--- name: "Una Merkel" canonical: "https://film.one/person/una-merkel" roles: ["Actor"] born: "10 December 1903" died: "2 January 1986" reviewed_on_fi1m: 2 average_fi1m_score: 77 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-09-19T22:47:01.100695+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Una Merkel Actor. Born 10 December 1903 in Covington, Kentucky, USA. Died 2 January 1986. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 10 December 1903, Covington, Kentucky, USA - **Died:** 2 January 1986 - **Active:** 1933–1935 - **Also known as:** Una Kohnfelder - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination - **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 2 titles - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Una_Merkel, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q266473, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580916/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13963 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*42nd Street*](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md) (82) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Una Merkel > Una Merkel stood beside the star, in a Kentucky drawl, and said the second line. She did it in around a hundred films and almost never got the first one, which is the job, and the reason she is so easy to overlook. Look for Una Merkel in a 1930s musical and you will find her a step to the side of the leading lady, waiting for the drawl to land. She played the friend, the roommate, the chorus girl who had been in too many shows to be impressed by this one. The voice came from Covington, Kentucky, and she kept it, and directors cast her for it: a dry Southern sound that made a wisecrack seem to arrive a beat late and hit harder for the wait. She began in silent films in the early 1920s, for a time as a stand-in for Lillian Gish, went to Broadway, where she appeared in *Coquette* (1927), and came back to Hollywood for D.W. Griffith's *Abraham Lincoln* (1930), playing Ann Rutledge. Then she became a busy MGM contract player, almost always in support. She made four films with Jean Harlow and two with Ginger Rogers, and turned up in the backstage musicals built around Eleanor Powell. The work thinned in the 1940s, though *The Bank Dick* (1940), with W.C. Fields, is in there. From the mid-1950s she came back, first on stage and then in films such as *The Parent Trap* (1961) and *Summer and Smoke* (1961), and took her last role in 1966. Around a hundred films in all, and she is the lead in very few of them. The two we have reviewed show the shape of the career. In *42nd Street* (1933) she and Rogers are the chorus veterans who do the talking, and it is Rogers, in a monocle and a borrowed accent, who gets the sharpest lines. In *Broadway Melody of 1936* (1935) she is half of a fast-talking comic couple with Sid Silvers, and Silvers, who co-wrote the script, gave himself most of the good ones. Twice, then, she is setting up the joke rather than telling it. We do not count that against her. Watching *42nd Street* again, we caught ourselves looking at Merkel while Rogers talked, because her face was telling us how much of the accent to believe, and we laughed at the right moment because she had shown us where it was. That is a skill, and it is rarely noticed, which is the point of it. The one scene of hers people remember is a fight. In *Destry Rides Again* (1939), playing Lily Belle, she takes on Marlene Dietrich, and the two of them did it without doubles. “All through the fight she’d whisper to me, ‘Are you all right?’” Merkel said in 1978. “We went at it tooth and nail.” For once she is the one the scene is about. Start with *42nd Street*, and this time watch the woman who is not talking. Then find *Destry*. The other ninety-odd are for the interested, and there are a great many of them. ## Biography Una Merkel (10 December 1903 – 2 January 1986) was an American stage, film, radio and television actress. Born in Covington, Kentucky, she began acting on Broadway in the 1920s and appeared in the long-running play *Coquette* (1927) with Helen Hayes. She made her screen debut as Ann Rutledge in D.W. Griffith's *Abraham Lincoln* (1930) and became a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player, appearing in numerous supporting roles. Among her best-known performances are those in *42nd Street* (1933), *Destry Rides Again* (1939), *The Bank Dick* (1940) and *The Parent Trap* (1961). Merkel won a Tony Award in 1956 for *The Ponder Heart* and received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress for *Summer and Smoke* (1961). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, ibdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (2) - *Broadway Melody of 1936* (1935), Fi1m 72, as Kitty Corbett — [page](https://film.one/film/broadway-melody-of-1936.md) - *42nd Street* (1933), Fi1m 82, as Lorraine Fleming — [page](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md) ## Complete filmography (107) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *That's Entertainment! III* (1994), as (archive footage) (uncredited) - *That's Dancing!* (1985), as From 'Born to Dance' (archive footage) - *Spinout* (1966), as Violet Ranley - *The Cara Williams Show* (1964), series, Actor - *A Tiger Walks* (1964), as Mrs. Watkins - *The Bill Dana Show* (1963), series, Actor - *Burke's Law* (1963), series, as Miss Samantha Cartier, Clara Lovelace, Mrs. Thomas Barrett - *Summer Magic* (1963), as Mariah Popham - *Summer and Smoke* (1961), as Mrs. Winemiller - *The Parent Trap* (1961), as Verbena - *The Mating Game* (1959), as Ma Larkin - *Aladdin* (1958), as Aladdin's Mother - *The Girl Most Likely* (1958), as Mother - *DuPont Show of the Month* (1957), series, as Aladdin's Mother - *The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown* (1957), as Bertha - *The Greer Case* (1957), as Louise Hoagland - *Bundle of Joy* (1956), as Mrs. Dugan - *The Kettles in the Ozarks* (1956), as Miss Bedelia Baines - *The Kentuckian* (1955), as Sophie Wakefield - *Climax!* (1954), series, as Maud - *I Love Melvin* (1953), as Mom Schneider - *Four Star Playhouse* (1952), series, as Rose Barton - *The Merry Widow* (1952), as Kitty Riley - *With a Song in My Heart* (1952), as Sister Marie - *Golden Girl* (1951), as Mary Ann Crabtree - *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Secretary - *A Millionaire for Christy* (1951), as Patsy Clifford - *Rich, Young and Pretty* (1951), as Glynnie - *Emergency Wedding* (1950), as Emma - Nurse / Receptionist - *My Blue Heaven* (1950), as Miss Irma Gilbert - *Kill the Umpire* (1950), as Betty Johnson - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Parsis McHugh - *The Man from Texas* (1948), as Widow Weeks - *The Bride Goes Wild* (1948), as Miss Doberly - *It's a Joke, Son!* (1947), as Mrs.Magnolia Claghorn - *Sweethearts of the U.S.A.* (1944), as Patsy Wilkins - *To Heir Is Human* (1944), as Una - *Quack Service* (1943), as Daffy - *This Is the Army* (1943), as Rose Dibble - *Twin Beds* (1942), as Lydia - *The Mad Doctor of Market Street* (1942), as Aunt Margaret Wentworth - *Cracked Nuts* (1941), as Sharon Knight - *Road to Zanzibar* (1941), as Julia - *Double Date* (1941), as Aunt Elsie Kirkland - *The Bank Dick* (1940), as Myrtle Sousé - *Sandy Gets Her Man* (1940), as Nan Clark - *Comin' Round the Mountain* (1940), as Belinda Watters - *Destry Rides Again* (1939), as Lily Belle - *On Borrowed Time* (1939), as Marcia Giles - *Some Like It Hot* (1939), as Flo Saunders - *Four Girls in White* (1939), as Gertie Robbins - *True Confession* (1937), as Daisy McClure - *Checkers* (1937), as Mamie Appleby - *Saratoga* (1937), as Fritzi Kiffmeyer - *The Good Old Soak* (1937), as Nellie - *Don't Tell the Wife* (1937), as Nancy Dorsey - *Born to Dance* (1936), as Jenny Saks - *We Went to College* (1936), as Susan Standish - *Speed* (1936), as Josephine 'Jo' Sanderson - *Riffraff* (1936), as Lil - *It's in the Air* (1935), as Alice Lane Churchill - *Broadway Melody of 1936* (1935), as Kitty Corbett — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/broadway-melody-of-1936.md) - *Murder in the Fleet* (1935), as 'Toots' Timmons - *Baby Face Harrington* (1935), as Millicent - *One New York Night* (1935), as Phoebe - *The Night Is Young* (1935), as Fanni Kerner - *Biography of a Bachelor Girl* (1935), as