Brass Diva: The Life and Legends of Ethel Merman (105 page)

103- Quoted in Donnelly, "A Ten-Strike for Ethel and All Hands."

104. Gypsy Rose Lee and Friends, broadcast in 1965.

105. Kevin Kelly, "The Magic of Merman Loud and Irresistible," Boston Globe,
11 June 1963, MCNY, SC 28.

106. Laurents, Original Story by Arthur Laurents, 378.

107. TC, interview with author, 11 September 2004.

108. Ibid.

109. Gerald Bordman, American Musical Theater: A Chronicle (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1978), 667.

Ho. Kaye Ballard, conversation with author, z8 June 2004-

111. Jerry Lewis, letter to EM, 9 August 1961, MCNY SC 23.

H2. Anonymous fan, conversation with author, fall of 2003-

113. Anonymous fan, conversation with author, spring of 2004.

114. Miles Krueger, conversation with author, spring of 2004.

115. Josef Mossman, "It's Not True What They Say about Ethel," Detroit News,
5 April 1961, MCNY, SC 27.

116. Harlowe Hoyt, "New Ethel Merman Is a Delight," Cleveland Plain Dealer,
i8 April i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

117. Variety, io May 1961, MCNY, SC z6.

118. Nathan Cohen, "Glum `Gypsy,"' Toronto Daily Star, i9 May i96i, MCNY,
SC 27.

ii9. Sheri Giles, "La Merman Sings Chicago's Praises," Chicago American, 3 July
1961, MCNY, SC 27.

izo. Quoted in ibid.

izi. Both quotations from Chicago Daily Tribune, 22 June i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

122. Radie Harris, "Broadway Ballyhoo," Hollywood Reporter, i June 1961,
MCNY, SC 27.

123. Radie Harris, "Broadway Ballyhoo," Hollywood Reporter, ii August i96i,
MCNY, SC 25. Harris goes on to relay Merv Griffin's greetings to Ethel. "When I
relayed this message, I kiddingly added, `I didn't want to tell you this, Ethel, but he
wants you to dub the singing for Roz Russell!' Ethel howled, as she vehemently
spiked the rumor of any animosity."

124. San Francisco Chronicle, 24 July 1961, MCNY, SC 27.

125. Herb Caen, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 August i96i; postcard to EM; newspaper clipping; all in MCNY, SC 27.

126. Maggie Daly, "Daly Diary," Chicago American, i August 1961, MCNY,
SC 27.

127. Pat Rob, "Hackett's Busy Making Movies," San Francisco New Call Bulletin,
z September i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

128. A2, 217.

i29. Sidney Skolsky, "All about Ethel Merman in `Gypsy,"' LA Citizen News,
4 October i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

130. JS, telegram to EM, MCNY, SC 27.

131. Cary Grant, telegram to EM, 2 October i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

132. Letter to EM, 25 September i96i, MCNY, SC 27.

133. Letter to EM, MCNY, SC 27.

134. Wolf, A Problem Like Maria, io7-8.

135. D. A. Miller, Place for Us: Essay on the Broadway Musical (Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 2000), 73-

136. See John Kenrick's wonderful essay on this on his Web site www.musicalsioi
.com, spring zoos.

137. Most influential among these critics has been Wayne Koestenbaum, The
Queen's Throat: Opera, Homosexuality, and the Mystery ofDesire (New York: Poseidon
Press, 1993).

138. Laurents, Original Story by Arthur Laurents, 376.

139. Wolf, A Problem Like Maria, 9o.

140. Ibid., 9i.

141. Barbara Seaman, Lovely Me: The Life ofjacqueline Susann (New York: Seven
Stories Press, 1996), 246.

142. Ibid., 245.

143. Ibid., 248.

144. Ibid., 247.

145. Ibid., 245-46.

146. TC, interview with author, it September 2004.

147. Quoted in Dennis McGovern and Deborah Grace Winer, Sing Out Louise!
15o Stars of the Musical Theatre Remember 50 Years on Broadway (New York: Schirmer
Books, 1993), 155.

148. Bob Thomas, I Got Rhythm: The Ethel Merman Story (New York: Putnam,
1985), 188.

CHAPTER 15: ITS A MAD, MAD SCHEDULE

I. Paul Speegle, "Ethel Not Mad, Mad at World," San Francisco News Call Bulletin, 4 April 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

2. Whitney Williams, "Cinerama's Single-Lens Projection Not Only Cuts Those
Lines, It Cuts Costs," Variety, 7 June 1963, MCNY, SC 28.

3. Mike Connolly, Hollywood Reporter, 29 June 1962, MCNY, SC 26.

4. Quote from Variety, 5 November 1963, MCNY, SC 29. Only two other
women were featured players, Edie Adams and Dorothy Provine.

5. Ethel Merman, "Another First for Me," Hollywood Reporter, 20 November
1962, MCNY, SC z8.

6. "Global Press June to H'wood,"HollywoodReporter, 12April 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

7. MCNY, SC z6.

8. Merman, "Another First for Me."

9. Variety, 5 November 1963, MCNY, SC 29.

Io. Paine Knickerbocker, "Ethel Merman's New Movie Career," San Francisco
Chronicle, 29 March 1963, MCNY, SC 28.

