Joy Bang: A Free-Spirited Hippie Icon of the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
Joy Bang, a charming and lively blonde actress, effortlessly embodied the quintessential free-spirited, groovy, and funky hippie girl of the late 1960s and early 1970s. With her infectious good humor and unapologetic attitude towards her sexuality, she portrayed the kind of brash young woman who was unafraid to be herself.
Born Joy Wener on June 15, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, Joy was adopted by a loving family in New York City. Her early start in the film industry began with a minor role in the obscure Separation (1968).
Throughout her career, Joy left an indelible mark with her memorable performances. She was one of the titular young women in Roger Vadim's Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971),a rock groupie in the excellent Cisco Pike (1971),and Woody Allen's date who gets abducted by bikers in Play It Again, Sam (1972).
Joy's versatility shone through in her portrayal of a naive biology student who crosses paths with a deadly, seductive jungle-dwelling snake goddess in the bizarre Filipino fright feature Night of the Cobra Woman (1972). She also contributed a standout performance as a flaky lady who gets attacked in a movie theater full of zombies in the equally offbeat horror oddity Messiah of Evil (1974).
In addition to her film credits, Joy acted in TV commercials and made guest appearances on popular TV shows such as Police Story (1973),Adam-12 (1968),Room 222 (1969),Medical Center (1969),Hawaii Five-O (1968),and Mission: Impossible (1966).
Joy's personal life was marked by a romantic link with Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who. She was also in the running for the lead in the hippie road movie Thumb Tripping (1972),but the role ultimately went to Meg Foster instead.
After abruptly stopping her acting career in the mid-1970s, Joy went on to become a dedicated nurse who now works and resides in Minnesota.
