One of the Metropolitan Opera's most enduring and acclaimed baritones, Brooklyn-born Robert Merrill was born Moishe Miller on June 4, 1919 (some sources list 1917), the son of Polish émigrés. His father, Abraham, was a shoe salesman and mother Lillian was an operatic soprano who performed in concert before her marriage. His parents changed their ...
I keep feeling that I'm just beginning, that I'm just a beginner. I've never taken the Met for granted. At the old house, whenever I walked in, I had that marvelous feeling--what am I doing here, a kid from Brooklyn?
2
Vocally, there is no reason why you cannot sing for 30 or 40 years. I'm going to go on as long as I'm enjoying it, as long as I'm having a ball.
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Fact
1
Upon his death, his remains were interred at Sharon Gardens Cemetery in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York. His location plot is Temple Israel New Rochelle, Block F, Lot 12A, space 1.
2
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6763 Hollywood Blvd.
3
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 364-365. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
4
Remained in the shadows of baritone Leonard Warren during his early years at the Met. Following Warren's sudden death onstage at the Met in 1960, Merrill became the principal baritone.
First inspired to sing as a teenager when he wandered in off the street to the Met and caught a performance of "Il Trovatore."
7
His lifelong passion for baseball led to his long tenure at Yankee Stadium, where he sang the national anthem on opening day for three decades. Ironically, he died peacefully at home while watching the first game of the world series between the St. Louis Cardinals and, the eventual winners, the Boston Red Sox.
8
A lifetime baseball fan, whose recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played before New York Yankees home games for three decades, Merrill died while at home watching the first game of the 2004 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox.
Earned admiration for his interpretations of dozens of operatic roles, including Escamillo in "Carmen" and Figaro in "The Barber of Seville," reportedly his favorite opera.
11
Was a lifelong Yankees fan. Beginning in 1969, he followed a tradition that lasted three decades, singing the season-opener rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Yankee Stadium.
12
He retired from the Met in 1976 but returned to its stage in 1983, when the company marked its centennial.
13
His desire to branch into movie stardom, in the 1951 film Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick (1952), brought him into direct conflict with the Metropolitan Opera's autocratic General Manager, Sir Rudolf Bing. Making the film would have conflicted with some of Merrill's Met assignments. Bing felt that grand opera and the movies did not mix, having fired Met mainstays Lauritz Melchior and Helen Traubel for similar reasons earlier. When Merrill refused to budge in the matter, he was also fired. Eighteen months later, the film having failed at the box office, Merrill was reinstated only after practically begging Bing for another chance. Relations between the two men were cordial, but never really friendly, after that. Merrill retired shortly after celebrating his 30th anniversary with the Met in 1975.
14
Co-wrote, with Fred Jarvis, the novel "The Divas" in 1978. The novel, a roman a clef about the romantic comings and goings in a major opera company, sold moderately well.
15
Opera singer. Debut with New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1945.
16
Had aspirations of being a baseball player; was a huge baseball fan.
17
Best known for his full, effortless baritone voice.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Senorita from the West
1945
Elmer (as Bob Merrill)
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
1971
TV Series
Archibald Bunker
The Red Skelton Hour
1964-1970
TV Series
Charlie Kluck / Colonel Fiasco / Pancho Vanilla / ...
Clown Alley
1966
TV Movie
Seltzer Water Clown
The Voice of Firestone
1959
TV Series
Escamillo
The Jackie Gleason Show
1953
TV Series
Guest Opera Baritone Vocalist
Carmen
1952
TV Movie
Escamillo
Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick
1952
Bill Merridew
Don Carlo
1950
TV Movie
Rodrigo
Your Show of Shows
1950
TV Series
Regular Performer (1950-1951)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Combien tu m'aimes?
2005
performer: "Un Ballo in Maschera: Zitti! L'Incanto Non Dessi Turbare excerpts" Composed by nm0006333 & nm0813928
The Dream Team
1989
performer: "STAR SPANGLED BANNER"
Aria
1987
performer: "Un Ballo in Maschera extracts", "Rigoletto extracts"
Luna
1979
"Il Trovatore"
Sinatra and Friends
1977
TV Special performer: "Where or When", "If I Were a Rich Man", "The Old Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York", "Everybody Ought to Be in Love" - uncredited
Synanon
1965
music: "The Whiffenpoof Song"
Search for Paradise
1957
Documentary performer: "Happy Land of Hunza", "Shalimar", "Kashmir Street Song", "Search for Paradise"
The Voice of Firestone
1956
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Don Carlo
1950
TV Movie performer: "Don Carlo" opera
Your Show of Shows
1950
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Anger Management
2003
Himself
Great Moments in Opera
1997
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
TV Movie
Himself
Wolf Trap Presents Victor Borge: An 80th Birthday Celebration
1990
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Annual National Board of Review Awards
1987
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1986
TV Special
Himself
Toscanini: The Maestro
1985
Documentary
Himself
The Merv Griffin Show
1962-1984
TV Series
Himself
The Metropolitan Opera: Centennial Gala
1983
TV Special
Tenor
The First 40 Years
1980
TV Special
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1967-1979
TV Series
Himself - Opera Singer / Himself - Opera Baritone / Himself - Vocalist / ...
The Jim Nabors Show
1978
TV Series
Himself
Sinatra and Friends
1977
TV Special
Himself - Singer
The 19th Annual Grammy Awards
1977
TV Special
Himself
Dinah!
1975-1976
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest Host
The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People
1975
TV Series
Himself
Annie and the Hoods
1974
TV Special
Himself
Evening at Pops
1973
TV Series documentary
Himself
The David Frost Show
1970-1972
TV Series
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962-1976
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show
1951-1970
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Opera Baritone / Himself - Singer
He Said, She Said
1970
TV Series
Himself
Comedy Tonight
1970
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man
1970
TV Special
The Red Skelton Hour
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Joan Rivers Show
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Kraft Music Hall
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Joey Bishop Show
1968
TV Series
Himself
Stars for Israel
1967
TV Movie
Himself
I've Got a Secret
1955-1967
TV Series
Himself - Celebrity Guest / Himself - Guest
The Bell Telephone Hour
1962-1966
TV Series
Himself - Opera Baritone / Himself / Iago / ...
The Steve Lawrence Show
1965
TV Series
Himself
Today
1965
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Jack Paar Program
1962-1964
TV Series
Himself
The Match Game
1964
TV Series
Himself - Team Captain
Candid Camera
1963
TV Series
Himself
President Kennedy's Birthday Salute
1962
TV Movie
Himself
Opening Night at Lincoln Center
1962
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show
1960-1962
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
America Pauses for Springtime
1959
TV Movie
Himself
The Voice of Firestone
1956-1959
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest Soloist
The Patrice Munsel Show
1957
TV Series
Himself
Texaco Star Theatre
1949-1955
TV Series
Himself - Opera Singer / Himself / Himself - Singer