# Wanda McKay

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, but her family later moved to Fort Worth in Texas. After moving to New York she became a model and her image was used to promote Chesterfield cigarettes.
In 1938, McKay represented Trans World Airlines, 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. Initially she made small uncredited appearances before going on to starring roles as a leading lady in many B Movies during the 1940s, working in particular at studios such as PRC and Monogram Pictures.$^{:135–137}$ Film worked dried up for her in the 1950s, and she appeared on television and in a minor role in The Merry Widow (1952). Her last film appearance was a small uncredited part in Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957). She also appeared in an episode of the TV show, The Lone Ranger in 1951 entitled Trouble at Black Rock.

## Personal life

In 1977 she married Hoagy Carmichael, 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 (1939) - Usherette (uncredited)
* All Women Have Secrets (1939) - Jessie
* The Farmer's Daughter (1940) - Cashier (uncredited)
* Those Were the Days! (1940) - Minor Role (uncredited)
* The Way of All Flesh (1940) - Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
* The Great McGinty (1940) - Bit Role (uncredited)
* Mystery Sea Raider (1940) - Lois (uncredited)
* The Quarterback (1940) - Blonde (uncredited)
* Dancing on a Dime (1940) - Lulu
* Life with Henry (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 (1941) - Girl (uncredited)
* The Mad Doctor (1941) - Girl at Charity Bazaar (uncredited)
* You're the One (1941) - Girl
* The Lady Eve (1941) - Daughter on Ship (uncredited)
* Las Vegas Nights (1941) - Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
* The Pioneers (1941) - Suzanna Ames
* Twilight on the Trail (1941) - Lucy Brent
* New York Town (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited)
* The Royal Mounted Patrol (1941) - Betty Duvalle
* Rolling Down the Great Divide (1942) - Rita
* The Lone Rider in Texas Justice (1942) - Kate Stewart
* One Thrilling Night (1942) - Millie Jason
* Law and Order (1942) - Linda Fremont
* Bowery at Midnight (1942) - Judy Malvern
* Corregidor (1943) - Nurse Jane 'Hey-Dutch' Van Dornen
* The Black Raven (1943) - Lee Winfield
* Let's Face It (1943) - Chorus Girl (uncredited)
* Danger! Women at Work (1943) - Doris Bendix
* Deerslayer (1943) - Hetty Hutter
* Smart Guy (1943) - Jean Wickers
* What a Man! (1944) - Joan Rankin
* Voodoo Man (1944) - Betty
* The Monster Maker (1944) - Patricia
* Raiders of Ghost City (1944, Serial) - Cathy Haines
* Leave It to the Irish (1944) - Nora O'Brien
* Belle of the Yukon (1944) - Cherie Atterbury
* There Goes Kelly (1945) - Anne Mason
* Hollywood and Vine (1945) - Martha Manning
* Sensation Hunters (1945) - Helen
* Kilroy Was Here (1947) - Connie Harcourt
* Jiggs and Maggie in Society (1947) - Millicent Perker
* Stage Struck (1948) - Helen Howard
* Jinx Money (1948) - Virginia
* Jungle Goddess (1948) - Greta Vanderhorn
* The Golden Eye (1948) - Evelyn Manning
* The Story of Life (1948)
* Because of Eve (1948) - Sally Stephens
* A Woman of Distinction (1950) - Merle - Shop Girl (uncredited)
* Roaring City (1951) - Sylvia Rand
* The Merry Widow (1952) - Girl at Maxim's (uncredited)
* Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957) - New York Operator (uncredited) (final film role)