Wanda Hendrix

Who was Wanda Hendrix?

Wanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.

Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract. She made her first film, Confidential Agent, in 1945 and for the first few years of her career was consistently cast in "B" pictures. By the late 1940s, she was being included in more prestigious films, such as Ride the Pink Horse and Miss Tatlock's Millions. She starred with Tyrone Power in Prince of Foxes.

In 1946, Audie Murphy saw Hendrix on the cover of Coronet magazine and arranged to meet her. The two were married on February 8, 1949, making the film Sierra together, but the marriage was short-lived; they divorced on April 14, 1950. Hendrix later said that Murphy had wanted her to give up her career, but more significantly, he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder from his service in World War II and during "flashback" episodes he would turn on her, once holding her at gunpoint. In her later years, Hendrix spoke of Murphy's condition with sympathy.

Hendrix resumed her career but found it difficult to obtain good roles.