Post builta house, famously known as Mar-a-Lago, the construction of which started in 1924 and ended in 1927. In 1929, Post brought in the Ringling Bros. circus to put on a show for her guests and also to raise money for charity. (Mr. Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump slept in the same childrens suite that Ms. Merrill had used. The former actress was 93. Model. 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. . In this March 17, 2008 file photo, actress Dina Merrill attends the 4th Annual Stella by Starlight benefit in New York. Shortly after their marriage in 1989, their company, Pavilion Communications, bought a controlling interest in RKO Pictures, but they had little success in returning that studio to its former glory. Merrill, raised in part on the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida now owned by President Donald Trump, died Monday, according to family spokeswoman Selena Albanese. The buyer was none other than Merrill's own daughter, Nedenia Rumbough. But she didnt always play the moneyed ice princess: cast against type, Merrill appeared with her second husband, Cliff Robertson, on the TV show Batman, as the villainous Calamity Jan. And in 1979, she even deigned to set sail on the Love Boat, a vessel far from the Sea Cloud, but just as American, and just as iconic. Burbank, California, U.S. Jennifer Diane Grant (born February 26, 1966) is an American actress. The "Marine" was Stanley Rumbough Jr., the Colgate-Palmolive heir who had been serving as a White House aide. The Legally Blonde star, 45, is now worth more than an estimated $500million after her production company, Hello Sunshine, sold for approximately $1.28 billion. In the early 1920s, Post wanted to build a home in Palm Beach, because she felt a larger home would better suit her entertaining needs, according to Biography. The couple was affectionately known as "Cash And Cary. Hartelys most famous work was in the Clint Eastwood western, High Plains Drifter (1973). How much did Dina Merrill inherit? All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net (updated U.N. Owen). Grant died Saturday night from a massive stroke at St. Lukes Hospital in Davenport, Iowa. As a result, her name was dropped from the snobbish Social Register, which excluded actors. RELATED:Building Mar-a-Lago: Marjorie Merriweather Posts Palm Beach showplace. Who was called the poor little rich girl? Somewhat amusingly, the couple elected to give two of their children middle names that matched their fortunes. Although Dina made elegant, elaborate use of her upbringing over the decades, she handled it all positively and graciously without tabloid incidents, instilling these same refined credentials into a large portion of her characters. The $8.2 million purchase of the West Dune Lane estate happened a year after Merrill's death last year at age 93 and was by the daughter from Merrill's her first marriage, Nedenia Rumbough, and Donald Handelman. In her free time, the actress supports various charities, including the New York City Mission Society and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which she launched. 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. She was also a well-known philanthropist. >PHOTOS: Dina Merrill through the years at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach. She was. But becoming an actress was not considered proper for someone of Merrill's privileged status. But for the most part, her formative years were far from average. Eventually, the original manor was demolished so that smaller homes could be built on the land. 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He only had one child, a daughter Jennifer, who was born in 1966, with wife Dyan Cannon. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. By the end of the decade, she was booking roles in movies such as "Just Tell Me What You Want. Her total net worth, including all property, was valued at $5.3 billion. Dina Merrill was an American heiress, socialite, philanthropist, and actress who had a net worth of $5 billion. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nedenia Marjorie Hutton was born on December 29th of 1923 in New York City. She appeared in made-for-TV movies like "Seven in Darkness," "The Lonely Profession," "Family Flight," and "The Tenth Month." 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. Donald Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago from the Post Foundation in 1985, for $8 million. She was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on Dec. 29, 1923, in New York City and nicknamed Deenie. "I didn't want to trade on the Hutton name," she explained. By the time she got her first movie role as a young research assistant to Katharine Hepburn in Desk Set (1957), with Spencer Tracy she was over 30. Trump then succeeded in acquiring the property for $7 million. Her father, C.W. Her father was E.F. Hutton, founder of the stockbroker firm that bore his name. ophthalmological hospital which teaches advanced eye care and performs surgical techniques around the world. Merrill, who had the poised, aristocratic beauty of fellow blonde Grace Kelly, co-starred with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in "Operation Petticoat," Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr in "The Sundowners" and Oscar winner Elizabeth Taylor in "Butterfield 8." After the birth of her daughter, Merrill resumed her acting and modeling career and was invited to Hollywood by Dick Powell for appearances in his television series. Robertson died in 2011. The couple has three children together, but parted ways in 1966. All rights reserved (About Us). In some ways, Nedenia Hutton nicknamed Deenie was a typical child. Nearly 160,000 television shows, commercials and radio programs are available at the Paley Centers library. "I was particularly thrilled because (Robertson) was furious. As Dina Merrill was the heiress of the Post Foundation along with her sister, they aimed to sell the property. Merrill's cousin was socialite and heiress Barbara Hutton who for a time was married to Cary Grant. "I always wanted to make it on my own.". 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. Heiress Barbara Hutton was a cousin. Dina Merrill with Bobby Short (By Dick Sheridan via Wikimedia Commons). Of course my parents' eyebrows shot up when I said I wanted to be an actress. He wanted to be in the Social Register.". One of her first major film roles came in 1957 with "Desk Set." Merrill, born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton, spent the summers. Dina Merrill, the actress and heiress to two fortunes who wintered at her family's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., as a child before becoming a leading lady in movies, most . Dina's mother, Marjorie Merriweather Post, was at one time the richest woman. Died of ovarian cancer. Although she made her stage debut in 1945, Dina emerged in the 50s and 60s as a prominent Hollywood actress. Cold comfort: ConAgra buys Birds Eye maker for $10.9 billion. She was 93. One of her four husbands was. Her fortune was estimated at more than $250 million when she died in 1973 at age 86. Merrill, who had the poised, aristocratic beauty of fellow blonde Grace Kelly, co-starred with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in "Operation Petticoat," Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr in "The Sundowners" and Oscar winner Elizabeth Taylor in "Butterfield 8." In 1966, she married the actor Cliff Robertson. The couple had three children -- Stanley, David and Nina. 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. Merril's first husband was the heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune. E.F. Hutton with Ms. Merrill, his daughter, on the deck of the family yacht on a vacation in Honolulu. Though she was over 30 by the time she got her first role, Merrill had a long and varied careerat one point starring with Cary Grant in Operation Petticoat. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. She was born on December 29, 1923. The property was later sold byMerrill and her family toTrump, who as president has made Mar-a-Lago an unofficial weekend White House. Merrill, born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton, spent the summers of her childhood at her familys famous estate, Mar-a-Lago. May 24, 2017 / 10:02 PM Later that year, Dina married Oscar-winning actor, Cliff Robertson, with whom she had one daughter. 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. In this April 6, 1962 file photo, socialite-actress Dina Merrill models the gown she will wear at the Academy Awards presentation in Los Angeles. With other investors, Hartley and Merrill in 1989 acquired RKO Pictures, the onetime major Hollywood studio that had been moribund for many years. It's interesting to lead other people's lives. Rumbough Jr. was also heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune. The house has 58 bedrooms and 33 bathrooms. How Far Is Port Miami From Fort Lauderdale Airport? Her father wanted her to become a lawyer and then to run for Congress. Mommy had given her the money, and it would have been an easy and popular thing to have done. In 1985, Donald Trump purchased the house for $8.0 million. Her son David's diabetes inspired her to establish the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Dina was born Nedenia Hutton but later adopted the stage name . Her parents built the famous Mar-a-Lago estate in 1924. Her fortune was estimated at more than $250 million when she died in 1973 at age 86. But as it turned out, the someone else was almost always a coolly sophisticated patrician woman not that different from the real Dina Merrill. When one of her children was diagnosed with diabetes, she became one of Merrill was involved in numerous charitable and artistic causes. Dina Merrill, an actress, artist and the last surviving child of Marjorie Merriweather Post, died Monday at the East Hampton, N.Y., home where she had lived for more than six decades. May 23, 2017. 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. The East Hampton Village home of Dina Merrill, who was the daughter of uber-socialite, Marjorie Merriweather Post, and Edward Francis Hutton, of EF Hutton fame, has been sold posthumously for $8.2 million. 