Legendary actor William Powell was born in Pennsylvania, though his family moved to Kansas City in 1907. He lived in Kansas City until 1912 when he went to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Art. Although he was more often the leading villain than the leading man, Powell was known to play sly, smart, and sophisticated characters. He is perhaps best remembered for his on-screen pairing with Myrna Loy in The Thin Man, a film for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.
