In 2018, it was reported that Dina's prestigious estate in East Hampton Village had sold for $8.2 million. (November 18, 1989 - May 22, 2017) (her death), (December 22, 1966 - November 1989) (divorced, 1 child), (March 23, 1946 - December 15, 1966) (divorced, 3 children), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Mr. Robertson died in 2011. But as it turned out, the someone else was almost always a coolly sophisticated patrician woman not that different from the real Dina Merrill. She was born Nedenia Hutton in New York City, and was drawn to the acting life at age 8, when she played an Indian in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta at Greenvale School. Photo: Kevin Winter / Staff / Getty Images. She would marry twice more, to actor Cliff Robertson, with whom she had a daughter, and, after divorcing Robertson in 1986, to former Navy pilot, actor and banker Ted Hartley, who survives her. When Hutton began her acting career, she chose to call herself Dina Merrill, a combination of her and a brother-in-law's names. . Dina Merrill, a beautiful, blonde actress with an aristocratic bearing known as much for her wealthy origins, philanthropy, and . Dina Merrill. Her fortune was equal to $5 billion after adjusting for inflation at the time of her death. of the Post cereal fortune. Powered by. Died of ovarian cancer. In retaliation, Trump purchased a nearby plot of land for $2 million and threatened to build a home that would block Mar-a-Lago's line of sight to the ocean. Her father was E.F. Hutton, founder of the stockbroker firm that bore his name. The daughter of actors Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon, she is best known for roles in the television series Beverly Hills, 90210 and Movie Stars. Before a year had passed since her divorce from Rumbough, Merrill married Cliff Robertson, a successful actor who would later go on to win an Oscar. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Wealthy beyond measure due to large inheritances from each of her parents, she was a generous philanthropist and a hands-on volunteer with many charities, including the New York Mission Society, founded by her mother-in-law Margaretta Colgate Rumbough; the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, of which she was a co-founder; as well as Planned Parenthood, the New York Botanical Garden, the Palm Beach Theater Guild, the Alzheimers Association, Orbis International, the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, and her alma mater, the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, from which she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and where a scholarship is named for her. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were among the guests on what has been described as a floating palace equipped with fireplaces, marble bathrooms, a barber shop and a wine cellar. The couple divorced in 1966. Her last big role was in the film "Shade. The epitome of style, poise and glamour, the New York-born socialite and celebrity was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on December 29, 1923, the daughter of E.F. Hutton, the financier and founder of the Wall Street firm that bore his name, and heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, of the Post cereal fortune. Dina Merrill was an American heiress, socialite, philanthropist, and actress who had a net worth of $5 billion. After dropping out of George Washington University, Merrill enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. My ambitions were my own not exactly the ones they had for me.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. No funeral, no memorial service: Thats how Grant wanted it. Veteran Anchor John Stofflet to Retire from NBC15 Madison, Meteorologist Bri Eggers Is Leaving KTVB-TV in Boise, Idaho, News4Jax Anchor Mary Baer Is Leaving WJXT-TV, By: Ashmeet Bagga - Published: May 23, 2017 at 9:16 am, Photo: Phil McCarten / Stringer / Getty Images. How Far Is Port Miami From Fort Lauderdale Airport? Contents show 1. With an inheritance from her parents estimated at more than $50 million, Ms. Merrill became a philanthropist. Her family's Manhattan apartment had 66 rooms, and their retreat . Marjorie's father died at the age of 27 in 1914 and bequeathed her a $250 million fortune. "I was thrilled when they dropped me," she said in 1983. In 1966, she married the actor Cliff Robertson. After one year, she made another appearance in the film "Don't Give Up The Ship." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Shannon Elizabeth Today: What Happened to Nadia from American Pie? Most of her estate went to Merrill and her two sisters. It never occurred to me to ask my father or mother to pay for something they didnt believe in, she said in a 1979 interview. In the same year she married Ted Hartley, a former pilot and actor turned investment banker. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Grant died Saturday night from a massive stroke at St. Lukes Hospital in Davenport, Iowa. Starting in the 1950s, Merrill appeared in more than 100 films and television programs, her break coming after Katharine Hepburn recommended her for the 1957 Tracy-Hepburn comedy "The Desk Set." Dina Merrill in 1962. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. ", "Mother was politically and diplomatically and every which way well-connected," Merrill remarked in 2000, "but she didn't know anyone in show business. She was born to Post Cereals heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and a wallstreet professional Edward Hutton. For a time, she was groomed to be "the Next Grace Kelly" but as much as she apparently loved acting, she loved being a giver even more. The couple got divorced in 1989, which is the same yearDina married former actor, Ted Hartley. Dina Merrill Biography Early Years. "I didn't want to trade on the Hutton name," she explained. One of her first major film roles came in 1957 with "Desk Set." NEW YORK (AP) -- Dina Merrill, the rebellious heiress who defied her super-rich parents to become a movie star, often portraying stylish wives or "the other woman," has died at age 93. She was a trustee of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and served on the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Merrill had few acting credits in recent years, but never regretted her career. She was. The cause of death and other details were not immediately available Tuesday. Seattle Anchor, Travis Mayfield Leaving KCPQ. Merrill, born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton, spent the summers. 