6. Dina Merrill in 1962. Grant was scheduled to have appeared for the fund raising event Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Miss Hutton wed Grant as her third husband in 1942. She reeked of elegance and class. After his Marine Corps' service he became head of the Metal Containers Corp. and a company that made pari-mutuel betting machines. "I was thrilled when they dropped me," she said in 1983. The Paley Center comprises mostly screening rooms, including two full-sized theaters. FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs. Merrill starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8(1960) and was in The Courtship of Eddies Father(1963). The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is a major charitable organization dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research. The couple divorced in 1966. All rights reserved. She is related to Prince George and Princess Charlotte third and fourth in line to the English throne through their mothers mutual ancestor, explorer Meriwether Lewis. Dina's mother, Marjorie Merriweather Post, paid for the construction of the original Mar-a-Lago resort with her husband Edward F. Hutton. Her maternal grandfather was Frank W. Woolworth, founder of the eponymous Woolworths chain of retail stores. Please enter valid email address to continue. ), 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. ", "Mother was politically and diplomatically and every which way well-connected," Merrill remarked in 2000, "but she didn't know anyone in show business. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 8. Who did Dina Merrill leave her fortune to? Later that year, Dina married Oscar-winning actor, Cliff Robertson, with whom she had one daughter. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. 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. How Far Is Fort Lauderdale From Cocoa Beach. Thats equal to approximately $130 million after adjusting for inflation. As a result, her name was dropped from the snobbish Social Register, which excluded actors. In the same year she married Ted Hartley, a former pilot and actor turned investment banker. Keep reading for interesting details about the late actress. Over the course of their relationship, they had three children together. Was Dina Merrill related to Barbara Hutton? An elegant presence in most of her 30 or so mid-20th-century movies, Ms. Merrill played the betrayed wife who loses both her husband, Laurence Harvey, and her mink coat to Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8 (1960); the chic fashion consultant who loses Glenn Ford to Shirley Jones in The Courtship of Eddies Father (1963); and the steadfast socialite wife of an assistant district attorney played by Burt Lancaster in The Young Savages (1961). the founders of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which is dedicated to 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. While this list changes every year, she has consistently held the #1 spot every year. Anyone can read what you share. With other investors, Hartley and Merrill in 1989 acquired RKO Pictures, the onetime major Hollywood studio that had been moribund for many years. Eventually, Merrill and Rumbough divorced in 1966. No funeral, no memorial service: Thats how Grant wanted it. Her mother is heiress and actress Dina Merrill. Nedenia Marjorie Hutton was born in New York City on December 29, 1923. Who was Barbara Hutton's father? He was Stanley Rumbough Jr., heir to a Colgate fortune who had been serving as a White House aide. Since its inception in 1864, Arlington National Cemetery has been a burial ground for military personnel. Rumbough, Jr., heir to the Colgate-Palmolive fortune, was the son of Lt. "I loved the make-believe," she commented in 1993, "and I still do. 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. May 22, 2017. She grew up in lavish surroundings, particularly Mar-a-Lago, her parents' 118-room Mediterranean-Moorish estate in Palm Beach, Florida. When her father passed away she became the wealthiest woman in the United States at 27 years old. Seattle Anchor, Travis Mayfield Leaving KCPQ. "I always wanted to make it on my own.". Born Dec. 9, 1923, in New York, she was the only child of her mothers marriage to financier Edward F. Hutton. Three years later, Dina married for the third time. She made her Broadway debut in 1945 with "The Mermaids Singing" and followed with "George Washington Slept Here" and off-Broadway plays. Marjorie's father died at the age of 27 in 1914 and bequeathed her a $250 million fortune. The cause of death and other details were not immediately available Tuesday. / KCAL News. 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. ), First published on May 24, 2017 / 10:02 PM. Her first husband was Stanley M. Rumbough Jr., an American businessman and entrepreneur. Merrill worked in the entertainment business from 1945 until 2009, when he died in 2017. And they stood and toasted every time.. Her mother's first husband, Edward Bennett Close, was the She played Burt Lancasters socialite wife in The Young Savages (1961). Dina Merrill was an American actress, heiress, model, socialite, businesswoman, and philanthropist. Dina Merrill has so far been married to three famous people: Stanley Rombough; a . To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Instead, Ms. Merrill made her Broadway debut speaking three lines in John Van Drutens The Mermaids Singing in 1945. