Myrna Loy - Movies - http://maxpages.com/classicfilmfan/Myrna

"They called her "the perfect wife" in the movies. I thought she was the perfect movie star."
Henry Fonda 1980

Myrna Loy is an entertainment screen legend. She was born Myrna Adele Williams on August 2, 1905 in Radersburg, Montana. Myrna's father was the youngest person ever elected to the Montana State legislature. Her mother studied music at the American Institute of Music in Chicago. One day her father was at a whistle-stop in Broken Bow, Nebraska. The name of the stop was "Myrna." He decided, if they had a girl, Myrna would be her name. Myrna's family moved to Helena, Montana, where she spent her youth. When Myrna was thirteen, her father died of influenza. Then her family moved to Los Angeles. Myrna was educated at the Westlake School for Girls. She made her stage debut in 1916, at the Marlowe Theater, in Helena. Her dance was based on "The Blue Bird," which she had seen earlier. She appeared in local stage productions. One evening, Mrs. Rudolph Valentino saw her and managed to get her some parts in motion pictures.

On July 13, 1925, Jack Warner signed Myrna to a seven year contract. Peter Rurick, a Russian writer of free verse, came up with the name Myrna Loy. Her first film was "What Price Beauty" in 1925. It was a small part. Myrna played many vamp and exotic women roles when she first started.

When Myrna left Warner, she free-lanced from studio to studio. Fox gave her a long term contract in 1930. She went back to playing vamps again. Not wanting anymore vamp roles, Myrna left Fox and started free-lancing again. In 1931, MGM signed her.

After eighty plus movies, it was "The Thin Man" (1934) that finally made her. From that point on, Myrna was known as "the perfect wife." There were five more films in the series. Men-Must-Marry-Myrna clubs were formed. Myrna and William Powell did fourteen films together in thirteen years. A poll of twenty million fans crowned her Queen of Movies in 1936 along with Clark Gable as the King of Movies.

During World War II, Myrna only made one movie. Instead, she became active in the war effort. She worked full time with the Red Cross. She also helped run the Naval Auxiliary Canteen in Long Beach, California.

After the war, Myrna returned to filmaking and appeared in such films as "The Best Years of Our Lives," "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" and "Cheaper by the Dozen." In 1946, Myrna left MGM after fifteen years. She appeared on stage in 1963 and continued her stage appearances later on. She also appeared in television movies. She stayed very active in politics. From 1949 through 1954, she served as a film advisor for UNESCO. She was also a very active member of the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing. Her last film, "Summer Solstice" in 1981, was also Henry Fonda's last film. Myrna appeared in 129 films in her career. Myrna passed away on December 14, 1993 at the age of 88. She was buried in Helena, Montana.

Awards:

1979 - Career Achievement Award from the National Board of Review

1983 - Career Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association

1991 - Honorary Academy award for her career achievement

For more information, I highly recommend her autobiography, Myrna Loy: Being and Becoming by Myrna Loy and James Kotsilibas-Davis. It was amazing to learn what an active and full life she lead.

"Life, is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming."
Myrna Loy being&becoming.JPG

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Barb Melloh

Cincinnati

45240

USA

Barb@classicfilmfan.net

Page Updated Mon Aug 5, 2002 7:55pm EDT