Trivia

In early April 1934, a woman named Mary Blackwood nearly died on the set of "Come On Marines!" While filming a swimming sequence, Toby Wing was swimming across a lake and accidentally struck Blackwell in the face as she surfaced from her earlier dive. Seeing her floating unconscious, Toby broke ranks and dived in the water rescuing the uncredited extra from drowning. A story and a photo of Toby Wing and Mary Blackwood (the latter with a bandage covering her face) were distributed by Associated Press.

Toby's younger sister, Pat Wing, was also an actress. Pat's son, William Perry (1936-2006), Toby's nephew, was a former actor who appeared in touring musical productions of "My Fair Lady" and "Take Me Along". He also performed as half of the comedy team of "Joanie and Bill" -- the Joanie being none other than Joan Rivers. William later retired from show business and became a real estate agent.

Toby and Dick Merrill's 41-year old son, Richard "Ricky" Merrill, was murdered in his Miami home on August 12 or 13, 1982. At the time of his death, he was separated from his wife, Hella, and out on bond awaiting sentencing after being convicted in federal court of smuggling 1,525 lbs of Columbian marijuana in New Orleans. A co-defendant, Gary "Butch" Merritt, survived an attempt on his life after his van was blown up the previous June near Deland, Florida. Ricky's new Jeep Scrambler truck was found at Miami International Airport on August 16. The Merrills were living in Virginia at the time and the nature of their only child's death could not be withheld. Henry "Dick" Merrill died shortly afterwards. Ricky Merrill was survived by two daughters. His murder remains unsolved.

Biographers often claim Toby's "Marines Come Through" as a 1943 production. This picture was actually produced in 1941 and was re-released by Astor Pictures in 1943 as "Fight on Marines!" to capitalize on the patriotic fervor of WW2. Toby's film career ended with her marriage to pioneer aviator Dick Merrill in 1938. She retired to Di Lido Island and became a Miami Beach housewife, traveling, dabbling in real estate investing and supporting her husband's significant contributions to aviation history. A remarkable couple, Toby and Dick (who retired from Eastern Airlines in 1961) sadly outlived both their children; their youngest son Ricky was murdered (still unsolved as of mid-2013) in Miami in August, 1982 shortly before Dick's death. She was survived by two granddaughters.

It was actor/comedian Jack Oakie who introduced Toby to Samuel Goldwyn. She became a Goldwyn Girl at the same time as Paulette Goddard, Anita Louise and Betty Grable.

Over the winter of 1939-1940, although essentially retired, Toby toured - with Rita Rio (Dona Drake) and her "All Girl Orchestra" with actresses Marie Wilson and Faith Bacon (from the Earl Carroll Vanities) across the United States. The actresses made numerous benefit appearances on behalf of the Infantile Paralysis Fund and Christmas Seals Tuberculosis campaign during the tour.

In biographies of her husband, Toby is mentioned to have appeared in "Our Gang" comedies as a child. Detailed series cast records show no record of her ever appearing in the series and based on her father's position at Paramount (and where former Roach star Harold Lloyd was under contract) it would be extremely unlikely that Hal Roach would have hired her.

Toby Wing married Henry "Dick" Merrill -- the first Aviator to fly the Transatlantic route round-trip -- twice in 1938. The first wedding was in Tijuana, Mexico, which upset her mother. A second wedding was performed at the home of Sidney Shannon (an early backer of Eastern Airlines and close personal friend of both Merrill and Eddie Rickenbacker) in June 1938 in Fredericksburg, VA. This second ceremony went unnoticed until Walter Winchell (a friend of Merrill) broadcast the news. Although Toby appeared in one low budget film in 1941 and two subsequent local stage productions (one with Pat O'Brien at the Coconut Grove Playhouse) she essentially retired from acting to a life as a Miami Beach housewife (where her husband was based on his Miami to NYC EAL flight route) on Di Lido Island in late 1938. At the time of her marriage Toby was 22 and Dick was 43 and they'd known each other for six months. They remained together happily for the rest of their lives. They had two sons. The first died in his crib in 1940. The second, Richard "Ricky" Merrill, was murdered in 1982. The crime was never solved.

One of the most engaged starlets in Hollywood. She was engaged to Jackie Coogan for most of 1935 (during the time he discovered his parents had spent his childhood fortune, hit the bottle and they broke up). She claimed to be engaged to pilot John Helm at the time of his death and then was briefly engaged to actor/singer/composer (and one-time co-star) Pinky Tomlin in November, 1936. Despite all the engagements, she married only once - to world-famous pilot Dick Merrill, whom she met in 1938. After their wedding she appeared on Broadway in the Cole Porter flop, 'You Never Know' and retired.

The daughter of Paul Wing, Toby Wing was named Martha at birth (for her maternal grandmother), Toby Wing was born at "Eight Oaks", her maternal grandfather (John T. Thraves, a veteran of the 44th VA Company H, Amelia Minutemen, CSA)'s plantation on the banks of the Appomattox River, near Richmond, Virginia.

Daughter of Paul Wing. Sister of Pat Wing.