Biography

Wrote a book about her mother, Bette Davis, called "My Mother's Keeper". It is often compared to the 'tell-all' book written by Christina Crawford titled "Mommie Dearest" which was about the abuse she experienced as a child at the hands of her mother Joan Crawford. Merrill's book, however, was about her relationship with her mother after childhood. The book created a rift with her adopted brother Michael Merrill who had earlier begged her not to write the book, and Bette Davis who had lived long enough to write "This N That" in response to her daughter's attack. They never reconciled, and Davis cut her out of the will.

Daughter of Bette Davis and William Grant Sherry (1914 - 1995), a painter and artist. Adopted by Gary Merrill, fourth husband of Bette Davis, in 1950.

On her sixteenth birthday, she legally changed her name from Barbara Davis Merrill back to Barbara Davis Sherry. She wanted to cut off all ties from her adopted father, Gary Merrill.

Has two adopted siblings: Michael Merrill and Margot Merrill.

Currently pastors the King's Corner Fellowship church in Charlottesville, Virginia. Also has her own ministry show "B.D. Hyman" on World Harvest Television network.