10 Best Breakfast Restaurants In Orlando, FL, 10 Best Seafood Restaurants In Miami Beach, Florida. She appeared in more than 30 movies, includingThe Sundowners, Young Savages, The Courtship of Eddies Father, Butterfield 8, Operation Petticoat, The Player andJust Tell Me What You Want, as well as Broadway and television roles. In becoming a businesswoman, Merrill was emulating her mother, who in the 1920s had helped build her late father's cereal business into the giant General Foods Corp. Merrill, born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton, spent the summers. Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Sunday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. Harley attended the U.S Naval Academy and was a fighter pilot in the Navy. As a result, her name was dropped from the snobbish Social Register, which excluded actors. Lauren Elizabeth Ash (born February 4, 1983) is a Canadian actress and comedian based in Los Angeles, but originally from Belleville, Ontario. Crime Junkie Host Ashley Flowers Announces She Is Pregnant. ), As a child, born into the American aristocracy of money and high society, Ms. Merrill wished she could take the bus like the other kids, she said, instead of being driven to school by the family chauffeur. In the same year she married Ted Hartley, a former pilot and actor turned investment banker. Beyond being super rich, Merrill was known for being super charitable and philanthropic. When Hutton began her acting career, she chose to call herself Dina Merrill, a combination of her and a brother-in-law's names. She was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on Dec. 29, 1923, in New York City and nicknamed Deenie. In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son, Stanley; a daughter, Nina Roosenburg; a stepson, Philippe Hartley; six grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. Her father was Franklyn Laws Hutton, co-founder of massively successful New York investment bank E. F. Hutton was the chubby Woolworth heiress who inherited a fortune at the age of five after her mother committed suicide. But becoming an actress was not considered proper for someone of Merrill's privileged status. "I turned down my career to marry my Marine.". In 1946, shegot married to theheir ofthe Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste fortune and entrepreneur, Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. She even had appearancesin showslike Murder She Wrote, The Nanny, Vengeance Unlimited, and The Love Boat. Why did Dina Merrill change her name? Her inheritance was reported to be $70 million. Very rich. During the early 60s, Dina starred in films like "The Sundowners," "Butterfield 8," "The Young Savages," and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father." She was born Nedenia Hutton in New York City, and was drawn to the acting life at age 8, when she played an Indian in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta at Greenvale School. (Oh, if those walls could talk! She was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on Dec. 29, 1923, in New York City and nicknamed Deenie. Her first husband was Stanley M. Rumbough Jr., an American businessman and entrepreneur. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. With other investors, Hartley and Merrill in 1989 acquired RKO Pictures, the onetime major Hollywood studio that had been moribund for many years. In 1914, Marjorie Merriweather Post inherited $250.0 million and at one point intime, she was the richest woman in the United States. Miss Hutton wed Grant as her third husband in 1942. Rumbough Jr. was also heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune. Cary Grant net worth: Cary Grant was an English actor who had a net worth of $60 million at the time of his death in 1986. How long was Cliff Robertson married to Dina Merrill? As Dina Merrill was the heiress of the Post Foundation along with her sister, they aimed to sell the property. The film also starred Cary Grant, who was at the time married to Dina's cousin Barbara Hutton. They married in 1946 and had three children, one of whom, David Post Rumbough, passed before her. She was also the cousin poor little rich girl Barbara Hutton, whose antics filled the pages of many a tabloid. Cold comfort: ConAgra buys Birds Eye maker for $10.9 billion. Dinais also known forTV-movies like The Lonely Profession, Family Flight, and The Tenth Month. 9. The $8.2 million purchase of the West Dune Lane estate happened a year after Merrills death last year at age 93 and was by the daughter from Merrills her first marriage, Nedenia Rumbough, and Donald Handelman. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. Grant became ill after a rehearsal for the benefit show and died a few hours later. Merrill, raised in part on the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida now owned by President Donald Trump, died Monday, according to a family spokeswoman. He only had one child, a daughter Jennifer, who was born in 1966, with wife Dyan Cannon. And I guess they said, really between themselves, 'Let the dear girl try and fall on her face.'". During this period, she was marketed as a potential replacement for Grace Kelly. Who inherited Dina Merrill's money? In 1929, Post brought in the Ringling Bros. circus to put on a show for her guests and also to raise money for charity. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. In the 2000s, her career began to peter out. We honor the legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post every day. Colonel Stanley Maddox Rumbough and Elizabeth Morse Colgate and was married to actress Dina Merrill, daughter of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Her death was confirmed by her son, Stanley H. Rumbough, who said she had Lewy Body dementia. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Dina Merrill with Bobby Short (By Dick Sheridan via Wikimedia Commons). Anyone can read what you share. Eventually, the original manor was demolished so that smaller homes could be built on the land. A year later, she married Stanley Rumbough, handsome heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune and a former Marine. Photo: Amy Sussman / Stringer / Getty Images. Divorced from Mr. Rumbough and married to the actor Cliff Robertson in 1966, she was partly responsible for bringing down the head of a Hollywood studio. "I loved the make-believe," she commented in 1993, "and I still do. During the summer she worked at a regional theater where she painted scenery, sewed costumes and played occasional small roles. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. "I always wanted to make it on my own.". Where is Dina Merrill buried? Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Monday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. JDRFs stated vision is a world without type 1 diabetes. After her son David, who had diabetes, died in a boating accident at age 23 in 1973, Merrill created a yearly award for scientific excellence in his name, according to The New York Times. The daughter of the Wall Street broker E. F. Hutton and the cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, Ms. Merrill grew up in luxury, spending up to six months a year on the Sea Cloud, the family yacht. Who inherited Dina Merrills money? Most of her estate went to Merrill and her two sisters . In becoming a businesswoman, Merrill was emulating her mother, who in the 1920s had helped build her late father's cereal business into the giant General Foods Corp. A much more prominent role came next year when she starred in the 1958 film "A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed.". In an interview with aPalm Beach Daily News reporter at the time, Miss Merrill hadnt read the book but began to giggle when the reporter read passages from it. Instead, she lives in a terribly furnished Palm Beach condominium, thinking about her failed acting career and how she can make me look as nouveau as possible., How lovely, Miss Merrill said after hearing the passage. With Hartley, she formed Pavilion Communications, which purchased RKO Pictures, for which she served as vice chairwoman. Merrill and Hartley created the Hartley Merrill International Screenwriting Prize, for which they received a special prize at the Hamptons Film Festival in 1998, for their support of screen writers in developing nations. Her maternal grandfather was Frank W. Woolworth, founder of the eponymous Woolworths chain of retail stores. She made her three-line Broadway debut inThe Mermaids Singing in 1945. Merrill and Rumbough divorced in 1966, the same year she married actor Robertson. My ambitions were my own not exactly the ones they had for me.. "My mother brainwashed me," she said. Who did Dina Merrill leave her fortune to? Her subsequent roles included the bored upper-class wife of an Australian sheep rancher in the Deborah Kerr movie The Sundowners (1960), and the alcoholic wife of an entrepreneur played by the comedian Alan King in Just Tell Me What You Want (1980). Herfather did not approve of her dreams tobecome an actress. In addition to the graves of fallen war heroes, its also the resting place for veterans who have gone on to prominence in other fields. 4. Dina Merrill and her husband, RKO chairman Ted Hartley in 2004. Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Monday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. In the 90s, Merrill pressed onwards with roles in movies such as "Fear," "True Colors," "The Player," and "Suture." Also in 1959, Merrill gained notoriety after joining the cast of "Operation Petticoat." YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Merrill, raised in part on . Shewas the onlychild of Post Cereals heiress, Marjorie Merriweather Post and her second husband, Wall Street stockbroker, Edward Francis Hutton. NEW YORK (AP) Dina Merrill, the rebellious heiress who defied her super-rich parents to become a movie star, often portraying stylish wives or "the other woman," has died at age 93. In the 90s, Dina and her husband Ted Hartley merged their production company Pavilion Communications with RKO. Her fortune was estimated at more than $250 million when she died in 1973 at age 86. Dina's mother, Marjorie Merriweather Post, was at one time the richest woman in the United States. In Santo Domingo, when [Dominican Republic] President [Rafael] Trujillo came aboard for dinner, she told journalist George Turley, my stepfather handed me a recording of their national anthem, and said, Take this to the engine room, and when we get to dessert, put it on, and we will all stand up and drink a toast. And I, being the nasty 10-year-old I was, put it on with the appetizer course, the salad course, the fish course, the main course and the dessert. On the advice of a brother-in-law, she changed her name. The New York City Mission Society operates a variety of programs that help break the cycle of poverty for some of New Yorks most under served children, youth and families. Over the years, she appeared in a number of Broadway plays, including "On Your Toes.". The also starred together in The Sunshine Patriot(1968). In between, she accomplished two of her major goals, starring on Broadway in the drama, Angel Street, and in her first musical, On Your Toes.