Ethel Merman: The Biggest Star on Broadway

by Geoffrey Mark

For nearly three decades Ethel Merman virtually guranteed Broadway success. This in-depth portrait details her career, marriages, affairs, and her children. It includes a complete glossary of all of Merman's appearances. Illustrated with photos.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published December 25, 2005

Reviews

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if this is the best biography of the Broadway superstar, but as biography its far superior to "Brass Diva." Geoffrey Mark offers a straight historical account of Merman's life and career, with good interviews and insights on her relationships. It's also the book that explains why her marriage to Enrest Borgnine was so brief.

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned many things I didn't know about Ethel Merman from this book, but the writing style got a bit too "blog-gy" for me at times (calling her The Merm and such) and it seemed to really skim over what I thought were major events in her life, such as the small amount of type that was devoted to "Gypsy".

[Sjfstudio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethel Merman, there was no one else quite like her. Singing to the rafters without a mike, she mesmerized audiences in one hit musical after another. The lady had real talent and she knew how to use it. Her personal life was beset with lots of bumps in the road, but once she hit the stage, all that fell away and she was "the Merm." An enjoyable and breezy read about this iconic Broadway star.