Wanda McKay (born Dorothy Quackenbush; June 22, 1915 – April 11, 1996) was an American actress and model.

Early years

McKay was born as Dorothy Quackenbush in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

,McKay's obituary in the Los Angeles Times says that she was "born Dorothy McKay ...". but her family later moved to

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. After moving to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

she became a model and her image was used to promote

Chesterfield cigarettes Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette, named after Chesterfield County, Virginia. The brand is owned by conglomerate Altria and produced by its subsidiary Philip Morris USA. History A blend of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, Chesterfields were int ...

. In 1938, McKay represented

Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...

, for which she worked as a hostess, in a beauty competition at the Birmingham Air Show. She won, being voted "Miss American Aviation".

Career

By 1939 McKay had moved into films after being given a contract by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. Initially she made small uncredited appearances before going on to starring roles as a leading lady in many

B Movies A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

during the 1940s, working in particular at studios such as

PRC China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

. Film worked dried up for her in the 1950s, and she appeared on television and in a minor role in ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'' (1952). Her last film appearance was a small uncredited part in ''

Ten Thousand Bedrooms ''Ten Thousand Bedrooms'' is a 1957 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Eva Bartok. Martin's first film in the wake of the dissolution of his partnership with Jerry Lewi ...

'' (1957).

Personal life

In 1977 she married

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

, a marriage that lasted until his death in 1981.

Death

On April 11, 1996, McKay died of cancer in Los Angeles. She was 80.

Partial filmography

* '' $1000 a Touchdown'' (1939) - Babe (uncredited) * ''

Our Neighbors – The Carters ''Our Neighbors – The Carters'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by S.K. Lauren. The film stars Fay Bainter, Frank Craven, Edmund Lowe, Genevieve Tobin, Mary Thomas and Mildred Coles. The film was released ...

'' (1939) - Usherette (uncredited) * ''

All Women Have Secrets ''All Women Have Secrets'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Kurt Neumann (director), Kurt Neumann and written by Agnes Christine Johnston. The film stars Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen, Jeanne Cagney, Peter Lind Hayes, Betty Moran and Joh ...

'' (1939) - Jessie * '' The Farmer's Daughter'' (1940) - Cashier (uncredited) * '' Those Were the Days!'' (1940) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Way of All Flesh ''The Way of All Flesh'' (sometimes called ''Ernest Pontifex, or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...

'' (1940) - Cigarette Girl (uncredited) * ''

The Great McGinty ''The Great McGinty'' is a 1940 political satire comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff and featuring William Demarest and (in her final screen appearance) Muriel Angelus. It was Sturges's fir ...

'' (1940) - Bit Role (uncredited) * ''

Mystery Sea Raider ''Mystery Sea Raider'' is a 1940 American drama war film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Carole Landis, Henry Wilcoxon and Onslow Stevens. Plot A woman (Carole Landis) and a U.S. captain (Henry Wilcoxon) foil a German spy's (Onslow Stev ...

'' (1940) - Lois (uncredited) * '' The Quarterback'' (1940) - Blonde (uncredited) * ''

Dancing on a Dime Dancing on a Dime is a 1940 Paramount Pictures movie directed by Joseph Santley about five actors and dancers putting on a show while living in a theatre. It is adapted from a novel of the same name written by Dorothy Young, which itself is bas ...

'' (1940) - Lulu * ''

Life with Henry ''Life with Henry'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Theodore Reed and written by Clifford Goldsmith and Don Hartman. The film stars Jackie Cooper, Leila Ernst, Eddie Bracken, Fred Niblo, Hedda Hopper and Kay Stewart. The film was relea ...

'' (1940) - Girl on Theatre Stage (uncredited) * '' A Night at Earl Carroll's'' (1940) - Girl in Steve's Party (uncredited) * '' Love Thy Neighbor'' (1940) - Showgirl (uncredited) * ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

'' (1941) - Girl (uncredited) * '' The Mad Doctor'' (1941) - Girl at Charity Bazaar (uncredited) * '' You're the One'' (1941) - Girl * ''

The Lady Eve ''The Lady Eve'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.

'' (1941) - Daughter on Ship (uncredited) * ''

Las Vegas Nights ''Las Vegas Nights'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Ernest Pagano, Harry Clork and Eddie Welch. The film stars Phil Regan, Bert Wheeler, Constance Moore, Virginia Dale, Lillian Cornell, Betty Brewer and H ...

'' (1941) - Cigarette Girl (uncredited) * '' The Pioneers'' (1941) - Suzanna Ames * ''

Twilight on the Trail ''Twilight on the Trail'' is a 1941 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Howard Bretherton, written by J. Benton Cheney, Ellen Corby and Cecile Kramer, and starring William Boyd (actor), William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Brad King (actor) ...

'' (1941) - Lucy Brent * ''

New York Town ''New York Town'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Fred MacMurray, Mary Martin, Akim Tamiroff, and Robert Preston. The film was written by Lewis Meltzer and an uncredited Preston Sturges based on a ...

'' (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Royal Mounted Patrol ''The Royal Mounted Patrol'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Winston Miller. The film stars Charles Starrett, Russell Hayden, Wanda McKay, Donald Curtis, Lloyd Bridges and Evan Thomas. The film was relea ...

'' (1941) - Betty Duvalle * ''

Rolling Down the Great Divide ''Rolling Down the Great Divide'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield, written by Milton Raison, and starring Bill Boyd, Art Davis, Lee Powell, Wanda McKay, Glenn Strange and Karl Hackett. It was released on April 24, ...

'' (1942) - Rita * ''

The Lone Rider in Texas Justice ''The Lone Rider in Texas Justice'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Steve Braxton. The film stars George Houston as the "Lone Rider", Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones and Dennis Moore as Sheriff ...

'' (1942) - Kate Stewart * ''

One Thrilling Night ''One Thrilling Night'' is a 1942 American film directed by William Beaudine. The film is also known as ''Horace Takes Over'' (American TV title) with working titles being ''Do Not Disturb'' and ''Army Bride''.http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/172 ...

'' (1942) - Millie Jason * ''

Law and Order In modern politics, law and order is the approach focusing on harsher enforcement and penalties as ways to reduce crime. Penalties for perpetrators of disorder may include longer terms of imprisonment, mandatory sentencing, three-strikes laws a ...

'' (1942) - Linda Fremont * ''

Bowery at Midnight ''Bowery at Midnight'' is a 1942 American Monogram Pictures horror film directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bela Lugosi and John Archer. The film was re-released by Astor Pictures in 1949. Plot Lugosi plays a psychology professor by day who, ...

'' (1942) - Judy Malvern * ''

Corregidor Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...

'' (1943) - Nurse Jane 'Hey-Dutch' Van Dornen * ''

The Black Raven ''The Black Raven'' is a 1943 American mystery film directed by Sam Newfield. It was produced and released by Producers Releasing Corporation, a leading Poverty Row studio. Plot A heavy storm catches everybody, nearly all with good reasons for ...

'' (1943) - Lee Winfield * ''

Let's Face It '' Let's Face It'' is the fifth studio album by American ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on March 11, 1997 by Mercury Records and Big Rig Records. The album sold very well due to the success of its single "The Impres ...

'' (1943) - Chorus Girl (uncredited) * ''

Danger! Women at Work ''Danger! Women at Work'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Martin Mooney. The film stars Patsy Kelly, Mary Brian, Isabel Jewell, Wanda McKay, Betty Compson and Cobina Wright Sr.. The film was released on Au ...

'' (1943) - Doris Bendix * '' Deerslayer'' (1943) - Hetty Hutter * ''

Smart Guy ''Smart Guy'' is an American sitcom television series centering on the exploits of child prodigy T.J. Henderson (Tahj Mowry), who moves from being an elementary school student in the fourth grade to a high school student in the tenth grade, atte ...

'' (1943) - Jean Wickers * '' What a Man!'' (1944) - Joan Rankin * ''

Voodoo Man ''Voodoo Man'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by William Beaudine and starring Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, and George Zucco. Plot Nicholas (George Zucco) runs a filling station in the sticks. In reality, he is helping Dr. Richard M ...

