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]
Living entertainers whose marriages lasted approximately 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.
- Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon: Married for ten weeks. She was also married to Kid Rock for six months.[14][15]
- Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Thomas: Nineteen days from February to March 1994.[16] Her second marriage, to comedian Tom Green, lasted a little over a year.[17][18]
- Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray: Married for five months from April 2005 to September 2005. Announced separation in September 2005, Bush unsuccessfully petitioned for an annulment in February 2006 and instead was granted a divorce in December 2006.
- James Caan and Sheila Marie Ryan: Married from 1976 to 1977, Scott Caan is their son.[19]
- Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley: Married for less than four months in 2002, but the divorce took over a year to be finalized.[20][21]
- Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly: Married for ten months from September 1996 to July 1997 when divorce proceedings started.[22][23]
- Kim Darby and James Westmoreland: Married for 47 days in 1970. She had previously had a brief marriage to James Stacy, it lasted 7 months, which led to a daughter.[24]
- Shannen Doherty and Ashley Hamilton: Their marriage ended in divorce in March 1994 after less than six months.[25][26] Doherty also had a brief marriage, ending in annulment, with Rick Salomon in 2002.
- Patty Duke and Michael Tell: The marriage was annulled after 13 days.[27][28][29]
- Kelsey Grammer and Leigh-Anne Csuhany: The marriage lasted a year.[30]
- Woody Harrelson and Nancy Simon, daughter of Neil Simon, married in Tijuana with the intent of getting a Mexican divorce afterward. The divorce did not occur until ten months later as the "divorce stand" was closed.[31]
- Milla Jovovich and Shawn Andrews: Married in 1992, but annulled two months later.[32]
- Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: Married for 72 days before filing for divorce.[33][34] It was the First for Humphries and the second for Kardashian.
- Chris Kattan and Sunshine Deia Tutt: Marriage lasted less than a year, separated within weeks of the wedding.[35]
- Lorenzo Lamas and Victoria Hilbert: Marriage lasted a year.[36] His second marriage, to Michele Smith, did not last two years but did lead to children.[37]
- Angela Lansbury and Richard Cromwell: Married from September 27, 1945 to September 1946.[38][39]
- Michelle Phillips and Dennis Hopper (married 31 October 1970 – divorced 8 November 1970)[40][41]
- Mickey Rooney and Ava Gardner: A little over a year.[42]
- Martin Scorsese and Julia Cameron: 1976 to 1977[43]
- Charlie Sheen and Donna Peele: Less than a year from 1995 to 1996.[44][45]
- Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander: Married in Las Vegas, marriage annulled soon after (56 hours).[46][47]
- Lana Wood and Jack Wrather, Jr.: Marriage annulled within a year.[48]
- Renée Zellweger and Kenny Chesney: Four months before being annulled.[16]
Living entertainers who were married for fifty 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.
- Irving Benson has been married to his wife Lillian since November 19 in the year 1936.[50]
- Norman Lloyd was married to Peggy Lloyd for 75 years from June 26, 1936, to her death on August 30, 2011.[51]
- Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach, 66 years from March 5, 1948 to his death on June 24, 2014.[52][53][54]
- William Schallert and Rosemarie D. "Lia" Waggner, married since 1949.[55][56]
- Carl Reiner was married to Estelle Reiner for nearly 65 years until her death on October 25, 2008.[57]
- Lydia Clarke was married to Charlton Heston for 64 years until his death on April 5, 2008.[58][59]
- William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett, married 63 years since 1951.[60]
- Eva Marie Saint and Jeffrey Hayden, have also been married since 1951.[61]
- Kirk Douglas and Anne Buydens, 60 years since May 29, 1954.[62]
- Kristine Miller and William Schuyler were married 60 years from 1953 to his death in 2013.[63]
- Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara have been married since 1954.[64]
- Dick Van Patten and Patricia Poole Van Patten, 60 years since 1954.[65][66]
- Danny Aiello and Sandy Cohen, 59 years since 1955.[67]
- James Garner and Lois Clarke were married over 57 years, until his death on July 19, 2014.
- Alan Alda and Arlene Alda, 1957 to present.[68]
- William Christopher and Barbara O'Connor, 1957 to present.[69][70][71]
- Anne Jeffreys's marriage to Robert Sterling lasted from 1951 to his death in 2006.[72]
- Angela Lansbury's marriage to Peter Shaw from 1949 to his death in 2003.[73][74]
- Ann Blyth was married to Dr. James Vincent McNulty from 1953 to his death in 2007.[75]
- Mitzi Gaynor was married to Jack Bean from 1954 to his death in 2006.[76][77]
- Nancy Davis was married to Ronald Reagan for 52 years from 1952 until his death in 2004.[78]
- Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, 1961 to present.[79][80]
- Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton, 1961 to present.[81][82]
- Rance Howard was married to Jean Speegle Howard for 51 years from 1949 to her death in 2000.[83]
- Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola, 1963 to present.[84][85]
- Bob Newhart and Virginia Quinn, January 1963 to present.[86][87]
- Joanne Woodward was married to Paul Newman from 1958 to his death in 2008.[88]
- Larry Hagman was married to Maj from 1954 to his death in 2012.
- Don Rickles has been married to Barbara Sklar since March 14, 1965.[89]
Notes
- ^ Jet September 23, 1985. Books.google.com. 1985-09-23. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "St. Joseph News-Press - July 31, 1938". News.google.com. 1938-07-31. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Border Cities Star - April 3, 1935". News.google.com. 1935-04-03. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ 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.
