Ethel Merman: A Life

By Brian Kellow

Book Overview

A biography equal to the outsized personality of one of Broadway’s best-loved stars From her breakout rendition of George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” in 1930 to her triumphant performance as Gypsy ’s Mama Rose in 1959, Ethel Merman defined Broadway stardom for two generations of music lovers. Merman’s singing voice—brassy, penetrating, and undeniably American—has transcended genre and era to become a cultural icon. As an entertainer she burned with unstoppable energy. Offstage she was the original diva, a woman who knew what she wanted and brooked no interference. Her spats and frequently off-color zingers have become part of theater lore. In this entertaining and authoritative biography, Brian Kellow traces Merman’s life from her childhood in Queens, New York, through her three decades at the peak of Broadway celebrity. In an era dominated by outsized personalities and egos, none was more vibrant and powerful than Merman’s, yet beneath the tough-dame image was an enormously vulnerable and often lonely woman. Kellow’s book, which includes recollections from more than 120 of Merman’s friends, colleagues, and family members, stands as the definitive biography and an affectionate portrait of an unforgettable star. Fans of Broadway history and of the great Ethel Merman will find Kellow’s biography an irresistible read.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670018295
• ISBN13: 9780670018291
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Finally, an author who writes intelligent biographies!

I've read three of Mr. Kellows biographies, so I feel I can speak from an informed perspective. His writing is intelligent, introspective and thoroughly researched. He writes, not to the lowest common demominator in the reading public, but rather to bright, educated people who want something more than mind candy or brain fluff. I've always bought a biography because of the subject, not the author. Well, I can say whole-heartedly that I shall be looking for the next book, regardlesss of subject, by this talented writer.

SHE WAS THE GREATEST !!!

As an oldtimer(77) I was always in awe of Merman's extraordinary powerful voice. I did meet the lady once, and became a bigger fan. This book is a wonderful record of her life. It has great detail, is kindly to her - we read how demanding she could be, but rightly so. I loved every page of the book, and also it has some interesting facts about the shows she starred in. I can highly reccomend this book to anyone who was a fan of Ethel. Unfortunately you have to be a "Senior" to appreciate her story. I loved it. !!

This Merman bio is MASTERFUL

This is a masterful bio of Ethel Merman. Worthy of 5 stars! After you have finished reading it you will feel like you know "The Merm" as never before. Author Brian Kellow has created what is the definitive work on Ethel Merman. Kellow recreates the world of Broadway in which Merman thrived and by so doing allows the reader to understand just how such a wonderful performer came to exist. Merman is very much a product of her era and vice versa and Kellow clearly tells us why. The later years of Merman's life are particularly well handled by Kellow and the reader will finish the book quite moved. Reading this bio has greatly increased my enjoyment of the many Ethel Merman recordings, as we now know the woman behind the music. And Kellow has interviewed scores of people who worked with Merman and we get a glimpse of what it is like to be in a hit Broadway show with such a great star. Unlike other books on Merman's life, this one is highly accurate, well researched, has great photos and above all is an INTERESTING READ! I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed!

There's No Buziness like Merman's Business

I have been in Show Business all of my life. Still am doing it at 72 years and Merman is one of the very best Show Business Bio's I have ever read. I knew a lot about her Life and Career but this Book tells it all. Great Read. Mark Carroll

Just in time for the Merman Centannary

January 16th, 2008 will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ethel Merman. (In her autobiography she claims it was 1912.so to be fair we can celebrate again in 2012.) Brian Kellow offers a well-researched and fairly definitive overview of both her career and personal life. If you read Ethel's two autobiographies (1955 and 1978) as well as Bob Thomas's I Got Rhythm and Geoffrey Mark's sloppily researched The Biggest Star on Broadway, and combined the best of all of these the result would be what Brian Kellow has accomplished: a thoughtful portrait of a lady who became the top star on Broadway from 1930 to 1970. At this point there is not a great deal of new information, but Kellow goes to greet lengths to dispel the myth that Merman at the height of her career was little more than a loud, vulgar diva who drank a lot. She was tough in a business that at the time demanded women be tough or else they'd be taken advantage of. Her level of professionalism, however, was enviable. In a 40-year career she missed only a handful of performances due to illness and always gave the same performance closing night as she did opening night. Kellow's book would have been enhanced had he included a detailed discography, and he repeats the same basic listing of shows (with only the songs Merman sang) and films that appeared in her 1978 book Merman. All in all it's an enjoyable read and an accurate portrayal of this legendary lady.