I've made a wonderful living playing that theatrical character - the professional brassy dame Ethel Merman More Quotes by Ethel Merman More Quotes From Ethel Merman At one time I smoked, but in 1959 I couldn't think of anything else to give up for Lent so I stopped - and I haven't had a cigarette since. Ethel Merman cigarette giving-up thinking Be yourself -- it's the one thing you can do better than anyone else. Ethel Merman love-your-children being-yourself can-do I remember Tallulah (Bankhead) telling of going into a public ladies' room and discovering there was no toilet tissue. She looked underneath the booth and said to the lady in the next stall, 'I beg your pardon, do you happen to have any toilet tissue in there?' The lady said no. So Tallulah said, 'Well, then, dahling, do you have two fives for a ten?' Ethel Merman next two rooms I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them. Ethel Merman audience stage remember Any audience that gets a laugh out of me gets it while I'm facing them Ethel Merman audience laughing Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to broadway. Ethel Merman very-good broadway has-beens There's such a thing as theater discipline. One player doesn't appropriate another's inventions Ethel Merman invention discipline player Now what kind of an attitude is that, 'These things happen?' They only happen because this whole country is just full of people who, when these things happen, they just say, 'These things happen,' and that's why they happen! We gotta have control of what happens to us. Ethel Merman attitude country people I told her that there was something about Christmas carols that always brought tears to my eyes. I added that I also cry at weddings. To me weddings are very solemn occasions. I should have cried at a couple of my own. Ethel Merman wedding couple christmas Eisenhower was my war hero and the President I admire and respect most Ethel Merman president hero war Always give them the old fire, even when you feel like a squashed cake of ice. Ethel Merman hockey ice fire I've never cooked. I can't do much more in the kitchen than make a cup of tea and some toast. Ethel Merman kitchen cups tea I wouldn't change one thing about my professional life, and I make it a point not to dwell on my mistakes Ethel Merman professional-life house mistake I can hold a note as long as the Chase National Bank. Ethel Merman notes i-can long Everything's coming up roses - for me. Ethel Merman valentines-day valentine rose I take a breath when I have to. Ethel Merman breaths breathing Cole Porter had a worldwide reputation as a sophisticate and hedonist Ethel Merman hedonist reputation Who's happy these days? Ethel Merman these-days At a flea market I always head for the junk jewelry table first. Ethel Merman fleas junk tables Of my four marriages, the one to Bob Levitt is the only one I don't regret Ethel Merman bob four regret
