Patrice Munsel

Born: 1925-05-04

Patrice Munsel (born Patrice Beverly Munsil) was an American coloratura soprano. Nicknamed "Princess Pat", she was the youngest singer ever to star at the Metropolitan Opera. Munsel first sang at the Metropolitan at age 17 in March 1943. She made her official Metropolitan debut on December 4, 1943, aged 18, singing Philine in Mignon, for which won popular praise but poor critical reviews. Her first opera contract was for three years at $40,000 per year; with other appearances she was making around $100,000 annually. Perhaps best known for the roles of Adele in Die Fledermaus and Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Munsel sang 225 times at the Metropolitan Opera. Sir Rudolf Bing called her a "superb soubrette" and implied that she was the world's best. Her opera roles also included Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Gilda in Rigoletto. Her husband Robert C. Schuler (1917–2007) conceived and produced the ABC-TV primetime variety series The Patrice Munsel Show, which starred his wife, and was broadcast in the 1957–1958 season. Munsel appeared on many other TV shows during her career, including the role of Marietta (Countess d'Altena) in the January 15, 1955 live telecast of the operetta Naughty Marietta. She portrayed the title role in the 1953 film Melba, which chronicled the life of the great opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. Munsel made frequent television appearances on The Bell Telephone Hour, and was the central singer in the Camp Fire Girls' famous TV commercial and song "Sing Around the Campfire (Join the Camp Fire Girls)", aired in the mid-1960s. A former Camp Fire Girl herself, she was also a spokeswoman for the organization. Munsel made her final performance for the Metropolitan Opera on January 28, 1958, in the title role in La Périchole. She appeared on stage as a guest during the 1966 Gala Farewell to the old opera house at Broadway and 39th Street. Munsel ended her career as an opera singer in 1981, and began to perform in musical comedies. She retired from performing in 2008.


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Melba

as Nellie Melba
Released: 1953-08-07

Rural Australian Nellie Melba becomes an opera star in 1900s Europe and the United States.

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The Great Waltz

as Resi Eberstäter
Released: 1955-11-04

Johann Strauss, Jr., a would-be composer of waltzes in mid-19th Century Vienna, attempts to...

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The Stingiest Man in Town

as Belle
Released: 1956-12-23

This is a musical version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Ebenezer Scrooge is given a...

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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight...

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The Mike Douglas Show

as Self
First aired: 1961-12-11

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...

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The Wild Wild West

as uncredited
First aired: 1965-09-17

The Wild Wild West is an American television series. Developed at a time when the television...

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The Merv Griffin Show

as Self
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran...

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What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest
First aired: 1950-02-02

Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while...

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The Steve Allen Show

as Self
First aired: 1956-06-24

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The Colgate Comedy Hour

as Self
First aired: 1950-09-10

The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC...

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Your Show of Shows

as uncredited
First aired: 1950-02-25

Your Show of Shows was a live 90-minute variety show that was broadcast weekly in the United...

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