Dina Merrill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dina Merrill
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Publicity photo of Merrill in 1968 by John Engstead
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| Born |
Nedenia Marjorie Hutton
December 29, 1923 New York City, New York U.S.
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| Died | May 22, 2017 (aged 93) East Hampton, New York, U.S.
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| Education | George Washington University American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actress, socialite, businesswoman, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1945–2009 |
| Spouse(s) |
Stanley M. Rumbough Jr.
(m. 1946; div. 1966) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Eleanor Post Close (half-sister) C. W. Post (grandfather) Barbara Hutton (cousin) |
Dina Merrill (born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton; December 29, 1923 – May 22, 2017) was an American actress. She was also known for her work as a businesswoman and for helping others.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dina Merrill was born in New York City on December 29, 1923. Her mother was Marjorie Merriweather Post, who was very wealthy from the Post Cereals company. Her father was Edward Francis Hutton, who started a well-known financial company.
Dina had two older half-sisters. One of them was Eleanor Post Hutton. Dina went to Miss Porter's School. After that, she studied at George Washington University. She then decided to focus on acting. She went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She also learned acting from Uta Hagen at HB Studio.
Dina Merrill's Acting Career
Dina Merrill chose her stage name, Dina Merrill, because it sounded good. She started acting on stage in 1945. Her first play was called The Mermaid Singing.
In the 1950s and 1960s, many people thought Dina Merrill was similar to actress Grace Kelly. Some even called her "Hollywood's new Grace Kelly" in 1959.
Films and TV Shows
Dina Merrill acted in many movies. Some of her films include Desk Set (1957) and Operation Petticoat (1959). She also appeared in The Sundowners (1960) and Butterfield 8 (1960). Later, she was in The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963). In the 1990s, she appeared in The Player (1992).
She was also a guest star on many TV shows. She played a villain named Calamity Jan in two episodes of Batman in 1968. She also appeared on Bonanza, Mission: Impossible, and The Love Boat. Kids might remember her as Maxwell Sheffield's mother on The Nanny. She also had roles in Roseanne and Murder, She Wrote.
Stage Work
Dina Merrill also performed on stage. In 1983, she was in a Broadway musical called On Your Toes. She also took part in a special reading of a play called Wit & Wisdom in 1991.
Business Ventures
In 1991, Dina Merrill and her third husband, Ted Hartley, combined their company with RKO. This created RKO Pictures. This new company owns the rights to many old RKO Radio Pictures movies.
Game Show Appearances
Dina Merrill was a popular guest on many TV game shows in the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared on shows like Match Game, To Tell the Truth, and Hollywood Squares.
Community Involvement
Dina Merrill was very involved in helping her community. She was chosen by the President to be on the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This center supports the arts. She was also a trustee for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. She helped the New York City Mission Society as a vice president. In 1980, she joined the board of directors for her father's company, E. F. Hutton & Co. She stayed on the board for over 18 years.
Personal Life
Dina Merrill was married three times. In 1946, she married Stanley M. Rumbough Jr.. He was connected to the Colgate-Palmolive company. They had three children together. They divorced in 1966.
Later that same year, she married actor Cliff Robertson. They had one daughter. They divorced in 1986.
In 1989, she married producer Ted Hartley.
Dina Merrill passed away at her home in East Hampton, New York, on May 22, 2017. She was 93 years old and had been dealing with a health condition.
Awards and Recognition
Dina Merrill received several honors for her work. In 1994, she got the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award. In April 2005, she received a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Images for kids
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Publicity photo of Merrill in 1968 by John Engstead
See also
In Spanish: Dina Merrill para niños
