Hollywood marriage

A Hollywood marriage originally meant a glamorous high society marriage between celebrities involved in the U.S. film industry; the word "Hollywood" is often used to represent the US film industry. However, the term has grown to also have strong negative connotations of a marriage that is of short duration and quickly ends in separation or divorce.[1] The term developed the negative connotations fairly early; by the 1930s, a "Hollywood marriage" was a marriage both glamorous and short-lived.[2][3] This connotation may also have related, at times, to moral panics over Hollywood's influence on the culture.[4]

Issues

Sympathetic views of celebrities point out that in Hollywood, it is mostly the bad marriages that are documented by the media, giving a skewed perspective that might make "Hollywood marriages" appear to have a worse success rate than they have in reality. In 1972 Bob Thomas of the Associated Press remarked specifically about the tendency to ignore lasting celebrity marriages with the examples he gave including Bob Hope's marriage to Dolores Hope and Rosalind Russell's marriage to producer Frederick Brisson.[5]

Negative views of Hollywood marriages take the position that the divorce rates are indeed unusually high among celebrities and that this is caused by faults within Hollywood as a culture or by personal faults of the celebrities themselves. They point to the usage of weddings as publicity stunts, the egotism or immaturity of celebrities or "celebrity culture", and high rates of infidelity or promiscuity. Bee Wilson, in an article for The Daily Telegraph, critiqued "Hollywood marriages" for often being based on the unrealistic dreams of what she termed "permanent children," although she points to some classic Hollywood couples, like Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart or Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, as exceptions to these criticisms.[6] While the introduction to the Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia edited by Robert E. Emery specifically mentions Hollywood divorces as epitomizing a "consumerist, throw-away-marriage view found in the West."[7]

The actors and entertainers themselves vary in perspective on the commonality or reason for divorce in Hollywood. In 1961 Anne Baxter stated Hollywood was "the most difficult place in America for marriage" due, in part, to the "terrible extremes of success and failure" both spouses may face.[8] In a 1964 interview Mitzi Gaynor, who would remain married to the husband mentioned in the interview until his death, took the more "defensive" position that "Hollywood" couples look different mostly because "everything we do is magnified." Although she conceded they might be slightly different because "you have to be a little off-center to get into this business in the first place."[9]

Beyond anecdote or opinion the actual evidence on the matter is complicated by differing definitions of who qualifies as a "celebrity" or "Hollywood." That stated a study from Radford University placed "dancers and choreographers" as the occupations having the highest percent currently divorced[10] with "Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other" still being above average at tenth. That placed them between "Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides" at ninth and "Baggage porters and concierges" at eleventh.[11] In 1900 "actors, professional showmen" were listed as having the highest divorce rate of occupations, but as this predates even the incorporation of Hollywood it refers to the profession itself rather than "Hollywood" or "celebrity culture" as we know it.[12] A Forbes article placed "professional athletes and entertainers" together and with a high divorce rate.[13]

Entertainers married a year or less

The idea that the term "Hollywood marriage" equates to something short-term is sometimes displayed by citing celebrities who had marriages that ended in divorce, separation or annulment within approximately one year. The following examples of that are primarily restricted to marriages involving a notable actor or director linked to "Hollywood" in some way.

Entertainers married 50 years or more

Entertainment couples that last for decades, and/or life, are occasionally used as a counterpoint when referring to "Hollywood marriage".[49] In relation to that, here is a selection of entertainers who have or had marriages that lasted over 50 years.

