The The Intractable Showman

This book is about the well-kept secret of David Merrick (1911-2000), a producer who entered the history not only of American theatre, but of world theatre. His shows earned standing ovations in countries of vastly different cultures, traditions, and languages. At that level of success, every moment of his private life was covered by reporters, and every dollar of his profits was counted-by rivals and by tax inspectors alike. His name filled tabloid columns: despite all his achievements, Merrick was by nature headstrong, quarrelsome, and obstinate. In colleagues' memoirs-where he was nicknamed the Abominable Showman-he often appears almost monstrous, and apart from his knack for clever but shamelessly vulgar publicity, American theatre scholars have rarely acknowledged his talents. The aim of this book is to go backstage-into that part of Merrick's creative life that holds little interest for gossip, the media, or fans, yet which, in the author's view, is the key to understanding the true secret of his unprecedented success.