Slade Kinnicott - *Evelyn Prentice* (1934), as Amy Drexel - *The Merry Widow* (1934), as Queen Dolores - *Have a Heart* (1934), as Joan O'Day - *Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back* (1934), as Gwen - *The Cat's-Paw* (1934), as Petunia Pratt / Cobb - *Paris Interlude* (1934), as Cassie - *Murder in the Private Car* (1934), as Georgia Latham - *This Side of Heaven* (1934), as Birdie - *The Women in His Life* (1933), as Miss 'Simmy' Simmons - *Day of Reckoning* (1933), as Mamie - *Bombshell* (1933), as Mac - *Menu* (1933), as Mrs. Omsk (uncredited) - *Broadway to Hollywood* (1933), as Flirt in Audience - *Beauty for Sale* (1933), as Carol Merrick - *Her First Mate* (1933), as Hattie - *Midnight Mary* (1933), as Bunny - *Reunion in Vienna* (1933), as Ilsa Hinrich - *42nd Street* (1933), as Lorraine Fleming — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/42nd-street.md) - *Clear All Wires!* (1933), as Dolly Winslow - *The Secret of Madame Blanche* (1933), as Ella - *Whistling in the Dark* (1933), as Toby Van Buren - *Men Are Such Fools* (1932), as Molly - *They Call It Sin* (1932), as Dixie Dare - *Red-Headed Woman* (1932), as Sally - *Huddle* (1932), as Coach Malcolm - *Man Wanted* (1932), as Ruth 'Ruthie' Holman - *The Impatient Maiden* (1932), as Betty Merrick - *She Wanted a Millionaire* (1932), as Mary Taylor - *Private Lives* (1931), as Sibyl Chase - *The Secret Witness* (1931), as Lois Martin - *Wicked* (1931), as June - *The Bargain* (1931), as Etta - *Daddy Long Legs* (1931), as Sally McBride - *The Maltese Falcon* (1931), as Effie Perrine - *Six Cylinder Love* (1931), as Margaret Rogers - *Don't Bet on Women* (1931), as Tallulah Hope - *Command Performance* (1931), as Princess Katerina - *The Bat Whispers* (1930), as Dale Van Gorder - *Abraham Lincoln* (1930), as Ann Rutledge - *The Eyes of the World* (1930), as Sybil LaGrange ## Gallery - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-a1b798469b49.jpg) Una Merkel — Clarence Bull, for MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Una_Merkel_-_still.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of actress Una Merkel from the American film Saratoga (1937). This was Jean Harlow's last film; she died during the filming. It was completed after Harlow](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-2d0b14df8aa2.jpg) Photo of actress Una Merkel from the American film Saratoga (1937). This was Jean Harlow's last film; she died during the filming. It was completed after Harlow — MGM-photo by Ted Allan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Una_Merkel_1937.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Una Merkel on the Argentinean Magazine cover. (1937)](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-e41bad987580.jpg) Una Merkel on the Argentinean Magazine cover. (1937) — CINEGRAF magazine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Una_Merkel_CINEGRAF_magazine.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![This image has no copyright notice, and was circulated to distributors to promote the coming release of 42nd Street. (1933)](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-0aec45b225c9.jpg) This image has no copyright notice, and was circulated to distributors to promote the coming release of 42nd Street. (1933) — Warner Bros., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Una_Merkel_publicity_photo_-_42nd_street_%281933%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-2236c0581325.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-68da6fae7069.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-af84081a34a5.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-7a166792a3dd.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-8f0274b4989d.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB - ![Una Merkel](https://film.one/media/person/1225898/gallery-eb3ad8d4cb12.jpg) Una Merkel — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1962: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *Summer and Smoke* ### Other awards — 1 won - Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1956: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/una-merkel