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Una Merkel

Personal Profile

Una Merkel
  • Date of Birth:
    December 10, 1903
  • Zodiac Sign:
    Sagittarius
  • Place of Birth:
    Covington, Kentucky, USA
  • Place of Death:
    Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Date of Death:
    January 2, 1986
  • Height:
    5' 4"
  • Sex:
    Female
  • Nationality:
    American

Family

Una Merkel
  • Spouse:
    Ronald Burla - Divorced

Career

Una Merkel

Trivia

Una Merkel
  • She almost died in 1946 when her mother committed suicide by turning on the gas.
  • Won Broadway's 1956 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) for "The Ponder Heart."
  • Was originally signed for the title role in Blondie (1938) but was replaced before filming began.
  • Merkel began her acting career in 1920 in silent films.
  • She worked consistently throughout the 1930s in both leading and supporting roles.
  • During the 1940s, her motion picture career took a downtown.
  • At this time, she turned her attention to the stage.
  • In 1956, she received a Tony Award for her work on the play, The Ponder Heart.
  • Merkel returned to motion pictures in the late 1950s.
  • She received an Oscar nomination (best supporting actress) for her work in Summer and Smoke.

Biography

Una Merkel
Last Updated: Saturday, August 15, 2009
Una Merkel was born on December 10, 1903 in Covington. Her parents were Arno E. Merkel Jr. and Elizabeth Phares Merkel. The couple was married in Covington on December 31, 1902. Una attended Covington’s First and Sixth District Schools. The family home was located at the corner of Fourth and Greenup Streets (demolished in 1976). Una lived in Covington until her early teens. She attended dramatic school in New York City. Una married Donald Burla, an aircraft executive, in 1932. They were divorced in 1945. Una Merkel died in Los Angeles on January 2, 1986 at the age of 82. She left no survivors. Burial was in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

Filmography

Una Merkel

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