11. Quote regarding Merman's character is from Vernon Scott, "Ethel Merman
Songless," Los Angeles Herald Examiner, 27 June 1962, MCNY, SC 26.

12. The New York premiere was November 17.

13. MCNY, SC 26.

14. Stanley Kramer, letter to EM, MCNY, SC 26.

15. Stanley Kramer and Thomas M. Coffey, A Mad, Mad Mad Mad World. A Life
in Hollywood (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1997), 194.

16. Press release, August 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

17. Scotsman (Edinburgh), "AntheaTakes a Look at the Festival," 23 August 1963,
MCNY, SC 28.

18. Donald McMillan, letter to EM, MCNY, SC 28.

19. Mamie Chrichton, "The Star Who Is Happy in the Wings," Daily Express
(Edinburgh), 20 August 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

zo. John Sandilands, "She's Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad about the Show" Daily Sketch
(Edinburgh), zo August 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

21. Variety, 5 November 1963, MCNY, SC 29.

22. "Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad: Review of Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,"
Newsweek, November 1963, MCNY, SC 29.

23. Sandilands, "She's Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad about the Show."

24. Judy Garland, card to EM, [z5 October 1963], MCNY, SC z6.

25. "SUNdial," Las Vegas Sun, z8 October 1963, MCNY, SC z6.

26. Sheila Graham, "Hollywood," New York Mirror, I December 1962, MCNY,
SC 28.

27. "Hayward Produces Anita Colby's Show," Los Angeles Times, 5 December
1963, MCNY, SC 28.

z8. Ralph Pearl, "Vegas Daze and Nites," Las Vegas Sun, 27 October 1963,
MCNY, SC 26.

29. Credits indicate that the script was based on an idea by Cy Howard and
Arthur Julian.

30. Ethel kept the original soundtrack acetates, titled Trader Brown.

31. Hank Grant, Hollywood Reporter, zo September 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

32. Bob Williams, "On the Air," NYP227 January 1966, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc 26, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

33. TC, interview with author, ii September 2004.

34. Various sources in MCNY, SC 26.

35. A2, ii.
3 5.

36. MCNY, SC 28.

37. Typed lyrics in MCNY, SC z6.

38. Van Johnson, telegram to EM, ii April 1963, MCNY, SC z8.

39. Miles White, postcard to EM, MCNY, SC z8.

40. Elliot Norton, "Ethel Merman Starred in Summer Tent Show," Boston
Herald-Examiner, ii June 1963, MCNY, SC 28.

41. Leo Sullivan, "The Merm Belts 'Em at the Bowl," Washington Post, 19 June
1963, MCNY, SC z8.

CHAPTER 16: THE SIXTIES AND THE ART OF LOVE

I. Bob Lardine, "More Movies on the Way to TV," New York Sunday News,
22 April 1963, MCNY, SC z6.

z5.
z. Az, 225-

3. "'Villainous' Merman," Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 December 1963, MCNY, SC 29.

4. Az, zz5.

5. RL, interview with author, July 2004.

6. Marilyn Baker, interview with author, June 2004.

7. James Bacon, "Must Be Love: Ethel and Ernie Unfamiliar with Each Other's
Work," Newark Evening News, 5 April 1964, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection:
MWEZ, nc z6, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

8. At the time, Marty was the only picture whose Oscar promotion budget
($400,000) had exceeded its production costs ($343,000). Damien Bona, "75 Years
of Bribes, Lies, and Overkill," NYT, 9 March 1964, 13•

9. Harrison Carroll, "Lana Turner Taking Vacation; Denies Rift," Los Angeles
HeraldExaminer, 12 June 1962, MCNY, SC z6.

io. Ernest Borgnine, interview with Hedda Hopper, i6 May 1962, AMPAS:
Hedda Hopper files, Ernest Borgnine folder, file 229.

ii. Sheila Graham, NYJA, 3 January 1964, MCNY, SC 29.

12. TC, personal communication with author, 6 April zoo6.

13. BG, interview with author, July 2004-

14. Sheila Graham, NYJA, 2 January 1964, MCNY, SC 29.

15. May Okon, "'The Merm' Marries `Marty,"' New York Sunday News, 19 July 1964,
NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc 26, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

16. Louella Parsons, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, 4 August 1964, AMPAS.

17. Various sources in NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection.

18. It is possible that sections were removed, since some signatures of the scrapbooks have been lost or have shown up in other collections such as the NYPL, Los
Angeles Film Archives.

19. TC, interview with author, ii September 2004.

20. VH-zAllAccess episode "Shortest Celebrity Marriages," VHi, 2005 broadcast.

21. Radie Harris, "Broadway Ballyhoo," Hollywood Reporter, 1 October 1964, SC
29.

22. Az, 231-

23. TC, interview with author, 6 April 2oo6.

24. Jack O'Brian, "Voice of Broadway," Star-Ledger, 20 February 1984; and Paul
Good, "The Belter!" New York Sunday News Magazine, 9 May 1982, 6, NYPL, Billy
Rose Theatre Collection.

