Original GYPSY Cast Member, Merle Louise, Dies At Age 90

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of stage and screen actor Merle Louise Simon. She was 90 at the time of her passing. 

Merle made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Gypsy. She began her run in the role of Thelma and later replaced in the role of Dainty June, a role she reprised on the first national tour.

Simon also memorably appeared in several Stephen Sondheim musicals. She earned a Drama Desk Award for her portrayal of The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. She also appeared in the original Broadway production of Company in the role of Susan and in numerous roles in the original Broadway production of Into the Woods.

Her other Broadway credits include La Cage aux Folles, Billy Elliot, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. Simon has also been seen on London's West End, Toronto, and national tours.

Off-Broadway, she was seen in Charlotte Sweet and was acclaimed for her classical acting roles in works by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Molière, and Shaw. 

Merle can be seen on the small screen in the televised recording of Into the Woods and the documentary chronicling the recording of the original cast album of Company. She made guest appearances on a number of TV shows, including Law & Order.