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Myrna Loy Collection

Striking starlet with exotic good looks, Myrna Loy as Nora Charles in The Thin Man films and reprised her movie roles on Lux Radio Theater, Silver Theater, and Screen Guild Theater.

Myrna Loy

23 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 15 hours, 29 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
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18 Audio CDs


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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Myrna Loy
(1905 – 1993)

Myrna Loy
Montana rancher David Franklin Williams was an ambitious man, as well as a romantic. In 1905, the train he was traveling on made a whistle stop in Myrna, Nebraska. The name entranced Williams, and when his Chicago educated wife Adelle Mae gave him a daughter the same year, he gave her the name.

Myrna Loy Silent Film StarIn addition to ranching, David was a banker and real estate developer as would be the youngest man elected to the Montana legislature. When Adelle nearly died of pneumonia in 1912, he sent her to Jolla, La  California to recover. Adelle fell in love with Southern California, and convinced David to invest in property there. However, the pull of ranch life was to strong, and the family returned to Montana.

Soon afterwards Adelle again needed medical attention, and felt safer getting it in Los Angeles, so she moved with Myrna to Ocean Park where the young girl began dance lessons. After her mother's recovery and return to Helena, Myrna made her stage debut in a dance she choreographed based on The Blue Bird.

The Spanish flu took David in 1918, and Adelle permanently relocated to Culver City. Mrya began appearing in stage productions while still in high school. In 1918 she left school to work at Grauman's Egyptian Movie House as a dancer between pictures. Rudolph Valentino spotted her in some promotional pictures for the Egyptian, and thought Myrna's exotic look would work in his projects. Myrna made a screen test, and while she didn't get the role, she did develop an interest in movie work.

She changed her name to Myrna Loy in 1925 and won a seven year contract with Warner Brothers, who took advantage of her exotic appeal by casting her as vamps and exotic types. John Ford said of her at the time: "Wouldn't you know, the kid they pick to play tramps is the only good girl in Hollywood."

Myrna easily made the transition to talkies, but Warner Brothers still let her go after the 1929 Wall Street Crash. She was still able to find work on a freelance basis. Her big break came in the 1934 gangster picture Manhattan Melodrama with Clark Gable and William Powell. The picture gained notoriety when John Dillinger was gunned down by the FBI after watching it in Chicago.

Myrna LoyMyrna's star really rose when director W.S. Van Dyke decided he wanted to cast her as Nora Charles in The Thin Man. Louis Mayer was against the casting, being convinced that Loy was a dramatic actress. Van Dyke settled the issue when he pushed Myrna into a swimming pool at a Hollywood party to test her reaction. Mayer allowed the picture as cast, as long as filming would be complete in three weeks so that Loy could begin work on her next picture.

The Thin Man was one of the hottest films of 1934, and the chemistry between Myrna Loy and William Powell as Nick and Nora led to a series of five more Thin Man films and a total or 14 films together.

During the Golden Age of Radio, many starlets turned to the airwaves to help make ends meet between pictures. Myrna Loy, however, was no starlet, she was a full on Star, one of the busiest and highest paid in Hollywood. That didn't keep her off the radio, although most of her appearances were either in support of her films or adaptation of them. MGM used her a great deal on Leo is On the Air and the Maxwell House Good News series.

In 1939, Myrna traveled to Europe with her first husband, Arthur Hornblow Jr. At every turn they saw signs of impending war. After returning to the States, Myrna essentially put her movie career on hold to support the Red Cross and other War effort related activities. She returned to films in 1945 for The Thin Man Goes Home.

Radio adaptations of Myrna Loy's films on Lux Radio Theater, Silver Theaterand Screen Guild Theater include Manhattan Melodrama, The Thin Man, I Love You Again, Hired Wife, After the Thin Man, and several more.

She did appear in a few radio plays, including "Angels on Horseback" on Cavalcade of America, the story of brave women bringing medical care to the hills of Kentucky, and in the Suspense story "Library Book". On "radio's outstanding theater of thrills", Myrna plays a librarian upset that a page has been torn from a copy of Gone With The Wind. She discovers that the page has been used to make a ransom note, only the police say there hasn't been a kidnapping reported. By the time the cops realize that a crime has been committed, the crooks already have Myrna in their clutches!

Myrna Loy Thin Man

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    Love her so much. She was the best part of the Thin Man movies

    Linda

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    23 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 15 hours, 29 min
    23 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 15 hours, 29 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 23 shows - total playtime 15 hours 29 minutes
    2. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 1.mp3
    3. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 2.mp3
    4. Calv 420323 271 Angels On Horseback.mp3
    5. Hollywood Fights Back 471026.mp3
    6. Hollywood Fights Back 471102 2 Special.mp3
    7. Keep Em Rolling 420412 23 Captain From Connecticut.mp3
    8. Leo Is On Air Libeled Lady 1936.mp3
    9. Leo is on the Air 21 After Thin Man 1936 W.Powell Myrna Loy.mp3
    10. Leo is on the Air 26 Parnell 1936 Clark Gable, Myrna Loy.mp3
    11. Lux 360608 084 Thin Man.mp3
    12. Lux 400617 268 After Thin Man.mp3
    13. Lux 400909 272 Manhatten Melodrama.mp3
    14. Lux 410630 314 I Love You Again.mp3
    15. Lux 411103 324 Hired Wife William Powell, Myrna Loy.mp3
    16. Lux 420223 340 Appointment For Love.mp3
    17. Maxwell House Good News 371230 09 Myrna Loy.mp3
    18. Maxwell House Good News 390504 71 Myrna Loy.mp3
    19. Maxwell House Good News 390511 072 w Ed Sullivan.mp3
    20. Screen Guild 400211 043 Single Crossing.mp3
    21. Screen Guild 410119 070 Magnificent Obsession.mp3
    22. Screen Guild 471124 363 Best Years Of Our Lives.mp3
    23. Silver Theater 390115 16 Debutante.mp3
    24. Suspense 450920 159 Library Book.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    23 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 15 hours, 29 min
    23 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 15 hours, 29 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 23 shows - total playtime 15 hours 29 minutes
    2. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 1.mp3
    3. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 2.mp3
    4. Calv 420323 271 Angels On Horseback.mp3
    5. Hollywood Fights Back 471026.mp3
    6. Hollywood Fights Back 471102 2 Special.mp3
    7. Keep Em Rolling 420412 23 Captain From Connecticut.mp3
    8. Leo Is On Air Libeled Lady 1936.mp3
    9. Leo is on the Air 21 After Thin Man 1936 W.Powell Myrna Loy.mp3
    10. Leo is on the Air 26 Parnell 1936 Clark Gable, Myrna Loy.mp3
    11. Lux 360608 084 Thin Man.mp3
    12. Lux 400617 268 After Thin Man.mp3
    13. Lux 400909 272 Manhatten Melodrama.mp3
    14. Lux 410630 314 I Love You Again.mp3
    15. Lux 411103 324 Hired Wife William Powell, Myrna Loy.mp3
    16. Lux 420223 340 Appointment For Love.mp3
    17. Maxwell House Good News 371230 09 Myrna Loy.mp3
    18. Maxwell House Good News 390504 71 Myrna Loy.mp3
    19. Maxwell House Good News 390511 072 w Ed Sullivan.mp3
    20. Screen Guild 400211 043 Single Crossing.mp3
    21. Screen Guild 410119 070 Magnificent Obsession.mp3
    22. Screen Guild 471124 363 Best Years Of Our Lives.mp3
    23. Silver Theater 390115 16 Debutante.mp3
    24. Suspense 450920 159 Library Book.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    23 recordings on 18 Audio CDs. Total playtime 15 hours, 29 min
    23 recordings on 18 Audio CDs
    total playtime 15 hours, 29 min

    Myrna Loy Disc A001

    1. Leo Is On Air Libeled Lady 1936
    2. Leo is on the Air 21 After Thin Man 1936 W.Powell Myrna Loy
    3. Leo is on the Air 26 Parnell 1936 Clark Gable, Myrna Loy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A002

    1. Lux 360608 084 Thin Man

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A003

    1. Maxwell House Good News 371230 09 Myrna Loy

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    Myrna Loy Disc A004

    1. Silver Theater 390115 16 Debutante

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    Myrna Loy Disc A005

    1. Maxwell House Good News 390504 71 Myrna Loy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A006

    1. Maxwell House Good News 390511 072 w Ed Sullivan

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A007

    1. Screen Guild 400211 043 Single Crossing

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A008

    1. Lux 400617 268 After Thin Man

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A009

    1. Lux 400909 272 Manhatten Melodrama

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A010

    1. Screen Guild 410119 070 Magnificent Obsession

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A011

    1. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 1

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A012

    1. America Calling 410208 Salute To Greece 2

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A013

    1. Lux 410630 314 I Love You Again

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A014

    1. Lux 411103 324 Hired Wife William Powell, Myrna Loy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A015

    1. Lux 420223 340 Appointment For Love

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A016

    1. Calv 420323 271 Angels On Horseback
    2. Keep Em Rolling 420412 23 Captain From Connecticut

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A017

    1. Suspense 450920 159 Library Book
    2. Hollywood Fights Back 471026

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Myrna Loy Disc A018

    1. Hollywood Fights Back 471102 2 Special
    2. Screen Guild 471124 363 Best Years Of Our Lives

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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