the time. For some reason she refuses to write and passes everything on to me. So here are some Merman quotes that she remembers—from a very long time ago.

1. Fanny Brice meets Ethel Merman on the street and says “we’ve got to do a show together. Merman replies, “yeah, we could call it my man is girl crazy.”

2. In the Scandals of 1931, Ethel Merman appeared with Rudy Vallee. Obviously, she did not like him. Vallee says to Merman: “Ethel, come out with me, I’ll show you a good time.” Merman replies: “yeah, all two inches of it.”

3. Merman was taken to see a performance of Jerome Kern’s Roberta, a poor show, but it did feature SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES as well as an extended fashion show sequence. After the performance someone asked Merman what she thought of the fashion show sequence. Said Merman: “it was ok but it would have been better if they put the girls in the suits and the men in the dresses.”

4. Lorenz Hart had lunch with Merman and told her that he wanted to write a musical for her based on the Aristophanes play LYSISTRATA. Said Merman: “I don’t play lesbians.”

5. During the run of ANYTHING GOES, Merman became friendly with dear, sweet Victor Moore. One night Moore ran as if his life depended on it. Merman stopped him and asked what was wrong. Moore said he just saw two men having sex in one of the backstage corridors. Said Merman: “well, where do you want them to do it.”

6. Merman was appearing on a radio show. Noel Coward preceded her and went on to be witty, oh so clever, and clip his vowels and swallow his words to such an extent that Merman finally said, “what the f*** has he been sucking on.”

7. When Cole Porter played the song KATE THE GREAT--which was going in ANYTHING GOES--Merman said she could not possibly sing that song since it was so filthy. Said Porter: "but Ethel, everything I write for you is filthy."

8. Merman was taken to see a performance of LADY IN THE DARK, the musical about psychoanalysis which starred Gertrude Lawrence who can't make up her mind, has a bad sex life, etc. When Merman was asked what she thought of the show she said: "I liked it but had all the men banged Liza in the first two minutes the curtain could have come down earlier."

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Updated On: 7/19/07 at 11:45 AM