ETHEL

ETHEL MERMAN THE UNDISPUTED QUEEN OF BROADWAY, SHE REIGNED SUPREME FOVER THE GREAT WHITE WAY FROM 1930 WHEN SHE STEPPED ON STAGE IN GIRL CRAZY. THE SHOW INTRODUCED A NEW SONG I GOT RYTHM AND A NEW STAR. MERMAN NEVER HAD A SINGING LESSON IN HER LIFE HERS WAS A NATURAL TALENT AND WHEN SHE FORGOT THE WORDS TO I GOT RYTHM AND JUST HELD A HIGH C FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SONG THE AUDIENCES WENT WILD. A STAR WAS BORN. THE SHOWS COMPOSER GEORGE GERSHWIN TOLD HER NEVER TO HAVE A SINGING LESSON IN CASE SHE LOST THAT NATURAL TALENT. FROM THEN ON SHE NEVER LOOKED BACK AND STARRED IN A STRING OF SMASH HITS UNTILL 1970 WHEN SHE TRIUMPHANTLY CLOSED HELLO DOLLY. IN BETWEEN WERE MONSTER SHOWS LIKE GEORGE WHITE SCANDALS, DU BARRY WAS A LADY ,CALL ME MADAM, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, HAPPY HUNTING AND GYPSY.

HER FILM CAREER WAS NOT AS ILLUSTRIOUS AND OFTEN MERMAN WAS OVERLOOKED FOR THE FILM ROLES SHE HAD CREATED ON STAGE. BETTY HUTTON GOT ANNIE GET YOUR GUN AND ROSALIND RUSSELL GYPSY. THE ONE ROLE THAT REMAINED HERS WAS CALL ME MADAM AND SHE WAS GREAT IN IT.
OTHER FILMS INCLUDED THERES NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOWBUSINESS AND CAMEOS IN ITS A MAD MAD MAD WORLD, WON TON TON THE DOG WHO SAVED HOLLYWOOD AND AIRPLANE!
NEVER A GREAT BEAUTY SHE WAS ONCE DESCRIBED AS LOOKING LIKE A TRUCK DRIVER IN DRAG , THE SAME WAS ALSO SAID OF HER ONE TIME GIRLFRIEND JACQUELINE SUAZAN, WHO BASED THE CHARECTER NEELIE IN VALLEY OF THE DOLLS ON HER GAL PAL ETHEL.

IF ETHELS LOOKS WERENT THAT ARRESTING HER VOICE CERTAINLY WAS. THE WORD BELTING COULD HAVE BEEN INVENTED FOR HER. ONE BROADWAY CRITIC LIKENED WATCHING ONE OF HER PERFORMANCES TO BEING IN AN EARTHQUAKE. THE LADY HERSELF SAID SHE JUST SANG THE LYRICS AS IF SHE WAS BATTING BASEBALLS INTO THE AUDIENCE. WHEN SHE APPEARED AT THE FAMOUS PERSIAN ROOMS IN NEW YORK THEY REFUSED TO SERVE DRINKS DURING HER PERFORMANCE, SO WORRIED WERE THEY SHE MIGHT SHATTER THEIR EXPENSIVE CRYSTAL! AND DURING THE WAR A POPULAR JOKE CLAIMED SHE HAD ENLISTED AS AN AIR RAID SIREN.

SHE CONTINUED IN CONCERTS AND AS A POPULAR GUEST STAR ON TELEVISION UP UNTILL HER DEATH IN 1984 FOLLOWING A STROKE. FITTINGLY THE LIGHTS OF BROADWAY WERE TURNED OFF TO MARK HER PASSING.

ETHEL MERMAN WE SALUTE YOU AND WELCOME YOU HOME TO THE QUEENS OF CAMP!