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. She was 95. He was 59 years old and lived in Palm Beach and Southhampton, L. I. Mr. Hutton came from money on both sides of the family tree. Who inherited Dina Merrill's fortune? She reeked of elegance and class. Crime Junkie Host Ashley Flowers Announces She Is Pregnant. "My mother brainwashed me," she said. She was 93 years old, and in the previous years, she had been suffering from dementia with Lewy bodies. Her son David's diabetes inspired her to establish the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. My ambitions were my own not exactly the ones they had for me.. He was buried at Calvary Memorial Park in his hometown, Douglas. She should have been the one to save Mar-a-Lago. Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Sunday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. Ms. Merrill had some regrets about her late-blooming acting career, which had been forestalled because of her child-rearing responsibilities. Dinas resting place is back home in Palm Beach County. Was Dina Merrill related to Barbara Hutton? . Merrill died of heart failure at. Together they created RKO Pictures, an entity that owns the copyright to the films of the RKO Radio Pictures movie studio. Dina Merrill passed away on May 22nd of 2017. 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." "I turned down my career to marry my Marine.". 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The couple had three children Stanley, David and Nina. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. It is unclear whether he was named a beneficiary and has remained an elusive figure,. ", ( Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. ), When she decided to pursue acting, she didnt ask her parents for any money. In 1946, shegot married to theheir ofthe Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste fortune and entrepreneur, Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Instead, she took $10 an hour modeling jobs (including for Vogue.) Her parents were Post Cereals heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her second husband, Wall Street stockbroker Edward Francis Hutton, founder of E. F. Hutton & Co. She ended up choosing 17 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Worth, a setting that inspired the name Mar-a-Lago, Spanish for sea to lake.. Merrill enjoyed a childhood of almost unimaginable privilege. At the time of her first movie role inDesk Set with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, she was well over 30 but perfect for socialite-wife-aristocrat roles. ", Outside of film acting, Dina was famous for her television work. Her inheritance was reported to be $70 million. After dropping out of George Washington University, Merrill enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Photo: Peter Kramer / Staff / Getty Images. In the same year she married Ted Hartley, a former pilot and actor turned investment banker. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This time, her husband was a producer named Ted Hartley. By Lynn Yaeger. By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. [1] Dina Merrill died on May 22, 2017, at the age of 93. After her son David, who had diabetes, died in a boating accident at age 23 in 1973, Ms. Merrill created a yearly award for scientific excellence in his name for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. But the 20s are very important years to an actress. The couple had one child together before divorcing in 1986. Is Golfer Kyle Westmoreland Related to General William Westmoreland? 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. Grant met Hutton aboard a voyage from New York to England in 1939. Dina Merrill Biography Early Years. 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. She returned to Broadway in 1975, starring as a wife whose husband is trying to drive her mad in a revival of the play Angel Street. In 1983 she played the manager of the Russian Ballet in a well-received Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical On Your Toes.. In 2018, it was reported that Dina's prestigious estate in East Hampton Village had sold for $8.2 million. [1] [2] Early life Merrill was born in New York City on December 29, 1923, but for many years, her date of birth was given as December 9, 1925. Who inherited Dina Merrills money? TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. After several years of summer stock, Merrill made her Broadway debut in 1945 in The Mermaids Singing. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Over the years, Merrill has married three times, once to Colgate-Palmolive heir, Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr., and twice to fellow actors. Mar-a-Lago was completed in 1927. Merrill and Robertson starred together as guest villains on Batman. "I was thrilled when they dropped me," she said in 1983. She and Hartley divided their time between their home in Palm Beach and East Hampton. Hollywood lost another brilliant actress as her death was confirmed by her son, Stanley H. Rumbough, who statedDina Merrills cause of death is not yet known, but it was revealed that she suffered from Lewy Body dementia. