Legendary American entertainer Ethel Merman (née Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) passed away on February 15, 1984, at the age of seventy-six. Merman started her multi-decade career on Broadway in 1928 in the play “Girl Crazy” and was noted for her powerful and distinctive singing voice. She was cast for her first musical, “Take a Chance,” in 1932 and continued to play an active role in Broadway productions for the next twenty-five years. Merman received Tony Award nominations for her performance in “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Call Me Madam,” “Gypsy,” and “Hello, Dolly!”and won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the latter. Merman’s big-screen acting career included popular films such as “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” In addition to her performing arts career, she was also a mental health advocate, and collaborated with organizations such as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene. Her powerful voice, infectious energy and incomparable persona left an indelible mark in the field of entertainment and will continue to live on as a part of American culture.