Birthname: Una Kohnfelder
| Sign | Sagittarius |
| Born | Dec 10, 1903 Covington, KY |
| Died | Jan 2, 1986 Los Angeles, CA |
| Age | Died at 82 |
| Final Resting PlaceHighland Cemetery | |
Una Merkel | |
| Job | Actress |
| Years active | 1923-1966 |
| Known for | Wisecracking friends; maiden aunts and sassy spinsters (later career) |
| Top Roles | Lily Belle, Kitty Riley, Violet Ranley, Verbena, Sister Marie |
| Top Genres | Comedy, Drama, Romance, Musical, Film Adaptation, Crime |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Mistaken Identity, Pre-Code Cinema |
| Top Collaborators | Lucien Hubbard (Producer), Irving Thalberg (Producer), Hal B. Wallis (Producer), John W. Considine Jr. (Producer) |
| Shares birthday with | Victor McLaglen, Dorothy Lamour, Reginald Rose see more.. |
Una Merkel Overview:
Legendary character actress, Una Merkel, was born Una Kohnfelder on Dec 10, 1903 in Covington, KY. Merkel died at the age of 82 on Jan 2, 1986 in Los Angeles, CA and was laid to rest in Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, KY.
MINI BIO:
Una Merkel was a pixieish American actress with dimpled cheeks and red-gold hair. She sometimes played leading roles in the thirties, but more often was cast as the heroine's wisecracking friend or characters called 'Tootsie,' 'Trixie' and the like. In post-war years, looking more sprite-like than ever, she turned up as maiden aunts and sassy spinsters.
(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Illustrated Dictionary of Film Character Actors).HONORS and AWARDS:
.Although Merkel was nominated for one Oscar, she never won a competitive Academy Award.
Academy Awards
| Year | Award | Film name | Role | Result |
| 1961 | Best Supporting Actress | Summer and Smoke (1961) | Mrs. Winemiller | Nominated |
She was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures.
Una Merkel BlogHub Articles:
Una Merkel: Saucy Sidekick
By shadowsandsatin on Oct 25, 2021 From Shadows and SatinIn her 1930s features, Una Merkel portrayed a variety of standout roles, including the shrill and frequently sobbing Sibyl in Private Lives (1931), the wronged girlfriend of David Manners in Man Wanted (1931), Jean Harlow’s scheming secretary in Bombshell (1932), and a wisecracking chorus girl... Read full article
Carole Lombard and Una Merkel in "True Confession": Inspiration for "I Love Lucy?"
By Stephen Reginald on Jan 6, 2016 From Classic Movie ManCarole Lombard and Una Merkel in "True Confession": Inspiration for "I Love Lucy?" I Love Lucy was a landmark in television history. The original series ran for six years on CBS and for four of those years was the top-rated TV show in the country. One of the dynamics that made the show work s... Read full article
Know Your Character Actor: Una Merkel
By smumcountry on Mar 22, 2014 From Smum CountyMarch 22, 2014 by smumcounty Abraham Lincoln (1930) Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky on Dec 10th, 1903. In her teens she moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in films. In her early years, she so resembled Lillian Gish that D.W. Griffith hired her as Gish?s stand-in for ?Way Down East? (1... Read full article
Know Your Character Actor: Una Merkel
By smumcountry on Mar 22, 2014 From Smum CountyMarch 22, 2014 by smumcounty Abraham Lincoln (1930) Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky on Dec 10th, 1903. In her teens she moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in films. In her early years, she so resembled Lillian Gish that D.W. Griffith hired her as Gish?s stand-in for ?Way Down East? (1... Read full article
Funny Lady Blogathon: Una Merkel
By Vanessa Buttino on Jun 28, 2013 From StardustFunny Lady Blogathon: Una Merkel Wide eyes + button nose + pert mouth = the cutest face you ever did see. I have never laughed so hard whilst watching a classic film as I did at Una Merkel's wisecracks in Warner Brothers' backstage musical 42nd Street (1933). In between bouts of laughter, ... Read full article
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Una Merkel Quotes:
Verbena 'Ever's Housekeeper': I'm not saying a word. Not one single word.
Effie Perrine: Sam, it's a gorgeous new customer.
Sam Spade: Gorgeous?
Effie Perrine: A knockout.
Sam Spade: Send her right in, honey.
Effie Perrine: [to the off-screen customer] Will you step in, please?
[Joel Cairo walks in.]
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