A Gracious Myrna Loy

When I was a 15-year-old high school student, I happened to obtain some celebrity phone numbers while I was working on a political campaign in New York City. My school newspaper occasionally featured interviews with radio personalities, and I thought it would be more exciting to do an article about a real movie star.

I’d heard about Myrna Loy but did not know that much about her film roles, as her career was in full swing years before I was born. I knew she was very active in Democratic politics and, with her renown as a Hollywood legend, would make a good read.

I dialed the number and a woman answered. I said, “Miss Loy?” The woman asked my identity, and, as I presumed I was talking to a secretary, I revealed the purpose of my call. After some conversation, the lady said, “This is Miss Loy.” I almost died. We chatted a bit, and, to my shock, she invited me to her apartment the following week, where I spent an incredible hour learning about her life.

Those who are aware of her filmography may not know of the Myrna Loy who fought fascism, who worked so hard for civil rights at a time (the ‘40s) when it was not fashionable to do so. They may not know of her sterling work with the United Nations as a delegate to UNESCO and her brave stance against the tyranny of Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Loy was an original. Both in film and in life. She had nothing to gain from an interview for a high school newspaper with a kid from the Bronx. Her gracious act provided me with a thrilling moment at an impressionable age.

MICHAEL RUSSNOW

West Hollywood