When people think of Ethel Merman, they remember one of Broadway's most powerful voices and one of the most influential musical theater performers of the twentieth century. What is less widely known is the story of her son, Robert Levitt Jr., a man who spent much of his life avoiding the spotlight that defined his famous mother's career. His journey is a fascinating blend of privilege, personal struggle, family tragedy, and ultimately a search for purpose far removed from celebrity.
Robert Levitt Jr. was born on August 11, 1945, to Ethel Merman and her husband Robert Levitt, a newspaper executive. Growing up in Manhattan, he experienced a life of comfort and wealth that came with having one of the biggest stars in America as a parent. Yet beneath the glamorous surroundings, his childhood was more complicated than many outsiders might have imagined. According to his own recollections, Merman's demanding career often kept her away from home, and he frequently felt emotionally disconnected despite the family's financial success.
After his parents divorced and his father later died while Robert was still young, family life became increasingly complex. Merman's subsequent marriages brought new parental figures into the household, including airline executive Robert Six. Robert Jr. later spoke openly about witnessing tensions within the family and feeling that the adults around him paid little attention to his emotional development. While he enjoyed privileges that most children never experience, he also described feeling largely left to navigate adolescence on his own.
His teenage years proved difficult. Given unusual freedom at a young age, he reportedly skipped school, drifted without much direction, and took advantage of the resources available to him as the child of a celebrity. Looking back, he described himself as a young man lacking guidance and structure. Unlike many celebrity scandals that dominate headlines, Robert's struggles were quieter but no less significant. They reflected the challenges that can arise when fame and wealth exist without consistent parenting and personal support.
Tragedy struck the family in 1967 when Robert's sister, Ethel "Nicole" Levitt, died from an accidental overdose. Her death devastated those closest to her and remained a painful chapter in the family's history for decades. Family members later recalled that Ethel Merman never fully recovered from the loss of her daughter and often spoke about missing her.
Another painful episode came through Robert's marriage to actress Barbara Colby. Colby was a respected stage and television performer whose career was steadily growing in the early 1970s. Although the couple eventually separated, tragedy struck again when Colby was murdered in Los Angeles in 1975. The crime remains unsolved. Public records indicate that Robert and Barbara were no longer together at the time of her death, but the event nevertheless became another sorrowful chapter connected to his life story.
Despite these setbacks, Robert gradually found his own path. Instead of pursuing fame as a performer, he gravitated toward backstage theater work. His early opportunities may have come through family connections, but over time he developed professional relationships and earned the respect of mentors who helped him mature both personally and professionally. Unlike his mother, whose career depended on public recognition, Robert appeared more comfortable working behind the scenes.
As he grew older, Robert became increasingly involved in charitable and community-focused activities. Reports about his later years describe involvement with environmental causes and nonprofit organizations, including arts-related charities that assist underserved youth. Rather than embracing a celebrity lifestyle, he devoted much of his energy to service and advocacy. Those efforts suggest a man attempting to create meaning through helping others rather than seeking attention for himself.
One of the most meaningful aspects of his later life was his relationship with an adopted son who had previously experienced homelessness. Robert reportedly took enormous pride in that relationship and viewed it as one of his greatest accomplishments. For many observers, it represents a powerful contrast to the loneliness and lack of guidance he often described in his own childhood
His relationship with Ethel Merman remained complex throughout his life. He acknowledged the extraordinary talent and success that made her a Broadway legend, but he also spoke candidly about the emotional distance he felt growing up. At the same time, he remembered small moments of affection, including a bedtime tradition in which mother and son sang together before she left for evening performances. Those memories suggest that although the relationship was imperfect, genuine love still existed beneath the pressures of fame and demanding careers.
Today, Robert Levitt Jr. is remembered less for notoriety than for resilience. He endured family loss, difficult personal years, and the burden of growing up in the shadow of an American icon. Yet he also forged his own identity through theater work, charitable efforts, and meaningful relationships. His story serves as a reminder that the children of famous people often experience challenges that are invisible to the public. While Ethel Merman spent her life commanding center stage, her son ultimately chose a quieter path, one defined not by applause but by perseverance, compassion, and the determination to build a life on his own terms...
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