Toby Wing
Toby Wing | |
---|---|
Amelia Courthouse, Virginia, U.S. | |
Died | March 22, 2001 Mathews, Virginia, U.S. | (aged 85)
Resting place | Christ Church Kingston Parish Cemetery, Mathews County, Virginia |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1924–1938 |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Toby Wing (born Martha Virginia Wing; July 14, 1915 – March 22, 2001), "Toby" being an old family nickname,
Early years
Wing was born in Amelia Court House, Virginia,[2][3] to Paul Wing and Martha Thraves.[4] Her father, a career reserve Army officer, was an assistant director for Paramount Pictures.[5] He was reactivated for service prior to World War II and was captured by the Japanese and survived the Bataan Death March.
Her sister Gertrude (known as Pat Wing) also worked as an actress (often in the chorus). She also had a younger brother.[6] Her great-uncle was English playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero.[7]
Career
Wing began working on-screen at age 9, having a few bit parts in silent movies through her father's job.[8] In 1931, she became one of the first Goldwyn Girls, and she started her film career in Palmy Days (1932).[3] In 1932, she was seen in Mack Sennett-produced comedies made by Paramount, one starring Bing Crosby. Wing made an impression with producers and moviegoers, but she seldom broke through to leading roles.
Many of her roles were small and barely clothed, before the introduction of the 1934
Wing played a few leading roles in B features and short subjects.[10] In 1936 and 1937, she worked opposite singer-songwriter Pinky Tomlin in two of his low-budget musical features, With Love and Kisses and Sing While You're Able.
Her last leading role was in The Marines Come Thru. Although filmed in Florida in 1938, it did not see general release until 1943 as Fight On, Marines! Wing completed her acting career on Broadway in the unsuccessful 1938 Cole Porter musical You Never Know, which starred Lupe Vélez, Clifton Webb, Libby Holman, and J. Harold Murray.[11]
On February 8, 1960, Wing was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6561 Hollywood Boulevard.[12]
Personal life
She was well known off-screen for her romances, and was linked to
She married the pilot Henry "Dick" Merrill via elopement to Tijuana when she was 22, he being more than 20 years her senior, on October 19, 1938 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.[14][15] She retired from movies after marrying.
The couple had two sons; both predeceased their parents. Their first son died of what was then termed "
The couple retired to DiLido, Florida, where Merrill was assigned Eastern Airlines' New York-Miami route for the remainder of his career. Wing became successful in real estate in California and Florida. They later settled in Virginia, where Merrill managed the
Filmography
Features:
- A Boy of Flanders (1924) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- A Woman Who Sinned (1924) - (uncredited)
- Circe, the Enchantress (1924) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- He Who Gets Slapped (1924) - Playing Child (uncredited)
- Percy (1925) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- The Shining Adventure (1925) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- Zander the Great (1925) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- Marry Me (1925) - Little Girl (uncredited)
- The Pony Express (1925) - Child (uncredited)
- American Pluck (1925) - Flower Girl at Coronation (uncredited)
- Dollar Down (1925) - Little Girl
- Double Daring (1926) - Nan
- Palmy Days (1931) - Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
- The Kid from Spain (1932) - Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
- The King's Vacation (1933) - Autograph Seeker at Casino (uncredited)
- 42nd Street (1933) - Blonde in 'Young and Healthy' Number (uncredited)
- The Little Giant (1933) - Society Girl (uncredited)
- Central Airport (1933) - Air Show Observer (uncredited)
- Private Detective 62 (1933) - Free's Girl Friend (uncredited)
- College Humor (1933) - Student (uncredited)
- It's Great to Be Alive (1933) - Blonde that Kisses Carlos (uncredited)
- Baby Face (1933) - Office Worker (uncredited)
- She Had to Say Yes (1933) - Model (uncredited)
- Arizona to Broadway (1933) - Chambermaid (uncredited)
- This Day and Age (1933) - Student (uncredited)
- Torch Singer (1933) - Blonde in Sally's apartment (uncredited)
- Search for Beauty (1934) - Sally Palmer
- School for Girls (1934) - Hazel Jones
- Come on Marines(1934) - Dolly
- Murder at the Vanities (1934) - Nancy
- Kiss and Make-Up (1934) - Consuelo of Claghorne
- Student Tour (1934) - Student (uncredited)
- One Hour Late (1934) - Maizie
- Two for Tonight (1935) - College Girl (uncredited)
- Forced Landing (1935) - Amelie Darrell
- Thoroughbred (1936) - Anne O'Malley
- Mr. Cinderella (1936) - Lulu, the Cashier
- With Love and Kisses (1936) - Barbara Holbrook
- Silks and Saddles (1936) - Marion Braddock / Jane Smith
- Sing While You're Able (1937) - Joan Williams
- The Women Men Marry (1937) - Sugar
- True Confession (1937) - Suzanne Baggart
- Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938) - Irene Lee
- The Marines Come Thru (1938) - Linda Dale
- Sweethearts (1938) - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Short Subjects:
- Jimmy's New Yacht (1932) - One of Charlie's Girlfriends
- The Loud Mouth (1932) - Nurse (uncredited)
- The Candid Camera (1932) - Betty Swan
- Alaska Love (1932) - Blonde by River (uncredited)
- Ma's Pride and Joy (1932) - Radio Director's Secretary
- Blue of the Night(1933) - Blonde in Bathing Suit (uncredited)
- Rhythm on the Roof (1934) - Bob's Fantasy Sweetheart
- Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove (1934) - Herself
- Hollywood Extra Girl (1935)
- La Fiesta de Santa Barbara (1935) - Herself
- Hill-Tillies (1936) - Toby
- Rhythmitis (1936) - Lola Green
- Sunday Night at the Trocadero (1937) - Toby Wing
References
- ^ a b c Martin, Douglas (March 27, 2001). "Toby Wing, 85, Pinup Star of the 1930s, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
- ^ Virginia, Birth Records, 1912-2014
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-1278-5. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014
- ISBN 978-1-63505-146-9.
- ^ 1930 United States Federal Census
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Oliver, Myrna (March 29, 2001). "Toby Wing; MGM Dancer Appeared in 38 Films". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ "Glorifying the American Girl: Adapting an Icon", Cynthia J. Miller; "The Adaptation of History: Essays on Ways of Telling the Past" edited by Laurence Raw, Defne Ersin Tutan; McFarland, 2012; page 33
- ISBN 978-0-19-533533-0.
- ISBN 978-1-5381-0277-0.
- ^ "Toby Wing". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-585-46687-3.
- ^ Virginia, Marriage Records, 1943-2014
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cooke, Bill (April 20, 2016). "Four Miami Detectives Recall the Unsolved Murders That Haunt Them". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
- ^ "Hall of Fame Member Spotlight: Harry T. "Dick" Merrill – Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society (VAHS)".
- ^ Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
External links
- Toby Wing at IMDb
- Toby Wing at the Internet Broadway Database
- Photographs
- Toby Wing at Find a Grave