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Myrna Loy crossed over from the silents to carve out a career as the witty, urbane type in 1930s Hollywood fare, most notably opposite William Powell in the "Thin Man" movies. She attended the Westlake School for Girls when it was located on Alvarado across from Westlake Park (now MacArthur Park), but for decades a statue said to be based on her stood outside Venice High School. Venice alumni raised the money to restore the sculpture, and on Saturday a restored sculpture will be re-dedicated on the Venice High lawn in a public ceremony. From the Free Venice Beachhead:
The Myrna Loy Statue is a remnant of the golden age of art from 1917 to 1933. During this period Mr. Harry Winebrenner, a nationally recognized sculptor, headed the art department. Student sculptures and other works of art adorned the campus over the years....In 1923, the central figure was replaced by a new female figure that displayed a much more elegant pose. The body leaning forward, arching back above the waist, with the head tilted looking up, the left arm outstretched and the right arm angling back and down. A shy student in the VHS dance program became the model for this figure. Her name was Myrna Williams. After graduating, Williams became an actress, changed her name to Myrna Loy and went on to star in over 100 films.