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Dina Merrill was an American heiress, socialite, philanthropist, and actress who had a net worth of $5 billion. Cliff Robertson and Dina enjoyed 20 years of marriage between 1966 and 1986. Her fortune was equal to $5 billion after adjusting for inflation at the time of her death. In 1990, she had a role in Fear, which also starred Ally Sheedy, Lauren Hutton and Michael OKeefe. 10. I love the part about it where you can be somebody else, and not be you all the time. She attended George Washington University, but dropped out after a year to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Nedenia's mother inherited the Post Cereals fortune and was born into an affluent family. Merrill left George Washington University after a year to enroll at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Merrill appeared in an incredibly wide range of television series during this period, including "Bonanza," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "The Investigators," "The Bold Ones," "The Love Boat," "Quincy, M.E.," "Murder, She Wrote," "Roseanne," and "The Nanny. That famous fur coat in Butterfield 8 (the one that Elizabeth Taylor steals from a swanky Upper East Side closet) belonged to the frustrated Park Avenue wife . Dina studied at George Washington University for one semester, but dropped out and enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Dina Merrill in 2002 at a Museum of Television & Radio gala in Beverly Hills. With Hartley, she formed Pavilion Communications, which purchased RKO Pictures, for which she served as vice chairwoman. (The new last name was inspired by one of her fathers Wall Street colleagues, Charles E. Merrill the Merrill in Merrill Lynch). Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Monday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. big bear lake wv real estate big bear lake wv real estate (No Ratings Yet) . The house featured antique Spanish tiles, stones from Italy, a 75-foot tower, golden bathroom fixtures and a dinning room that was a copy of part of Romes Chigi Palace, according to Biography. 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 . By this time, Hutton, 30, had already been married twice while Grant had been previously married to actress Virginia Cherrill. Merrill and Rumbough divorced in 1966, the same year she married actor Robertson. Construction on Mar-a-Lago began in 1924. She even appeared in an episode of campy "Batman" opposite second husband, actor Cliff Robertson. The property was later purchased by Trump, who as president has made Mar-a-Lago an unofficial weekend White House. Donald Trump tried to buy the estate for $15 million, but his offer was rejected. Although she became a successful actress during her career, her exceptional net worth was the result of inheritance rather than her exploits in the entertainment world. Although her fathers investments had earned her a million dollars by the time she became an actress, against his wishes, Ms. Merrill supported herself by modeling clothes for Vogue at $10 an hour. Nedenia would eventually change her name to Dina Merill after becoming a successful actress. >Before Ivanka Trump, Dina Merrill was Palm Beachs first blond princess. You didnt go to work then if you had young children, she said in 1979. Jones died from cancer in Los Angeles in 1963 at the age of 49. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Super rich might even be an understatement -- her father was notable broker E.F Hutton and her mother was Marjorie Merriweather Post, heir to the Post cereal fortune and one of America's richest women. Actress: BUtterfield 8. diabetic research. Dina Merrill, actress and heiress to two wealthy families, died on Monday at her home in East Hampton, N.Y. Merill also starred with Tony Curtis in Operation Petticoat (1959). She was a stay-at-home wife and mother to Stanley Jr., David and Nina for the next 10 years, until she began easing back into acting. Wealth: When her. And I guess they said, really between themselves, 'Let the dear girl try and fall on her face.'". Heres what you need to know about Merrill: Dina Merrill in The Sundowners (WikiMedia). She was granted a divorce in 1945 on grounds of mental cruelty. FRANKLYN HUTTON, RETIRED BROKER, 63; Father of Woolworth Heiress, Former Barbara Hutton, Dies on Estate in South HE MANAGED HER FORTUNE Was Fond of Outdoor Sports, Had Leased Shooting Lodges in Several Countries. In 1945, shemade her debut on stage in the play,The Mermaid Singing. During the summer she worked at a regional theater where she painted scenery, sewed costumes and played occasional small roles. Nedenia Marjorie Hutton was born on December 29, 1923 in New York City. Miss Merill was predeceased by son, David, who died in a boating accident, and daughter, Heather, who died of cancer. Dina Merrill was married three times. In 1991, she was in the James Spader and John Cusack flim True Colors. Also in 1959, Merrill gained notoriety after joining the cast of "Operation Petticoat."