Maris Wrixon

Mary Alice "Maris" Wrixon (December 28, 1916 – October 6, 1999) was an American film and television actress. She appeared in over 50 films between 1939 and 1951.

Maris Wrixon
Wrixon in 1938 by George Hurrell
Born	Mary Alice Wrixon December 28, 1916 Billings, Montana, U.S.
Died	October 16, 1999 (aged 82) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1939 – 1951
Spouse(s)	Rudi Fehr ​ ​ (m. 1940; died 1999)​
Children	3[1]

Early years

Wrixon was born in Billings, Montana,[2] and raised in Great Falls,[3] one of three children[4] born to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Wrixon.[5] Her interest in acting was sparked by a role she had in a class play[6] when she was a student at Great Falls High School.[7]

She gained acting experience at the Pasadena Community Playhouse.[8]

Career

Wrixon first appeared in films in the late 1930s, making one film in 1938 and 10 in 1939.[3] Between 1940 and 1942, she appeared in 29 films at Warner Brothers, alternating between uncredited parts (in films including High Sierra and Dark Victory) and supporting roles.

Wrixon worked primarily in B-movies and, in addition to her Warners films, in films produced by Poverty Row studios such as Monogram Pictures. Monogram released the film in which The New York Times says "horror fans remember her best", The Ape, which starred Boris Karloff.

Her final film was As You Were (1951).[3]

Personal life

Wrixon was married to Oscar-nominated film editor Rudi Fehr. She died in Santa Monica, California of heart failure.

Selected filmography

• Off the Record (1939) - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
• The Adventures of Jane Arden (1939) - Martha Blanton - Debutante
• Dark Victory (1939) - Judith's Friend (uncredited)
• Code of the Secret Service (1939) - Saxby's Secretary (uncredited)
• Daughters Courageous (1939) - Girl at Beach (uncredited)
• Each Dawn I Die (1939) - Girl in Car (uncredited)
• Dust Be My Destiny (1939) - Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
• No Place to Go (1939) - Mrs. Harriet Washburn (uncredited)
• The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) - Lady of the Court (uncredited)
• Jeepers Creepers (1939) - Connie Durant
• A Child Is Born (1939) - Information Girl (uncredited)
• Private Detective (1939) - First Telephone Operator (uncredited)
• Calling Philo Vance (1940) - Long-Distance Operator (uncredited)
• British Intelligence (1940) - Dorothy Bennett (uncredited)
• 'Til We Meet Again (1940) - Girl (uncredited)
• Saturday's Children (1940) - City Hospital Nurse (uncredited)
• Flight Angels (1940) - Bonnie
• The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) - Roscoe's Secretary
• The Ape (1940) - Miss Frances Clifford
• Knute Rockne All American (1940) - Telephone Operator (uncredited)
• Lady with Red Hair (1940) - Miss Annie Ellis (uncredited)
• Santa Fe Trail (1940) - Girl at Wedding (uncredited)
• The Case of the Black Parrot (1941) - Sandy Vantine
• High Sierra (1941) - Blonde at Auto Accident (uncredited)
• Footsteps in the Dark (1941) - June Brewster
• Meet John Doe (1941) - Autograph Hound (uncredited)
• A Shot in the Dark (1941) - Helen Armstrong
• Million Dollar Baby (1941) - Diana Bennet
• Sunset in Wyoming (1941) - Wilmetta 'Billie' Wentworth
• Bullets for O'Hara (1941) - Elaine Standish
• Navy Blues (1941) - Hawaii Pickup #2 (uncredited)
• Spy Ship (1942) - Sue Mitchell
• Sons of the Pioneers (1942) - Louise Harper
• The Old Homestead (1942) - Mary Jo Weaver
• Silent Witness (1943) - Betty Higgins, Special Investigator
• Women in Bondage (1943) - Grete Ziegler
• Phantom Lady (1944) - Blonde (uncredited)
• Waterfront (1944) - Freda Hauser
• Trail to Gunsight (1944) - Mary Wagner
• The Master Key (1945, Serial) - Dorothy Newton
• White Pongo (1945) - Pamela Bragdon
• This Love of Ours (1945) - Evelyn
• Black Market Babies (1945) - Helen Roberts
• The Face of Marble (1946) - Linda Sinclair
• The Glass Alibi (1946) - Linda Vale
• The Saxon Charm (1948) - Mrs. McCarthy (uncredited)
• Highway 13 (1948) - Mary Hadley
• As You Were (1951)
• Sea Hunt (1960, TV Series) - Edith Judd
• The Graduate (1967) - Guest at Welcoming Party (uncredited)
• Dayton's Devils (1968) - Cashier (final film role)

References

1. Pesselnick, Jill (May 12, 1999). "Rudi Fehr". Variety. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
2. "Actress Appears Here Friday". Billings Gazette. June 28, 1940. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Lentz, Harris M. III (2000). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 241. ISBN 9780786409198. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
4. "Obituary for William Wrixon". Great Falls Tribune. August 4, 1953. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Great Falls Girl Assigned to Roles In Two Pictures". Great Falls Tribune. Montana, Great Falls. November 11, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Montana Girl Makes 'Em Talk". The Minneapolis Star. Minnesota, Minneapolis. July 20, 1941. p. Sunday Magazine - 7. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Proves She's Right 'Type' in Film Role". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. December 31, 1938. p. 10. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Former Falls Girl Wins Film Prominence". Great Falls Tribune. Montana, Great Falls. December 30, 1938. p. 5. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Maris Wrixon at IMDb
• Maris Wrixon at AllMovie
• Brief biography and filmography at The New York Times