My favorite Merman quote

I heard that Merman went to see Lauren Bacall in WOMAN OF THE YEAR. When Ms Bacall, in the opening number bellowed " I'm the W-O-M-A-N of the year" Merman very audibly was heard to say "Jesus Christ!".

Or maybe even a sitcom called Ethel?

---

I don't know the source, but it was told to me years ago:

MUSIC DIRECTOR: "Miss Merman, would you like to warm up?"

MERMAN: (Clears her through long and loud and spits) "Nope, I'm ready!!"

---

“I can hold a note as long as the Chase Manhattan Bank”
-Ethel Merman

“I take a breath when I have to” -Ethel Merman

“Always give them the old fire, even when you feel like a squashed cake of ice”
-Ethel Merman
Let's Name A Theater For Ethel Merman

Wow, a link to your blahhhg. I swear I didn't see that one coming. Are theater owners visiting it for ideas for names? Because, in the 21st Century, they're more likely to go with a corporate moniker or a newly-deceased person.

---

Merman: "When the national company tour of CALL ME MADAM reached Los Angeles, Stritch checked in at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She was making a study of how to hold her long notes for long periods of time and she was being very serious and intense about exercising her pipes. In the morning around 11 or 12 she would go out on the patio and vocalize.

Her phone rang and the voice said "Miss Stritch, I'm awfully sorry but this is the Beverly Hills Hotel management and we're asking you to give up your room."

"what's the matter" Stritch asked "What have I done?"

"You're living next to a woman who lieks quiet; she can't stand the noise" the voice said.

"WHo is ths woman? You hold the phone and I'll go have a talk with her."

"She's in104" the voice said, so Stritch went out in the hall and whaged on 104. The important sensitive dame opened the door. It as me. The picture version of MADAM was about t start, I'd checked into the hotel myself and hearing Elaine's unmistakable voice, I'd wanted to say 'Hi' t her.


===============

Best line in the picture of Madam...the Grad Duke of Lichtenberg asks Sally Adams how this stately palace ball compares with her celebrated Washington parties. "Well WE have a good time!" is Sally's reply.

---

At an Early after theatre chat with Sondheim
He was asked about why he worked on GYPSY
Oscar said
"You will learn to write for a Star."
So they gave her Rose's Turn and she said
"What is this Momma.... Momma.... ??"
Steve said (something like)
She's having a breakdown and she can't get the words out...
Merman: "Yeah, but is it on the beat or off the beat"?
Sondheim learned a lot.

and the "Bird's Eye Story"?

CurtainPullDowner--why did you tell that story in blank verse?

---

I had lunch with Louios Botto of PLAYBIL and a retired press agent, and they told me this Merman story:

Ethel was in a performance of CALL ME MADAM one night, in a scene down front while the stagehands noisily changed the scenery behind them. Ethel stopped the scene, turned to the drop and telled "SHUT THE F*CK UP!!!!" and then went back into the scene.

Updated On: 8/16/06 at 08:07 AM

Ethel and Mary Martin did a one-night performance in 1977, TOGETHER ON BROADWAY (MARY MARTIN & ETHEL MERMAN). While Martin was onstage, one of the chorus girls made a comment backstage like "Gosh, Miss Merman, isn't it great working with Miss Martin?" And Ethel answered, "She's a dyke, ya know!"

Elmore, the dyke remark was made to a stagehand not a chorus girl--and it was more succinct.

Merman was waiting to make her entrance, while Martin was singing "Wonderful Guy." Merman was clearly enjoying Martin's rendition of her signature number.

"Great song," she said to the stagehand, as she snapped her finger to the easy beat.

"Great voice," she added, as Martin's song came to a close.

Then, as she started to stride onstage, Merman paused and whispered to the stagehand, "Dyke, ya know."

---

I too remember hearing about Merman going to see Woman of the Year on Broadway. What I heard was that as Bacall was giving the title song its big finish (it may even have been on opening night), Merman called out "Pick a note, Betty!"

These stories are priceless.

~Kev

Updated On: 8/16/06 at 12:37 PM