- ^ AP via The Palm Beach Post - April 23, 1972
- ^ Wilson, Bee (2007-02-11). ""Movie Stars plus marriage equals disaster" Daily Telegraph: 11 February 2007". London: Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Cultural Sociology of Divorce edited by Robert E. Emery
- ^ The Miami News - June 5, 1961
- ^ The Pittsburgh Press - June 19, 1964
- ^ The Washington Post
- ^ Business Insider
- ^ Overcoming Bias
- ^ Forbes via "love to know."
- ^ Colonist, Times (2008-05-05). "Canada.com". Canada.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "BBC". BBC News. 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ a b Karen Thomas, USA TODAY (2005-09-16). "USA Today". USA Today. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (2001-07-10). "(magazine)". People. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Darst, Jeanne (2001-12-18). "(magazine)". People. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Sun-Times Obituary for Sheila Marie Ryan Caan
- ^ "IOL". Breakingnews.iol.ie. 2004-05-26. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "MSNBC". MSNBC. 2004-05-25. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Madison Courier - July 30, 1997". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Lakeland Ledger - August 27, 1997". News.google.com. 1997-08-27. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Confused Life of Kim Darby" in The Prescott Courier of February 22, 1971
- ^ "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - April 8, 1994". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Milwaukee Journal - April 7, 1994". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Lipton, Michael A. (1999-05-03). "People Magazine on Patty Duke". People.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Victoria Barrett (2003-12-19). "The Guardian on Sean Astin". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "2004 Article on Michael Tell from Las Vegas Review-Journal". Reviewjournal.com. 2004-02-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Vindicator - September 7, 1993". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Herald-Journal - October 3, 1989: "It seemed like a good idea at the time," says Simon. "It was like a dare."
- ^ "Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich admits she married Shawn Andrews as a teenager as she wanted a bank card" in The Daily Telegraph
- ^ Digital Spy
- ^ WUSN-FM/US99.5
- ^ The Star-Ledger
- ^ The Miami News of April 29, 1983
- ^ Schenectady Gazette of March 23, 1985
- ^ "The Telegraph-Herald - July 27, 1949". News.google.com. 1949-07-27. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Spokane Daily Chronicle - September 12, 1946". News.google.com. 1946-09-12. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - December 8, 1971". News.google.com. 1971-12-08. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Phoenix - March 29, 1971". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Edmonton Journal - May 21, 1943". News.google.com. 1943-05-21. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Victoria Advocate - October 29, 1977". News.google.com. 1977-10-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "The Mirror". The Mirror. 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Lakeland Ledger - February 20, 1996". News.google.com. 1996-02-20. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "New York Daily News". Nydailynews.com. 2004-01-05. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "Sydney Morning Herald". Smh.com.au. 2004-01-07. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Los Angeles Times of January 26, 1963
- ^ ""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.
- ^ Starr, Michael. "Johnny Carson's favorite comic still standing". New York York Post. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Broadway thesp Peggy Lloyd dies at 98". Variety Magazine. 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ The New York Times
- ^ Obituary in Variety
- ^ "NPR". NPR. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Los Angeles Times of August 20, 1989
- ^ TCM profile
- ^ Lester, Shallon (2008-10-30). "New York Daily news obituary of Estelle Reiner". Nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Welkos, Robert W.; King, Susan (2008-04-06). "Obituary of Charlton Heston from Boston Globe". Boston.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ RICHARD CORLISS Thursday, April 10, 2008 (2008-04-10). "Obituary of Charlton Heston in Time Magazine". Time.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Overview for William Daniels". TCM. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Broadway World on a joint-project they did". Losangeles.broadwayworld.com. 2009-05-16. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Douglas, Family. "Douglas History". Douglas History. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Monterey Herald via Legacy
- ^ "BBC article on their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame". BBC News. 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Biography.com
- ^ TV Radio Mirror
- ^ "Just who is Danny Aiello" from CBS News
- ^ CNN
- ^ The Fayetteville Observer
- ^ Princeton Patch
- ^ "Christopher biography at Best Care Anywhere". Bestcareanywhere.net. 1932-10-20. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
- ^ Obituary of Robert Sterling in the New York Times
- ^ "Playbill obituary of Peter Shaw". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ "USA Today". USA Today. 2004-01-29. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Obituary for Dr. James Vincent McNulty in The Los Angeles Times
- ^ "Mitzi Gaynor still has 'Razzle Dazzle!'" in the Patriot Ledger of April 20, 2012
- ^ USA Today
- ^ Bostn Globe
- ^ TCM Profile for Paula Prentiss
- ^ People Magazine
- ^ The Dispatch - December 14, 2002
- ^ Interview in Patheos on his Golden Anniversary
- ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette obituary for Jean Speegle Howard". News.google.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ Article in "The Telegraph" about Sofia Coppola
- ^ Book Review of "Notes on a Life" in The New York Times
- ^ The Miami News - January 4, 1963
- ^ Interview in the Miami Herald of January 20, 2013
- ^ "Obituary of Paul Newman in People magazine". People.com. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
- ^ http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/6465602.
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References
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- Brown, Kelly R. (1999). Florence Lawrence, the Biograph girl: America's first movie star. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-0627-2.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) p 106: Quote:"He is a director, she is an actress. Divorce is inevitable"
- Grazer, Gigi Levangie. The starter wife. Simon & Schuster, 2005. ISBN 978-0-7432-6502-7.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) Lede: Husband dumps wife by cellphone and upgrades to a younger version.(not verbatim quote) p28: Chapter: "Seven stages of a Hollywood marriage"
- Rannow, Jerry (2002). Surviving Hollywood: your ticket to success. Allworth Communications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-58115-255-5.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) p69 and onwards, many Hollywood marriage "survival tips" are offered
- "The Sidney Poitiers Enjoy Solid Tinsel Town Marriage, Hollywood Author Reports - Page 32". Jet. 69 (2). Johnson Publishing Company: 32. September 23, 1985. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
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