The Complete Thin Man Collection

As Bubbly as the Finest Champagne...

The Complete Thin Man Collection

Complete Series of Screwball Romantic Comedy Mysteries, Starring William Powell and Myrna Loy

as World’s Most Debonair Detective Team,

Debuts August 2 from Warner Home Video

Plus Special Bonus Disc: Alias Nick & Nora Available Exclusively with the 7- Disc Set Featuring Two Insightful Documentaries, Unknown Powell and Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to

All Titles Digitally Remastered with DVD Extra Content Including Classic Shorts, Radio Dramas, Vintage Cartoons and an Episode from the Hit TV Series with Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk

The Complete Thin Man Collection Is Available Click Here

BURBANK, Calif., April 11, 2005 – Have a wonderful crime with Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy), the world’s most popular, glamorous and sophisticated detectives, when Warner Home Video (WHV) introduces The Complete Thin Man Collection on August 2 – star Myrna Loy’s 100^th birthday.

Since WHV released The Thin Man on DVD in late 2002, fans have been clamoring for the rest of the films in this series that delighted movie audiences over the course of thirteen years. Featured in the collection, in addition to the original Thin Man, are the DVD debuts of the other five classic films: After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home and Song of the Thin Man. Available exclusively with the box will be a seventh bonus disc entitled Alias Nick & Nora, including two insightful documentaries, William Powell: A True Gentleman and Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to. The DVDs are further enhanced with classic comedy, mystery and musical shorts, two radio dramas and a 1957 episode from the hit TV series based on the original characters with Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk taking on the roles of Nick and Nora Charles. The collection will be available in a seven-disc set for $59.92 SRP. The Thin Man will also be available individually for $19.97 SRP/$14.95 MAP. Orders are due June 28, 2005.

The sparkling series featured the irresistible Powell/Loy chemistry as husband and wife sleuths who solved murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established the standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. The first movie was adapted from Dashiell Hammett’s 1934 detective novel of the same name, allegedly modeled on the author’s relationship with longtime love, playwright Lillian Hellman. Shot on a very low budget in 14 days, the film went on to become a huge box-office smash, and earned four Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Leonard Maltin describes The Thin Man as "the sophisticated comedy-mystery par excellence," a benchmark motion picture that still continues to be imitated today.

The Thin Man also became a popular radio show, followed by the Lawford-Kirk television version in the ‘50s. Among the "imitators" over the years are television husband/wife sleuthing couples in McMillan and Wife (Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James), Hart to Hart (Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers) and Woody Allen's part-homage film Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) which starred director Allen and Diane Keaton as the Liptons who were modeled after Nick and Nora Charles.

About the Stars

William Powell began his acting career on Broadway in 1912, ten years before moving to Hollywood to appear in scores of small parts in silent films. Unlike many silent screen actors, he had a fine voice and stage training, both of which helped his smooth transition into "talkies." His portrayal of detective Philo Vance in The Canary Murder Case made him a star in 1929; and five years later, Powell became truly famous as detective Nick Charles.

After receiving an Academy Award nomination for The Thin Man, Powell starred in The Great Ziegfeld, 1936’s Best Picture winner. He received his second Academy Award nomination for My Man Godfrey (1936) and his third for his work in Life with Father (1947). His last film role was one of his best, as the beloved "Doc" in Mister Roberts (1955).

Powell first co-starred with Miss Loy in Manhattan Melodrama (1934), and the two went on to make a total of 14 movies together, becoming one of the most popular screen teams in Hollywood history.

Myrna Loy, who began acting at the age of 15 when she appeared in local stage productions to help support her family, also had to wait until The Thin Man to earn her screen legend status. She moved from stage to screen with the help of Mrs. Rudolph Valentino, who spotted her in a play at Grauman’s Theater in Hollywood. Like Powell, she made a successful transition into the sound era but was continually typecast as a vamp until she finally landed two plum roles in MGM films: The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933) followed by The Thin Man. Her last film was TV’s Summer Solstice (1981).

About The Thin Man Collection

The Thin Man (1934)

The character of ‘the thin man’ actually makes an appearance only in this initial installment. Young Dorothy Wynant (Maureen O’Sullivan) enlists the help of amateur sleuth Nick Charles when her inventor father (called ‘the thin man’ when his lean physique is exaggerated as an elongated shadow in one scene) appears to be a major suspect in a murder case. Nick’s blue-blood wife Nora wants him on the case so that she can experience some of the excitement herself. However, working-class Nick is reluctant to get involved until he sees that police Lt. Guild is coming to the wrong conclusions.

DVD special features include:

The Thin Man Trailer Gallery

Languages: English and Francais

Subtitles: English, Francais, Espanol and Portuguese

After the Thin Man (1936)

Having had their Christmas holidays in New York interrupted by a murder mystery, the couple is looking forward to a quiet New Year’s Eve at home. Unfortunately, they arrive home to find a house full of uninvited guests, there to welcome the couple back home. And there’s another mystery brewing: Nora’s cousin’s philandering husband has gone missing, and scandal threatens her stuffy, socialite family. Nick could care less. He has no use for his holier-than-thou in-laws. Nora is concerned - and more than a little thrilled at the prospect of another adventure.

DVD special features include:

Robert Benchley Comedy Short How to Be a Detective

Lux Radio Theater Show and Radio Promo with Powell and Loy

Theatrical Trailer