Toby Wing

Toby Wing (July 14, 1915, Amelia Courthouse, Virginia – March 22, 2001, Mathews, Virginia) was an American actress and showgirl.

Born Martha Virginia Wing, she began working onscreen at age 9 (her father was Paul Wing, an assistant director at Paramount). In 1931 she became one of the first Goldwyn Girls, and in 1932 she was seen in Mack Sennett-produced comedies made by Paramount, one starring Bing Crosby. The stunning round-faced platinum blonde, statuesque and smiling, made an impression with producers and moviegoers but she seldom broke through to leading roles. Many of her roles were small and barely clothed (at least before the 1934 Production Code kicked in), but she became widely recognized as a sex symbol, even rivaling such stars as Claudette Colbert and Marlene Dietrich. Since her contracted studio was mired in bankruptcy during much of her career, the bulk of her most notable work was done on loan, primarily at Warner Brothers and later, after her release, on extremely low budget efforts on a per-film basis. Toby enjoyed a far more successful sideline doing product endorsements and was featured in a dizzying array of fan magazines from 1933-38. She was also known offscreen for her many whirlwind romances, and was linked to Jackie Coogan, Maurice Chevalier, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr.

Toby Wing did play a few leading roles in B features and short subjects. 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". The two stars were engaged briefly during late 1937, and their affection shows in the finished films. Although the Tomlin-Wing romance ran its course, the two remained close until Tomlin's death.

Her last leading role was in a quickie feature, "The Marines Come Thru" (filmed in Florida in 1938, but not seeing general release until 1942 as "Fight On, Marines!"). She retired from movies after marrying famed pilot Dick Merrill, 22+ years her senior, in 1938. Toby rounded out her acting career on Broadway in the notable Cole Porter flop, "You Never Know" that starred Lupe Velez, Clifton Webb, Libby Holman and Harold Murray. The couple retired to DiLido, Florida, where Dick was assigned Eastern Airlnes' New York- Miami route for the remainder of his career. She then became successful in real estate in California and Florida. Wing and Merrill later settled back in Virginia, where they lived together until Dick's death in 1982.

Toby and Dick had two sons, sadly out living both. Their first child died of what was then-termed as "Crib Death" and her second son, Ricky, was murdered in their Miami home in September, 1982 at age 42. The death was related to his involvement in a large scale marijuana smuggling operation in New Orleans. At the time of his death he free on appeal of a drug smuggling conviction. The Merrills were living in Virginia at the time and the case is still listed as unsolved.

Her father, who was a career Army officer, was reactivated for service prior to WW2 and was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines in 1942. He survived the infamous Bataan Death March and was later rescued in the Cabanatuan Raid by U.S. Army Rangers and Filipino guerillas, a story told in 2005's The Great Raid. Paul Wing died in 1957.

The couple was survived by 2 granddaughters and Ricky's estranged wife, Hella.

Her sister, Pat Wing (Gill) (1916-2002) was also an actress/chorus girl, who largely worked for Warner Brothers.

Filmography

Features:
*"A Boy of Flanders" (1924)
*"A Woman Who Sinned" (1924)
*"Circe, the Enchantress" (1924)
*"The Pony Express" (1925)
*"American Pluck" (1925)
*"Double Daring" (1926)
*"Palmy Days" (1931)
*"The Kid from Spain" (1932)
*"The King's Vacation" (1933)
*"42nd Street" (1933)
*"The Little Giant" (1933)
*"Central Airport" (1933) (scenes deleted)
*"Private Detective 62" (1933)
*"Baby Face" (1933)
*"College Humor" (1933)
*"She Had to Say Yes" (1933)
*"This Day and Age" (1933)
*"Torch Singer" (1933)
*"Search for Beauty" (1934)
*"School for Girls" (1934)
*"Come on Marines" (1934)
*"Murder at the Vanities" (1934)
*"Kiss and Make Up" (1934)
*"One Hour Late" (1934)
*"Thoroughbred" (1935)
*"Two for Tonight" (1935)
*"Forced Landing" (1935)
*"Mister Cinderella" (1936)
*"With Love and Kisses" (1936)
*"Silks and Saddles" (1936)
*"Sing While You're Able" (1937)
*"The Women Men Marry" (1937)
*"True Confession" (1937)
*"Mr. Boggs Steps Out" (1938)
*"The Marines Come Thru" (1938)
*"Sweethearts" (1938)

Short Subjects:
*"Jimmy's New Yacht" (1932)
*"The Loud Mouth" (1932)
*"The Candid Camera" (1932)
*"Alaska Love" (1932)
*"Ma's Pride and Joy" (1932)
*"Blue of the Night" (1933)
*"Rhythm on the Roof" (1934)
*"Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove" (1934)
*"Hollywood Extra Girl" (1935)
*"La Fiesta de Santa Barbara" (1935)
*"Hill-Tillies" (1936)
*"Rhythmitis" (1936)
*"Sunday Night at the Trocadero" (1937)
*"

External links

*imdb name|id=0934976|name=Toby Wing
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=339 Photographs]