(February 8, 1949 - April 14, 1950) (divorced)
First wife Wanda Hendrix claimed he had horrible nightmares and slept with a gun under his pillow.
Murphy married actress Wanda Hendrix on 8 January 1949, and their divorce became final on 19 April 1951.
Summer 1946 WWII hero-turned-actor Audie Leon Murphy sees her on the cover of Coronet magazine and tells his mentor, actor James Cagney, about it. Cagney calls the magazine and gets her address. Audie then asks her to dinner, and they fall in love immediately.
June 1947 gets engaged to Murphy. She and Audie promise her parents that they'll defer marriage for two full years.
she and Audie advertise for Lane’s cedar hope chests
June 1948 is in Rome filming Prince of Foxes while her sweetheart, Audie Murphy, goes to Europe to revisit the battlefields "where he got all those decorations." The press expects them to “patch up with each other abroad.”
August 4, 1948 receives a diamond engagement ring from Audie, and her parents announce the two will be married in December. He's 24; she's 19.
January 1949 she and Audie finally get away on their Texas honeymoon. "First delay was caused by her flu attack, then Audie caught it from her. Now they can rhyme moon with spoon until February 1st, when she has to report to Paramount for After Midnight."
February 8, 1949
marries Murphy at the Christ Memorial Unity Church in North Hollywood. Among the well-wishers following the ceremony are fellow actresses Vanessa Brown, Mary Hatcher, and Ann Blyth.
both get the flu during their honeymoon
June 1949 the press reports: "Audie Murphy thinks his little Hendrix honey is Wanda-ful!"
Murphy wants her to give up filming and move with him to Texas. He has terrible nightmares from his war experiences and always has his gun with him. Sometimes he holds her at gunpoint.
September 1949 while on location filming for Sierra in Cedar City, Utah, the Murphys deny rumors of a separation
the Murphys admit that their marriage is fizzling partly because they've got Hollywood and the public for in-laws
faces Audie's passion horse racing and for making big-money bets on long shots. Eventually he gambles away all of her savings.
October 30. 1949 denies reports that her marriage is breaking up. She's confident they can work things out.
February 16, 1950 Audie moves out of their small apartment and leaves for Texas
February 17, 1950 files for divorce in Hollywood after 13 months of marriage on grounds of mental cruelty
April 14, 1950 wins a divorce from Audie. Trembling and near collapse, she blames it on Audie's "constant criticism."
April 14, 1950 receives a divorce in Los Angeles on the grounds of mental cruelty
September 1950 is squired by actors Tony Curtis and Johnny Sands, but those who know her well wouldn't be surprised if she reconciles with Audie Murphy
her first public social appearance since her separation from Audie is with Neils Larsen
is with her mother in Mexico City. Her mother was always against the marriage to Audie and preferred actor Robert Stack as her son-in-law.
March 1951 hides the scars from her marriage to Audie with a lot of dates. Recent escorts include Nils Larson, Robert Stack, Bob Calhoun, Bob Boyle, and Don McConnell.
May 1951
makes no bones about telling people that she scooted to New York for “heartache” reasons when Audie Murphy married Pamela Archer