Gary Merrill was born August 2, 1915, in Hartford, Connecticut. He
began his career acting in summer stock plays. He married Barbara
Leeds, an actress, and then served a brief stint in the army. After the
army, he landed in New York, where he was chosen to join the already
popular play "Born Yesterday". In 1950 he was cast in the part of Bill
Sampson in
All About Eve (1950). It would be his first time meeting
Bette Davis and they
became an instant couple. After their respective divorces, they were
married in Mexico. She was 42 and he was 35. During their marriage they
adopted two children, Margot and Michael, and after ten years of
fighting and financial problems they divorced. Merrill did not marry
again, though he was involved with
Rita Hayworth for a time. Later in his
career Merrill made a lucrative living doing voice-overs for radio and
television commercials. In 1988 he published his autobiography, "Bette,
Rita, And The Rest Of My Life". He died of lung cancer at the age of
74.
The Littlest Hobo(1979)as Willie Brogan
The Seekers(1979)as Capt. Hull
The World of Darkness(1977)as Dr. Thomas Madsen
Thieves(1977)as Street Man
Cannon(1971)as Andrew McGill
Huckleberry Finn(1974)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)
The Making of Liberty(1986)as Narrator
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend(1986)as Bill Simpson
The Dick Cavett Show(1975)as Self
Bicentennial Minutes(1974)as Self - Narrator
The Jackie Gleason Special(1973)as Self - Family Doctor
Titans of Destruction: The Evolution of Giant Monster Movies(2021)as Self
The Top Ten Revealed(2018)as Bill Sampson
The Fabulous Allan Carr(2017)as Self
Pioneers of Television(2008)as Leroy Clark in The Time Tunnel: Rendezvous with Yesterday
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story(2006)as Self
Amazing World of Radio(2017)as Bill Sampson
