Mimi Benzell
Mimi Benzell (May 6, 1924 – December 23, 1970) was an American soprano who performed with the Metropolitan Opera before establishing herself as a Broadway musical theatre, television, and nightclub performer.
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Benzell attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn, New York. She was 21 when she made her Met debut, initially in a Sunday concert on Dec. 3, 1944; her stage debut was in Mozart's The Magic Flute on January 5, 1945.[1] Additional Met credits include La Bohème, Rigoletto, Der Rosenkavalier, Carmen, and Barber of Seville.[2] In 1961 she appeared in Jerry Herman's first book musical, Milk and Honey, which proved to be her only Broadway production.[3]
Benzell performed on Toast of the Town eleven times between 1949 and 1955.[4] She appeared as a panelist on both the daytime and primetime editions of the game show To Tell the Truth. She was a guest star on the short-lived DuMont series Off the Record with Zero Mostel and Joey Faye.
Among Benzell's recordings were Roberta and The Vagabond King, both with Alfred Drake.
Benzell died of cancer in Manhasset, New York at the age of 47.[5]
References
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External links
- Mimi Benzell scrapbook, 1961-62 (documenting her appearance in Milk and Honey) in the Music Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
