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In Defense of Ethel Merman's Acting Ability
Posted by: BHandshy (bradleyleroy@hotmail.com) 04:40 am EDT 06/28/21

Common wisdom is that Ethel Merman was a terrible actress. "A low comic" - Stephen Sondheim (although he said she was a good "low comic"); "a trained dog" - Arthur Laurents. Anyway, a TV drama which aired in 1956 ("Honest in the Rain" - link below) starring "The Merm" has been recently (within the last few days, actually) uploaded on YouTube, and it's fantastic. Whether it's Emmy-award-worthy, or not, I can't say, but in my mind it completely dispels this myth that Ethel was this "non-actress". She is completely believable and quite moving. I came across it totally by accident. I thought, "OK, I'll. watch a few minutes of it." Well, I couldn't stop watching until it was finished, largely due to The Merm's presence.
Link Ethel Merman in "Honest in the Rain" - TV drama - 1956
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