David Merrick's gift for producing scores of wildly successful plays and musicals was not the only factor that assured him a place in the annals of Broadway. Dubbed the 'Abominable Showman', the Tony Award-winning producer was equally well-known for his hot temper, abrasive personality, multiple stormy marriages and outrageous publicity stunts as he was for the popularity of the shows he financed.

Among the nearly 90 works he brought to Broadway during his nearly five-decade-long career were "Gypsy" (1958), "Oliver!" (1962), "Hello, Dolly!" (1963) and "42nd Street" (1980).

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