The working ’50s actress who was secretly one of the richest women in the world — and left behind a $500 million fortune

LEAVE A COMMENT Once the wealthiest actress in the world, Dina Merrill found success throughout the '50s and '60s but owed a large chunk of her incredibly large fortune to the wealth of her parents: an heiress to a foodie fortune and a Wall Street financier. Find out more about her parents' own wealth, her mid-century stardom and the legacy she left behind…

Dina Merrill found fame in the '50s and '60s

Born on 29 December 1923, Dina Merrill found fame through the ’50s and ’60s as a film and television actress, and was credited on more than 100 projects throughout her career.

She was the only child of Marjorie Merriweather Post and Edward Francis Hutton, though her mother welcomed two children in her prior marriage to Edward Close.

Marjorie Post was an American socialite, businesswoman and heiress

Dina’s mother Marjorie Merriweather Post was a well-known socialite and heiress to the Postum Cereal Company, later known as General Foods. 

She was married four times throughout her life, first tying the knot with Edward Close – Fatal Attraction star Glenn Close’s grandfather – and welcoming two daughters: Adelaide and Eleanor Close.

Edward Hutton found a fortune on Wall Street

Dina’s father Edward Francis Hutton was an incredibly successful financier and founded his own firm E.F. Hutton & Co. in the US in 1904.

He was married to Marjorie until 1935 when the couple divorced. Dina was then 10 years old and the only surviving direct heir to her father’s fortune as her half brother had died 15 years prior.

Dina worked alongside the likes of Cary Grant on screen

Instead of following in her mother’s footsteps as a societal debutante, she pursued a career in acting. This led her to famous roles in Desk Set (1957) and Operation Petticoat (1959) with beloved leading man Cary Grant.

Other major roles include Don’t Give Up the Ship (1959), The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963) and The Young Savages (1961).

A starring credit with Katherine Hepburn marked her breakout role

Dina first appeared on stage in 1945 with a small role in The Mermaids Singing. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she took part in regional theatre shows and small TV parts.

But it was 1957 that truly launched her career with comedy Desk Set as Katherine Hepburn’s on-screen assistant Sylvia. 

Dina was married to Ted Hartley until her death

Dina was married three times throughout her life wedding Colgate-Palmolive heir Stanley M. Rumbough Jr in 1946. They welcomed three children during their 20 year marriage, Stanley III, David, and Nina. 

In 1986, she said ‘I do’ to her second husband, actor Cliff Robertson. They had one daughter, Heather, together before their separation. She tied the knot for the third and final time in 1989, marrying Ted Hartley – film producer and co-founder of RKO Pictures.

The actress contributed to charitable causes

The actress sadly passed away in 2017. At the time of her death, Dina’s estimated net worth was an impressive $500 million fortune.Despite this, she remained grounded in spite of her extraordinary wealth. One of her most personal projects included helping to launch the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation when one of her children was diagnosed with the condition.

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