Dina Merrill

Dina Merrill, born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on December 29, 1923, in New York City, emerged as a sublime embodiment of grace, talent, and societal distinction. The actress not only enchanted audiences with her performances but also led a life that was interwoven with the power and privilege of American high society. Her story reflects a journey where the glitzy world of Hollywood intertwined seamlessly with the high stakes realm of business and philanthropy. Merrill was born into considerable wealth, being the daughter of Wall Street titan Edward Francis Hutton and cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. It is through her mother's marriage to Hutton that the young Dina was heir to the Post cereal fortune, a pedigree as glittering as any Hollywood star could wish for. Raised amidst the opulence of Mar-a-Lago, an estate built by her mother in Palm Beach, Florida, Dina grew up against a backdrop of elegance and culture. Her early life, spent between luxurious locations like New York and Palm Beach, was punctuated by high society events, but an innate love for performance sparked her interest in acting from a young age. Dina initially attended George Washington University but left to enroll at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, following her desire to pursue an acting career despite no financial necessity to work. Dina Merrill made her Broadway debut in the play "The Mermaids Singing" in 1945. However, it was not until the late 1950s that her cinematic career began to ascend. Her film debut in "Desk Set" (1957) alongside Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, showcased not just her natural flair for acting but also established her as a versatile performer capable of holding her own amongst studio giants. Over the decades, Merrill's career continued to rise as she appeared in an array of films including "Operation Petticoat" (1959) with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis, "The Sundowners" (1960), and "The Young Savages" (1961). Her screen presence was marked by a unique poise and a sharp intelligence, which were only magnified by her poised beauty. She also graced television screens, flexing her acting muscles in popular series such as "Batman," "Bonanza," and "The Love Boat." A particular standout role included her work on "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," where she brought a warm presence to the screen. Merrill's life, however, was not restricted to the front of the camera. Her business acumen, perhaps an inheritance of her father's legacy, led her to significant roles in corporate decision-making. She was particularly active in the Beverly Hills Hotel Corporation and the real estate firm Leucadia National Corporation. Inherently philanthropic, Merrill dedicated much of her time and resources to numerous causes. She supported the arts fervently, serving for over 40 years as a trustee at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, she lent her time and influence to the New York Mission Society and Lifetime trustee of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Merrill’s personal life was just as grandiose yet vividly human. She was married three times, first to Stanley M. Rumbough Jr., an heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune, with whom she had three children. They divorced, and she married Oscar-winning actor Cliff Robertson, with whom she had one daughter. Her third marriage was to producer Ted Hartley, with whom she partnered in Pavilion Communications, further intertwining her talents into business and media production. Her legacy extends not just through her descendants and the arts she so passionately endorsed but also through the kind of dignified elegance she infused into every aspect of her life. Dina Merrill passed away on May 22, 2017, in East Hampton, New York, at the age of 93, leaving behind a storied legacy of talent and benevolence. Effortlessly spanning the seemingly divergent worlds of high society and artistic endeavor, Merrill was perhaps one of the last links to an era marked by its distinct blend of glamour and elegance. While she often endured the label of “socialite,” a term generally regarded as implying surface rather than substance, her achievements in acting, business, and philanthropy were formidable and left an indelible impact on American culture. Her life is a resonant tale of a woman who defined herself beyond her heritage, crafting her own distinctive path in the limelight of the 20th century's American stage.