Dina Merrill
Glamour, Genius and Generosity... Dina Merrill, a beautiful lady of many talents, is adding two more talents to her roster: that of vice chairman of RKO Pictures, and that of executive producer for one of their forthcoming films, Last Blossom on the Plum Tree. Dina has starred in films, on Broadway, on television, in musicals, drama, and comedy. Not bad for a beautiful blonde who looks as if she had been brought up to take a place in the Fashion Hall of Fame, which she did. Despite the fact that her parents, Marjorie Merriweather Post and Edward F. Hutton, were not enthusiastic about their daughter becoming an actress, Dina was determined to have a career. When she finished her schooling she enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, worked hard, and soon established herself as an up-and-coming professional actress. She suspended her career, for several years while she took time off to marry and have children and to spend time with them. When they were old enough, she returned to work and has never stopped. She has starred in twenty-two motion pictures, including True Colors. On television, Dina Merrill has guest-starred in innumerable major shows, appearing in series, specials, mini-series, and movies of the week, including Murder She Wrote, Repeat Performance and The Brass Ring. 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. In other fields, she has been described as a republican with a democratic heart. She devotes a great deal of her time working for the disadvantaged, principally for the New York City Mission Society. When one of her children was diagnosed with diabetes, Dina become one of the founders of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which is dedicated to diabetic research. On the artistic side, she is a trustee of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and a director of the Museum of Broadcasting. She was a presidential appointee to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She is also a director of Project Orbis, a flying eye hospital which teaches advanced eye care and surgical techniques all over the world. She divides her home between New York and Los Angles, the film production base for RKO Pictures. She is married to Ted Hartley, Chairman of RKO Pictures. Right here in San Diego, RKO Pictures is creating the first of many RKO-HOLLYWOOD entertainment complexes around the world. This one, called Live from Xanadu, is scheduled to open in 1995. To quote Dina Merrill, "My work with RKO Pictures is an exciting extension of my career and keeps me in close contact with the creative community." Dina brings professionalism, good humor, zest and sparkle to her many roles as actress, activist, mother, marriage partner and producer. To quote an admirer: "Glamour - with both feet on the ground." Women's International Center is extremely proud to acknowledge and honor Dina Merrill with the Living Legacy Award for her contibutionsy as an actress, entrepreneur, visionary, humanitarian.. and a good friend to children.. |