25. RL, interview with author, July 2004.

26. A2, 235.

27. "Art of Love Synopsis," 3, AMPAS.

z8. Louella Parsons, unidentified clipping, 29 September 1965, MCNY, SC z6.

29. Elke Sommer, interview with author, 13 February zoos.

30. "Showman's Manual, University City Studios," 4, AMPAS.

31. Censors had been sure to deprive the women of any "bumps and grinds or
other motions of a `strip routine."' Letter from Shurlock to Kathryn McTaggart,
AMPAS: Universal Production Code Files for Art ofLove, z6 June 1962.

32. "It was agreed that the mechanics and details of prostitution would be completely eliminated in the ... script." Letter from Shurlock to Kathryn McTaggart, AMPAS: Universal Production Code Files for Art ofLove, memo from (EGD) [sic],
15 May 1962. Censor letters condemned terms such as virgin, son of a sonora, stimulating, and excessive damns, hells, and oh my Gods. Had Mae West been available for
the part that Merman played, there probably would have been even more complaints.

33. Phyllis Battelle, "Broadway? Not for Ethel," [NYJAJ, 22 January 1965,
MCNY, SC 29.

34. Louis Sobol, New York Cavalcade, 1 July 1965, MCNY, SC 29.

35. William Peper, "All-New Merman Back in Town," NYWTS, z8 May 1965,
MCNY, SC 29.

36. John Wilson, "Familiar Voice amid a New Setting," NYT, 12 November
1963, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc z6, 491, Ethel Merman,
19 60-69.

37. "Britons Get a Kick out of Merman," unidentified clipping, zo February 1964,
NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc 26,491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

38. Unidentified clipping, Newsweek, 22 July 1963, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre
Collection.

39. Press release, 7 March 1966, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ,
nc 26, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

40. The show was later performed at New York City's Fashion Institute, on 27th
Street.

41. Henry Beckett, "Broadway Stages a Memorial for Gentle, Witty Crouse,"
NYP227 May 1966, MCNY, SC 30-

42. Howard Lindsay, note card to EM, 27 May 1966, MCNY, SC 29.

43. Al F. Koenig Jr., "The Television Acetates," Joslin c jazz journal (1998), 2.

44. Reports circulated that Jerome Robbins had also approached Merman to play
Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage, Mama Rose's German counterpart. (Other accounts say Robbins had Anne Bancroft in mind all along.) It is likely that Robbins
mentioned the role to Ethel in casual conversation; Merman, for her part, told the
press that it was "a little too heavy for an opener," that is, for her return to the stage
(unidentified interview, NYT, 29 May 1966, [section unknown], 3, NYPL, Billy Rose
Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc z6, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69).

45. Ethel Merman, "Ethel Won't Let Long Run Shows Pin Her Down," Long Island Press, 12 June 1966, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc z6, 491,
Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

46. Leonard Harris, "Merman Is `Annie' Again and Her Heart Sings," NYWTS,
5 April 1966, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc z6, 491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

47. Shirley Eder, "The Merman You've Never Met," Detroit Free Press Sunday
Magazine, 1o July 1966, 18, MCNY, SC 30-

48. RL, telegram to EM; and Shirley Eder, letter to EM, 4 August 1966; both in
MCNY, SC 30.

49. Shirley Eder, Detroit Free Press, 25 July 1966, MCNY, SC 30.

50. NYT, 23 June 1966, NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc 26,
491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

51. Harris, "Merman Is `Annie' Again and Her Heart Sings."

52. Ibid.

53. Edith Efron, "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly," TV Guide, 18 March 1967,
10-14 (quotes from it, 12-13), NYPL, Billy Rose Theatre Collection: MWEZ, nc z6,
491, Ethel Merman, 1960-69.

54. Ibid., 14.

55. Ethel Geary, card to EM, MCNY, SC 26.

56. NYE 2 March 1961, MCNY, SC 26.

57. BG, interview with author, July 2004-

58. Ibid.

59. RL, interview with author, July 2004-

6o. BG, letter to author, April 2oo6.

61. BG, interview with author, July 2004.

62. Ethel Merman, "How to Be a Hit," NYHT This Week Magazine, 6 March
i96o, 8, MCNY, SC 24.

63. BG, interview with author, July 2004-

64. RL, interview with author, July 2004.

65. Carol Friesen, interview with author, December 2003-

66. Ibid. "Our honeymoon was sort of cursed," she and her husband, Jerry, say
today. "On the first day up, the brakes of our car broke; then this happened two
days later, on our last day. The story made the hometown paper before we even got
back." Fortunately, the bad luck has not dogged the Friesen's marriage, and their
willingness to help others is as strong as ever. Carol and Jerry Friesen have raised
nearly twenty foster children together in their small Mennonite town. My gratitude to the Friesens and to Louise Koehn for putting me in contact with them.