Evie Wynn Johnson Became Van Johnson's Wife Hours after Divorce from Her Ex-husband Finalized

Evie Wynn Johnson was once Van Johnson's wife, but she was in a union with another man before marrying him. She and her first husband welcomed children before she filed for divorce and married Van within hours of obtaining her divorce.

Van Johnson's wife, Evie Wynn Johnson, was an actress who was once known as "The Dragon Lady." The star, born in Buffalo, New York, appeared in several movies. For Instance, in 1948, she starred in "Motion Picture Stars Attend Premiere of 'Call Northside 777.'"

Evie went on to appear in 1953's "Private Secretary," 1987's "Biography," and many others. Before she famously married Van, the actress tied the knot with another man. The details of their relationship were addressed in the 2009 book, "Van Johnson: MGM's Golden Boy."

Who Was Evie Wynn Johnson's First Husband?

The book revealed that Evie's marriage to Keenan Wynn, whom she married on September 30, 1938, was on-again, off-again for two years, and by the time Van returned from shooting "Rosy Ridge," the couple had reportedly been separated for two months. However, the actress was said to have left Keenan twice already.

One of the times she left him, she went to Las Vegas with their son, Ned, and was planning to file for divorce but was deterred upon discovering her pregnancy with their second child, Tracy. Sadly, Evie and her husband argued constantly, sometimes in front of their children.

In October 1946, the actress traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho, intending to divorce Keenan there. Those close to Evie believed her marriage to Van was imminent. The Wynns befriended Van in the 1940s and even got into a car accident with him while he drove.

The actor followed, and on January 25, 1947, he married her that afternoon.

Evie didn't want to discuss the possibility of her marrying Van, saying she felt "badly" over dissolving her eight-year union with Keenan. The rumors worsened when it was discovered that Van would be in Sun Valley while Evie stayed there.

However, in December 1946, when asked if she'd consider marrying the actor, her reply was "Who knows?" Keenan defended Evie, telling the press that Van wasn't the reason his wife divorced him. Eventually, she and Van married after her and her first husband's divorce was finalized on January 25, 1947.

What Is Known about Evie Wynn Johnson's Marriage to the Actor

According to the 2009 book, Evie tied the knot with Van in Juarez four hours after getting her divorce in Mexico. Her new husband said, "It was all rather sudden." The actress flew to El Paso the day before under an assumed name with Keenan's power of attorney to get a divorce by proxy and remarry the same day.

The actor followed, and on January 25, 1947, he married her that afternoon before they flew to Burbank immediately afterward. During their marriage, the couple welcomed one child, a daughter named Schuyler V. Johnson. Sadly, Evie and Van's marriage also didn't last forever — they divorced on May 3, 1968 — and she died years later.

When Did Evie Wynn Johnson Pass Away?

On July 19, 2004, Evie died at age 90 in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida's Medical Center. It was revealed that the actress, who once gave up her career in 1939 upon marrying Keenan, passed on after having complications from a broken hip.

Years before she died, Evie reportedly sold some of her storied dresses and other items at an auction house. Evie revealed that her closet was overcrowded and that she needed to clean it out.