They Came From Queens - Ethel Merman From Astoria

Who would have guessed that legendary Broadway singer Ethel Merman would have a lot in common with the uncanny actor Christopher Walken? They both grew up in Astoria, both the children of immigrants, a father from German, and a mother from Scotland. Of course, Merman's family predates Walken by a couple generations, but what a coincidence!

Ethel Merman (1908-1984) sang on stage and the silver screen with a remarkable, powerful voice. Though her first job was in Queens at the B-K Booster Vacuum Brake Company, she soon became a vaudeville performer. Her popularity took off in the 1930s, breaking out with the hit Gershwin musical Girl Crazy. She wowed with her alto voice and her comic timing, and became a Broadway star, performing in Irving Berlin, Gershwin, and Cole Porter musicals. Irving Berlin wrote her signature song "There's No Business Like Show Business," one of the great American pop songs of the mid-20th century.

Known for her personality as well as her remarkable voice, Merman was an original in a world full of imitators. When she lost the Tony award to Mary Martin who had played Maria in the Sound of Music, Merman quipped, "How can you buck a nun?" But her personality didn't sit so well with Hollywood producers, and her film career never rivalled that of the stage.

In the end, her performing career lasted for over 50 years, a remarkable achievement. As she might have sung, "Who Could Ask for Anything More?"

• Ethel Merman Bio [Musicals 101]
• Shortest Celebrity Marriages [About.com]

Image courtesy of Harbinger Records