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Toby Wing

{{Short description|American actress (1915–2001)}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Toby Wing

| image = Toby Wing - Mr. Boggs Steps Out.jpg

| caption = Wing in Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938)

| birth_name = Martha Virginia Wing

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1915|07|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Amelia Courthouse, Virginia, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|03|22|1915|07|14|mf=y}}

| death_place = Mathews, Virginia, U.S.

| resting_place = Christ Church Kingston Parish Cemetery, Mathews County, Virginia

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1924–1938

| spouse = {{marriage|Dick Merrill|1938|1982|end=died}}

| children = 2

}}

Toby Wing (born Martha Virginia Wing; July 14, 1915 – March 22, 2001), "Toby" being an old family nickname, was an American actress and showgirl, once called "the most beautiful chorus girl in Hollywood".

Early years

Wing was born in Amelia Court House, Virginia,Virginia, Birth Records, 1912-2014{{cite book |last1=Lentz |first1=Harris M. |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2001: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture |date=2002 |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated Publishers |isbn=978-0-7864-1278-5 |page=317 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9LtkAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Martha+Virginia+Wing%22 |accessdate=February 15, 2020 |language=en}} to Paul Wing and Martha Thraves.Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014 Her father, a career reserve Army officer, was an assistant director for Paramount Pictures.{{Cite book|last=Harty|first=John P. Jr.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oUWQDAAAQBAJ&q=paul+wing+assistant+director&pg=PA28|title=The Cinematic Challenge: Filming Colonial America: Volume 1: The Golden Age, 1930-1950|date=2016|publisher=Hillcrest Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-63505-146-9|language=en}} He was reactivated for service prior to World War II and was captured by the Japanese and survived the Bataan Death March.

File:Pat & Toby Wing Argentinean Magazine AD.jpg

Her sister Gertrude (known as Pat Wing) also worked as an actress (often in the chorus). She also had a younger brother.1930 United States Federal Census Her great-uncle was English playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero.{{cite news |last1=Keavy |first1=Hubbard |title=Toby Wasn't Pretty |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44353737/toby_wing/ |accessdate=February 15, 2020 |work=Sunday News |date=June 25, 1933 |location=Pennsylvania, Lancaster |page=5|via = Newspapers.com}}

Career

Wing began working on-screen at age 9, having a few bit parts in silent movies through her father's job.{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Myrna |title=Toby Wing; MGM Dancer Appeared in 38 Films |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-29-me-44284-story.html |access-date=April 15, 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 29, 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414092135/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-29-me-44284-story.html |archive-date=April 14, 2022}} In 1931, she became one of the first Goldwyn Girls, and she started her film career in Palmy Days (1932). 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 Production Code; she became widely recognized as a sex symbol; once being described as the most beautiful chorus girl in all of Hollywood."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 Since her contracted studio{{specify}} was mired in bankruptcy during much of her career, her work was done on loan, primarily at Warner Bros., and later after her release, on low-budget efforts on a per-film basis. Wing enjoyed a far more successful sideline doing product endorsements and was featured in innumerable fan magazines from 1933–1938.

Wing played a few leading roles in B features and short subjects.{{Cite book|last=Hischak|first=Thomas S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XbBz3C4Gr0EC&q=Toby+wing&pg=PA802|title=The Oxford Companion to the American Musical|date=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-533533-0|language=en}} 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.{{Cite book|last=Dietz|first=Dan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L0hNDwAAQBAJ&q=Toby+wing&pg=PA504|title=The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals|date=2018-03-29|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-5381-0277-0|language=en}}

On February 8, 1960, Wing was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6561 Hollywood Boulevard.{{cite web |title=Toby Wing |url=https://walkoffame.com/toby-wing/ |website=Hollywood Walk of Fame |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124131842/https://walkoffame.com/toby-wing/ |archive-date=January 24, 2021}}

Personal life

She was well known off-screen for her romances, and was linked to Jackie Coogan (to whom she was engaged during much of 1935),{{Cite book|last=Cary|first=Diana Serra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dEJSPx9zESwC&q=toby+wing&pg=PA267|title=Jackie Coogan: The World's Boy King: A Biography of Hollywood's Legendary Child Star|date=2004-09-01|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-585-46687-3|language=en}} Maurice Chevalier, Alfred Vanderbilt, Franklin Roosevelt Jr. and others. Wing and Pinky Tomlin were engaged briefly during late 1937, with the romance ending before their planned wedding, and they remained close until Tomlin's death.{{Citation needed |date=March 2022}}

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. Virginia, Marriage Records, 1943-2014{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Maury |title=Surprise! Toby Wing is poster size |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44356186/toby_wing/ |accessdate=February 15, 2020 |work=The Des Moines Register |date=January 20, 1985 |location=Iowa, Des Moines |page=33|via = Newspapers.com}} She retired from movies after marrying.

The couple had two sons; both predeceased their parents. Their first son died of what was then termed "crib death" and their second son Ricky, was murdered in their Miami home in September 1982, at age 42. His murder occurred while he was out on bail pending an appeal for a New Orleans marijuana-smuggling conviction. {{Asof|2016}} the case remained unsolved.{{cite news|last=Cooke|first=Bill|date=April 20, 2016|title=Four Miami Detectives Recall the Unsolved Murders That Haunt Them|newspaper=Miami New Times|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/four-miami-detectives-recall-the-unsolved-murders-that-haunt-them-8399001|accessdate=February 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420120849/https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/four-miami-detectives-recall-the-unsolved-murders-that-haunt-them-8399001|archive-date=April 20, 2016}}

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 Shannon Air Museum in Fredericksburg until his death in 1982.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vahsonline.com/news/hall-of-fame-member-spotlight-harry-t-dick-merrill/|title = Hall of Fame Member Spotlight: Harry T. "Dick" Merrill – Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society (VAHS)}} She is interred in Christ Church Kingston Parish Cemetery in Mathews County, Virginia.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. The couple was survived by two granddaughters.{{cite news |title=Toby Wing, 85, Pinup Star of the 1930s, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/27/arts/toby-wing-85-pinup-star-of-the-1930-s-dies.html |last=Martin | first=Douglas | date=March 27, 2001 |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=February 24, 2019 |url-access=subscription}}

Filmography

Features:

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Short Subjects:

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  • 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

{{div col end}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons category|Toby Wing}}

  • {{IMDb name|0934976}}
  • {{IBDB name}}
  • [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=339 Photographs]
  • {{Find a Grave|24615934}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wing, Toby}}

Category:1915 births

Category:2001 deaths

Category:American film actresses

Category:American child actresses

Category:American silent film actresses

Category:People from Amelia, Virginia

Category:Actresses from Virginia

Category:20th-century American actresses