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Photo of Una Merkel

Photo: Clarence Bull, for MGM / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Una Merkel

American film actor

December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986 · Covington, Kentucky, United States

  • Kentucky
  • film actor
  • stage actor
  • television actor

Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky, United States on December 10, 1903. Una Merkel was listed as a film actor, stage actor and television actor. Death is recorded on January 2, 1986, at the age of 82. Listed accolades include Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (1956) and star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

My Take

Una Merkel is exactly the kind of performer I wish more people remembered. A Kentucky girl who worked the New York stage in the 1920s before Hollywood claimed her in 1930, she became the reliable, wry presence who could quietly steal a scene from the leads in 42nd Street or Destry Rides Again. A Tony win in 1956 and an Oscar nomination in 1961 prove she was no mere background fixture. I have a soft spot for character actors; they're the connective tissue of cinema, and her Walk of Fame star is a fitting marker of a career built on craft over glamour.

1. Profile

Name (English)
Una Merkel
Name (Japanese)
ウナ・マーケル
Reading
うな・まーける
Born
December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
Sagittarius / Rabbit
Origin
Covington, Kentucky, United States
Occupation
film actor / stage actor / television actor / actor

2. Background

Awards & achievements

  • 1956 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

4. About this entry

Tags

  • Kentucky
  • film actor
  • stage actor
  • television actor
Last updated
2026-06-21

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.

Frequently asked questions

When was Una Merkel born?

Born December 10, 1903.

When did Una Merkel die?

Died January 2, 1986, aged 82.

Where was Una Merkel from?

Una Merkel was from Covington, Kentucky, United States.

What did Una Merkel do?

Una Merkel worked as film actor, stage actor, television actor, actor.

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