Editing Dina Merrill (section)

==Early life==
Merrill was born in New York City on December 29, 1923, but for many years, her date of birth was given as December 9, 1925.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hillwoodmuseum.org/about-hillwood/marjorie-merriweather-post/family |title=Date of birth given as December 29, 1923 |website=hillwoodmuseum.org |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102070442/http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/about-hillwood/marjorie-merriweather-post/family |archivedate=2014-01-02 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://paulbowles.org/marjoriemerriweatherpost.html Dina Merrill date of birth: December 29, 1923] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125003116/http://www.paulbowles.org/marjoriemerriweatherpost.html |date=January 25, 2012 }}, paulbowles.org; accessed December 31, 2013.</ref> She was the only child of [[Post Cereals]] heiress [[Marjorie Merriweather Post]] and her second husband, [[Wall Street]] stockbroker [[Edward Francis Hutton]], founder of [[E. F. Hutton & Co.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/57/Dina-Merrill.html|title=Dina Merrill Biography|website=filmreference.com|access-date=May 24, 2017}}</ref> Merrill had two older half-sisters, Adelaide Brevoort Close (July 26, 1908 – December 31, 1998) and [[Eleanor Post Hutton]] (December 3, 1909 – November 27, 2006), by her mother's first marriage to Edward Bennett Close, grandfather of actress [[Glenn Close]]. Merrill was also first cousin—and first cousin once removed, respectively—to heiress [[Barbara Hutton]] and her son [[Lance Reventlow]].<ref>Nelson, Nancy (2003). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=oIksQz7tXUcC&pg=PA133&dq=%22dina+merrill%27s+father%22+%22I+was+thrilled%22 Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words by Those Who Knew Him Best]''. New York: Citadel Press. p.&nbsp;133. {{ISBN|0-8065-2412-X}}. "Dina Merrill's father (E. F. Hutton) and Barbara Hutton's father were brothers. Dina recalls: 'Cary and Barbara Hutton came to visit us in Washington right after they were married. [...] I was thrilled my cousin had married this eminent movie star.'"</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal/150970923/ "Engagement Announced"]. ''Lansing State Journal''. August 7, 1959. p.&nbsp;23. Retrieved July 8, 2024. "Actress Jill St. John, shown with Lance Reventlow, dime store heir [...] Reventlow, 23, son of Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton and her former husband, Danish nobleman Count Haugwitz-Reventlow, operates a stable of racing cars."</ref>

Merrill graduated from [[Miss Porter's School]], then attended George Washington University in Washington, DC for one term, but then enrolled at the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]] in New York City. She studied acting at [[HB Studio]]<ref>[https://hbstudio.org/about-hb-studio/alumni/ HB Studio Alumni]</ref> under [[Uta Hagen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/02/28/a-touch-of-class-5/|title=A Touch Of Class|date=February 28, 1993 |access-date=May 24, 2017}}</ref>