Skip to content
MovieCove
Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman

Actor · Died February 15, 1984, aged 76 · Astoria, New York, USA

Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "It's De-Lovely", "Friendship", "You're the Top", "Anything Goes", and "There's No Business Like Show Business", which later became her theme song. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ethel Merman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 16, 1908
Died
February 15, 1984 (aged 76)
From
Astoria, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 43 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 8% in 30 days

What are Ethel Merman's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Animation movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Self
26%
Society
14%
Power
12%
Morality
10%
Ideas
6%
Ambition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 2 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Shapeshifter
1 of 3
Hero
1 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Warm
4
Absurd
4
Romantic
3
Manic
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ethel Merman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ethel Merman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

43 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page; 48 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • It's a Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie Point (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Mrs. Marcus (archive footage)

  • Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Airplane!(1980)

    as Lieutenant Hurwitz

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Musical Comedy Tonight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July(1979)

    as Lilly Loraine (voice)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 6 episodes · as Roz Smith

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood(1976)

    as Hedda Parsons

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Journey Back to Oz(1972)

    as Mombi (voice)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • That's Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Decorator

  • The Mountains of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Rosanna McCloud

  • Annie Get Your Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Annie Oakley

  • Tarzan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rosanna McCloud

  • Batman(1966)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lola Lasagne

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Art of Love(1965)

    as Madame Coco La Fontaine

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963)

    as Mrs. Marcus

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Clara Lovelace

  • Vacation Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Maggie Brown

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ethel Merman

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • There's No Business Like Show Business(1954)

    as Molly Donahue

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Best of Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Hattie Maloney

  • Anything Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Reno Sweeney

  • The United States Steel Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Libby Marks

  • Call Me Madam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Sally Adams

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Muriel Flood

  • The Red Skelton Hour(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Mother Hughes

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Stage Door Canteen(1943)

    as Ethel Merman

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Straight, Place and Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Linda Tyler

  • Alexander's Ragtime Band(1938)

    as Jerry Allen

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Happy Landing(1938)

    as Flo Kelly

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Anything Goes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Reno Sweeney

  • Strike Me Pink (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Joyce Lennox

  • The Big Broadcast of 1936 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Ethel Merman

  • Kid Millions(1934)

    as Dot Clark

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • We're Not Dressing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Edith

  • Song Shopping (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Ethel Merman

  • Ireno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Irene

  • Roaming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Mary

  • Be Like Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Eve

  • Old Man Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Helen

  • Devil Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Arlene

  • Follow the Leader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Helen King

  • The Cave Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

  • Her Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 43 titles from 1930 to 2023; peak year 1980.

Biggest box office

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

$46M worldwide

Highest rated

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Midcredits 88th

Film career

19302023

Peak 1980 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1938Screen debut· Alexander's Ragtime Band
  • 1953First top-billed film· Call Me Madam
  • 1977Career best· The Love Boat

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting43 of 43: 43 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1930s17 · acting1940s1 · acting1950s7 · acting1960s10 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s1 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 29% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Ethel Merman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 15 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Journey Back to Oz (1972)

68th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Airplane! (1980)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ethel Merman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ethel Merman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Phil Silvers shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Mixed roles