Names Length Marriage Source
Irving Benson and Lillian 79 years, 170 days November 19, 1936 – present [50]
Norman Lloyd and Peggy Lloyd 75 years, 65 days June 26, 1936 – August 30, 2011 (her death) [51]
Art Linkletter and Lois Linkletter 74 years, 5 months, 21 days November 25, 1935 – May 16, 2010 (his death) [52][53]
Karl Malden and Mona Greenberg 70 years, 6 months, 13 days December 18, 1938 – July 1, 2009 (his death) [54]
Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach 66 years, 111 days March 5, 1948 – June 24, 2014 (his death) [55][56][57]
William Schallert and Rosemarie D. "Lia" Waggner 65 years+ 1949−present [58][59]
Carl Reiner and Estelle Reiner 64 years, 306 days December 24, 1943 − October 25, 2008 (her death) [60]
William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett 64 years, 312 days June 30, 1951 − present [61]
Lydia Clarke and Charlton Heston 64 years, 19 days March 17, 1944 − April 5, 2008 (his death) [62][63]
Eva Marie Saint and Jeffrey Hayden 64 years, 192 days October 28, 1951 − present [64]
Kirk Douglas and Anne Buydens 61 years, 344 days May 29, 1954 − present [65]
Dick Van Patten and Patricia Poole 61 years, 59 days April 25, 1954 − June 23, 2015 (his death) [66][67]
Danny Aiello and Sandy Cohen 61 years, 120 days January 8, 1955 − present [68]
Kristine Miller and William Schuyler 60 years, 136 days July 27, 1953 − December 10, 2013 (his death) [69]
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara 60 years, 250 days September 14, 1954 – May 23, 2015 (her death) [70]
Larry Hagman and Maj Axelsson 58 years, 341 days December 18, 1954 − November 23, 2012 (his death)
Alan Alda and Arlene Alda 59 years, 53 days March 15, 1957 − present [71]
William Christopher and Barbara O'Connor 58 years+ 1957−present [72][73][74]
James Garner and Lois Clarke 57 years, 336 days August 17, 1956 − July 19, 2014 (his death)
Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee 57 years, 57 days December 9, 1948 − February 4, 2005 (his death) [75]
Ann Blyth and Dr. James Vincent McNulty 54 years, 320 days June 27, 1953 – May 13, 2007 (his death) [76][77]
Anne Jeffreys and Robert Sterling 54 years, 190 days November 21, 1951 − May 30, 2006 (his death) [78]
Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss 54 years, 194 days October 26, 1961 − present [79][80]
Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton 54 years, 136 days December 23, 1961 − present [81][82]
Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw 53 years, 170 days August 12, 1949 – January 29, 2003 (his death) [83][84]
Bob Newhart and Virginia Quinn 53 years, 116 days January 12, 1963 − present [85][86]
Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola 53 years, 95 days February 2, 1963 − present [87][88]
Nancy Davis and Ronald Reagan 52 years, 93 days March 4, 1952 − June 5, 2004 (his death) [89]
Mitzi Gaynor and Jack Bean 52 years, 16 days November 18, 1954 − December 4, 2006 (his death) [90][91]
Rance Howard and Jean Speegle Howard 51 years 1949 − September 2, 2000 (her death) [92]
Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman 50 years, 241 days January 29, 1958 − September 26, 2008 (his death) [93]
Don Rickles and Barbara Sklar 51 years, 54 days March 14, 1965 − present [94]