'' (1944) - Betty * ''

The Monster Maker ''The Monster Maker'' is a 1944 science-fiction horror film starring J. Carrol Naish and Ralph Morgan. Albert Glasser supplied the film score, his first, an assignment for which he was paid US$250. Plot Dr. Markoff (J. Carrol Naish) has conco ...

'' (1944) - Patricia * ''

Raiders of Ghost City ''Raiders of Ghost City'' is a 1944 American Western film serial from Universal Pictures set in California during the American Civil War. Plot At the height of the Civil War, a gang of supposed Confederates, headed by Alex Morel, raid all gold ...

'' (1944, Serial) - Cathy Haines * ''

Leave It to the Irish ''Leave It to the Irish'' is a 1944 American comedy crime film directed by William Beaudine and starring James Dunn, Wanda McKay and Jack La Rue.Marshall p.243 Cast * James Dunn as Terry Moran, Private Investigator * Wanda McKay as Nora O'B ...

'' (1944) - Nora O'Brien * ''

Belle of the Yukon ''Belle of the Yukon'' is a 1944 American comedy musical Western film produced and directed by William A. Seiter and starring Randolph Scott, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dinah Shore and Bob Burns. Based on a story by Houston Branch and set in the days of t ...

'' (1944) - Cherie Atterbury * ''

There Goes Kelly ''There Goes Kelly'' is a 1945 American comedy mystery film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Jackie Moran, Wanda McKay and Sidney Miller. It was produced and distributed by Monogram Pictures. It is a remake of the 1940 film '' Up in the Ai ...

'' (1945) - Anne Mason * ''

Hollywood and Vine Hollywood and Vine, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, a district of Los Angeles, became known in the 1920s for its concentration of radio and movie-related businesses. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is centered ...

'' (1945) - Martha Manning * '' Sensation Hunters'' (1945) - Helen * '' Kilroy Was Here'' (1947) - Connie Harcourt * ''

Jiggs and Maggie in Society ''Jiggs and Maggie in Society'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring Joe Yule, Renie Riano and Tim Ryan (actor), Tim Ryan. The film is part of the ''Jiggs and Maggie (film series), Jiggs and Maggie'' series, the ...

'' (1947) - Millicent Perker * '' Stage Struck'' (1948) - Helen Howard * ''

Jinx Money ''Jinx Money'' is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. It is the tenth film in the series and the first one to include Bennie Bartlett as part of the team. Plot Pollack, an underworld gambler, is murdered, but before he dies ...

'' (1948) - Virginia * ''

Jungle Goddess ''Jungle Goddess'' is a 1948 American action/adventure crime film starring George Reeves, Ralph Byrd, and Wanda McKay. Directed by Lewis D. Collins, the film was based on an idea by producer William Stephens. ''Jungle Goddess'' was later featur ...

'' (1948) - Greta Vanderhorn * '' The Golden Eye'' (1948) - Evelyn Manning * ''The Story of Life'' (1948) * ''

Because of Eve Because may refer to: * Because, a subordinating grammatical conjunction * Causality, the process of making something happen; a relationship between events * ∵, a logical symbol meaning ''because'' * ''Because'' (film), a British film directed ...

'' (1948) - Sally Stephens * ''

A Woman of Distinction ''A Woman of Distinction'' is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Rosalind Russell and Ray Milland. Plot Susan Manning Middlecott is dean of a New England school called Benton College and it is her whole ...

'' (1950) - Merle - Shop Girl (uncredited) * ''

Roaring City ''Roaring City'' is a 1951 American crime film produced and directed by William Berke for Spartan Productions and released by the low-budget Lippert Pictures. The film stars Hugh Beaumont, Edward Brophy and Richard Travis. It is a "dual purpos ...

'' (1951) - Sylvia Rand * ''

'' (1952) - Girl at Maxim's (uncredited) * ''

'' (1957) - New York Operator (uncredited) (final film role)

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Raw, Laurance. ''Character Actors in Horror and Science Fiction Films, 1930–1960''. McFarland, 2012.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Wanda 1915 births 1996 deaths Female models from Oregon American film actresses Actresses from Portland, Oregon 20th-century American actresses