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was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He was one of the most successful songwriters of the 1950s on the US and UK single charts. He wrote musicals for the Broadway stage, including Carnival! (music and lyrics) and Funny Girl (lyrics). 
Merrill played an important role in American popular music; though not able to play a musical instrument, he tapped out many of the hit parade songs of the 1950s on a toy xylophone, including "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?", "Mambo Italiano", and "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake", as well as writing music and lyrics for several Broadway shows, including Funny Girl.

Merrill was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and raised in Philadelphia over his family's candy factory and soda fountain. As a teenager, he wanted to be a singer and performed in all local talent contests and even worked as an impressionist-emcee at a local burlesque house. His plans for a career in show business were cut short by the advent of World War II, when he was drafted into the Horse Cavalry Division of the Army. After the war, Merrill moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a dialogue director for Columbia Pictures, and while on location for a film, he was asked to write some songs for the actress in the film, Dorothy Shay, who was recording an album at the time. Shay's album Park Avenue Hillbilly became a hit, which launched Merrill's career. Soon he was invited to collaborate with Al Hoffman and Clem Watts to write some songs. They came up with a novelty song "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake", recorded in 1948 by Eileen Barton. He also co-wrote the Moon Mullican song "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry".