Myrna Williams was born on August 2, 1905 in Radersbrug, Montana, and was the daughter of the youngest person ever elected to the Montana State legislature. For the rest of her life, Myrna remained interested in politics, often debating them with friends. After Myrna’s father died of influenza when she was only 13, the family relocated to Los Angeles, California. Attending the Westlake School for Girls is where she realized she wanted to be an actress. While performing in a small play at the Grauman's Theater, she was noticed by the wife of Rudolph Valentino, who managed to get her into the 1925 film, What Price Beauty?. It was only a bit part, but the character was a personality that Myrna would become quite familiar with: The Vamp. After her name was changed to Myrna Loy for that specific reason, she began to receive quite a lot of bit parts in some big movies.

As previously mentioned, 1925 marked Myrna’s entrance to Hollywood. That year alone, she appeared in Pretty Ladies, a slightly prestigious Monta Bell production, and Satan in Stables, the film which got her a long term contract with Warner Brothers. Pretty Ladies was also notable because she worked with a young actress named Lucille LeSueur; in the film, they were part of a human chandelier. Later that year, Lucille changed her name to Joan Crawford and the two remained friends until Joan’s death in 1977.

1926 brought Myrna her most prestigious part to date, a small role in the landmark film Don Juan. The first movie with sound effects and a musical orchestra recording, it was one of the biggest hits of that year. However, it did not make her a star, but Myrna was still progressing. The following year, she received her first starring role in 1927’s Bitter Apples. Myrna continued to work in mediocre parts for a few more years at Warner Brothers, but realizing that she would never become a top star at the studio like rising star Kay Francis, Myrna packed her bags and moved over to Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

1934 was the turning point of Myrna’s career. Men in White, Manhattan Melodrama, and of course, The Thin Man made her a house hold name. All three monster hits, Myrna had officially hit her stride. While she was handed mostly rejected scripts from Joan Crawford, which had first been rejected by Queen Norma Shearer, Myrna brought life into roles that Crawford or Shearer would have flopped in. As the popularity of Crawford and Greta Garbo dipped off, and after Jean Harlow’s tragic death, Myrna emerged, behind Shearer, as the studio’s top moneymaker. In 1936, the public voted her as their official Queen. After more than ten years of unnoticeable roles in forgettable pictures, Myrna had become the most beloved star of the Motion Picture world.

Myrna kicked off the 1940s with a series of crowd pleasers, only interesting by today’s standards because she stars in them. (A personal favorite of mine being I Love You Again [1941] with William Powell.) Myrna left the screen in 1941 to volunteer in war services. Returning to Hollywood in the late 1940s, she maintained her popularity better than her contemporaries. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds A Dream House (1948) were top grossers of their released years. She continued to work into the 1950s and 60s, maintaining her pride and star dignity by not appearing in any cheap tawdry horror movies that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford became familiar with. Making regular television film appearances, Myrna maintained her popularity decades after her Hollywood heyday. On December 14, 1993, Myrna died from complications during surgery. Long live Hollywood’s other Queen.

-Is one of only a few stars I wish I was related to.

-Many critics agree that the Thin Man series would have never succeeded without Myrna. Her sophistication and charm pulled off a character portrayal no other star at MGM could have succeeded in.

-Myrna was also offered It Happened One Night with Robert Montgomery. Robert refused the lead because he had starred in a similar film which had tanked, Myrna refused because she had just been given the starring role in The Thin Man (1934).

-Rudolph Valentino was often given credit for discovering Myrna Loy –that’s incorrect. Valentino was impressed with Myrna in a photograph, and arranged to have her tested for a part in his upcoming film, Cobra (1925). She tanked, and Valentino had no more personal influence in her life. However, his wife was impressed with seeing her in a stage performance, and used her husband’s name to get Myrna some early bit parts to build up work references.