Notes

  1. Jet September 23, 1985. Books.google.com. 1985-09-23. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  2. "St. Joseph News-Press - July 31, 1938". News.google.com. 1938-07-31. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  3. "The Border Cities Star - April 3, 1935". News.google.com. 1935-04-03. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  4. Moffitt, J C (1933-07-23). ""Hollywood's 'Big Parade' To The Reno Divorce Mill Result of Actors' Insatiable Craving for Publicity" from the Hartford Courant on July 23, 1933". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  5. AP via The Palm Beach Post - April 23, 1972
  6. Wilson, Bee (2007-02-11). ""Movie Stars plus marriage equals disaster" Daily Telegraph: 11 February 2007". London: Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  7. Cultural Sociology of Divorce edited by Robert E. Emery
  8. The Miami News - June 5, 1961
  9. The Pittsburgh Press - June 19, 1964
  10. The Washington Post
  11. Business Insider
  12. Overcoming Bias
  13. Forbes via "love to know."
  14. Colonist, Times (2008-05-05). "Canada.com". Canada.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  15. "BBC". BBC News. 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  16. 1 2 Karen Thomas, USA TODAY (2005-09-16). "USA Today". USA Today. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  17. Silverman, Stephen M. (2001-07-10). "(magazine)". People. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  18. Darst, Jeanne (2001-12-18). "(magazine)". People. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  19. Sun-Times Obituary for Sheila Marie Ryan Caan
  20. "IOL". Breakingnews.iol.ie. 2004-05-26. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  21. "MSNBC". MSNBC. 2004-05-25. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  22. "The Madison Courier - July 30, 1997". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  23. "Lakeland Ledger - August 27, 1997". News.google.com. 1997-08-27. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  24. "The Confused Life of Kim Darby" in The Prescott Courier of February 22, 1971
  25. "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - April 8, 1994". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  26. "The Milwaukee Journal - April 7, 1994". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
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  31. Herald-Journal - October 3, 1989: "It seemed like a good idea at the time," says Simon. "It was like a dare."
  32. "Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich admits she married Shawn Andrews as a teenager as she wanted a bank card" in The Daily Telegraph
  33. Digital Spy
  34. WUSN-FM/US99.5
  35. The Star-Ledger
  36. The Miami News of April 29, 1983
  37. Schenectady Gazette of March 23, 1985
  38. "The Telegraph-Herald - July 27, 1949". News.google.com. 1949-07-27. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  39. "Spokane Daily Chronicle - September 12, 1946". News.google.com. 1946-09-12. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  40. "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - December 8, 1971". News.google.com. 1971-12-08. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  41. "The Phoenix - March 29, 1971". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  42. "Edmonton Journal - May 21, 1943". News.google.com. 1943-05-21. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  43. "The Victoria Advocate - October 29, 1977". News.google.com. 1977-10-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  44. "The Mirror". The Mirror. 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  45. "Lakeland Ledger - February 20, 1996". News.google.com. 1996-02-20. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  46. "New York Daily News". Nydailynews.com. 2004-01-05. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  47. "Sydney Morning Herald". Smh.com.au. 2004-01-07. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  48. Los Angeles Times of January 26, 1963
  49. ""A Hollywood Marriage That Succeeded", article on Ida Cantor's death from The Deseret News on August 10, 1962". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  50. Starr, Michael. "Johnny Carson's favorite comic still standing". New York York Post. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  51. "Broadway thesp Peggy Lloyd dies at 98". Variety Magazine. 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
  52. "Art Linkletter: "no work, just fun"". CBC Archives. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  53. Duke, Alan (May 27, 2010). "Legendary broadcaster Art Linkletter is dead at 97". CNN. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  54. "Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden dies aged 97". Yahoo!.
  55. The New York Times
  56. Obituary in Variety
  57. "NPR". NPR. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  58. Los Angeles Times of August 20, 1989
  59. TCM profile
  60. Lester, Shallon (2008-10-30). "New York Daily news obituary of Estelle Reiner". Nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  61. "Overview for William Daniels". TCM. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  62. Welkos, Robert W.; King, Susan (2008-04-06). "Obituary of Charlton Heston from Boston Globe". Boston.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  63. RICHARD CORLISS Thursday, April 10, 2008 (2008-04-10). "Obituary of Charlton Heston in Time Magazine". Time.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  64. "Broadway World on a joint-project they did". Losangeles.broadwayworld.com. 2009-05-16. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  65. Douglas, Family. "Douglas History". Douglas History. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  66. Biography.com
  67. TV Radio Mirror
  68. "Just who is Danny Aiello" from CBS News
  69. Monterey Herald via Legacy
  70. "BBC article on their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame". BBC News. 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  71. CNN
  72. The Fayetteville Observer
  73. Princeton Patch
  74. "Christopher biography at Best Care Anywhere". Bestcareanywhere.net. 1932-10-20. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
  75. "The 15 Long Celebrity Marriages We Admire Most". Huffington Post. 2014-07-21.
  76. Obituary for Dr. James Vincent McNulty in The Los Angeles Times
  77. Obituary of Robert Sterling in the New York Times
  78. TCM Profile for Paula Prentiss
  79. People Magazine
  80. The Dispatch - December 14, 2002
  81. Interview in Patheos on his Golden Anniversary
  82. "Playbill obituary of Peter Shaw". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  83. "USA Today". USA Today. 2004-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  84. The Miami News - January 4, 1963
  85. Interview in the Miami Herald of January 20, 2013
  86. Article in "The Telegraph" about Sofia Coppola
  87. Book Review of "Notes on a Life" in The New York Times
  88. Bostn Globe
  89. "Mitzi Gaynor still has 'Razzle Dazzle!'" in the Patriot Ledger of April 20, 2012
  90. USA Today
  91. "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette obituary for Jean Speegle Howard". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  92. "Obituary of Paul Newman in People magazine". People.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  93. "50th Anniversaries In 2015". January 22, 2015.

References

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