Myrt and Marge

Soap Opera/ Drama (1931-1946)

From top to bottom, first column: Violet Le Clair as
Agatha Folson, Bobby Brown, director. Marge Evans as
Laura; second column: Ray Appleby as Jimmie Minter,
Mrytle Vail as Myrt, Vinton Haworth as Jack Arnold;
Karl Way as Pat; third column: Reginald Knorr as
Sanford Malone, Donna Fick as Marge, Ray Hedge
as Clarence Tiffingtuffer, Harlow Wilcox, announcer;
fourth column: Eleanor Rella as Billie De Vere,
Charles Calvert as Slim, Patricia Ann Manners as Gwen.

Popular nighttime drama cum daytime soap, Myrt and Marge was created by an over-the-hill vaudevillian, Myrtle Vail. Myrtle ran away at 15 to become a back row chorus girl. Marrying a tenor and creating their own little troupe of offspring, they hit the road as a show family.

Reaching for a stick of gum one day, Myrtle's light bulb went on - Wrigley didn't have a show to sponsor! Basing Myrt and Marge on her own life experiences, Myrtle created a show about two chorus girls, Myrtle Spear and Marge Minter (Spear-Minter for the Wrigley folk). Wrigley snapped up the bait and the show was on. Myrt and Marge were mother and daughter in the show, played by real life mother (Myrtle) and her daughter (Donna).

The two worked together "like honey and cream," as one reviewer put it. Although drama ensues, adventure is never far behind with bootleggers and gangsters making thrilling appearances in the plot lines. During its long run, the characters age gracefully, Marge starting her own family and Myrt continues on as glamorous as ever.

(Please note that many of the rare recordings in this collection may be of inferior sound quality.)