Lights, Camera, Love
Apart from on-screen love stories, some off-screen romances between celebrity couples became just as intriguing in the 1900s. Here are 19 real-life couples who gave us drama that no movie could match.
Audrey Hepburn And Mel Ferrer
After being married for 14 long years, Hepburn and Ferrer split up in December 1968. Their breakup was allegedly due to their growing differences and rumors about Ferrer having flings with younger women. But there were also rumors of infidelity on both sides.
Joop van Bilsen for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
A Roman Holiday Romance
The two first met at a party in 1953 after the British premiere of Roman Holiday. Their romance was ultimately uplifted during the production of the Broadway play Ondine, in which Hepburn starred as a water nymph. What followed was a private wedding in 1954.
Milton H. Greene for LOOK Magazine, Wikimedia Commons
Frank Sinatra And Ava Gardner
Just so you know, Sinatra was still married to his ex-wife, Nancy Sinatra, when he began his affair with Gardner. The budding couple decided to tie the knot on November 7, 1951, after Sinatra finalized his divorce from Nancy.
Wide World Photos, Wikimedia Commons
Voice Meets Vision
At the time of their marriage, his career was facing significant challenges. Sinatra's contract with Columbia Records was not renewed in 1952, and he struggled to find success in films. Gardner, on the flip side, was doing quite well at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.
IISG, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
“Lovers Forever—Eternally”
The beloved couple announced their separation sometime in October 1953, although their divorce was not finalized until 1957. Even after that, Gardner referred to Sinatra as the love of her life, stating that they were "lovers forever—eternally".
Photograph by Capitol Records, Wikimedia Commons
Lauren Bacall And Humphrey Bogart
These two were one of Hollywood's most legendary couples. Their love story kicked off on the set of the 1944 movie To Have and Have Not. Bacall was only 19 and just starting to make a name for herself, while Bogart was 25 years older.
When Lightning Strikes Twice
He was an experienced actor dealing with a rocky marriage to actress Mayo Methot at the time. They began a secret relationship that continued as he finalized his divorce from Methot in early 1945. The couple then married in 1945 at a friend's farm in Ohio.
Liberty Publishing, Wikimedia Commons
Tragic Endings
Bacall and Bogart acted together in several films, such as The Big Sleep (1946) and Dark Passage (1947). Quite unfortunately, their marriage lasted only until Bogart's death from esophageal cancer in 1957. Bacall kicked the bucket later in 2014 at the age of 89.
eBayarchive, Wikimedia Commons
Marilyn Monroe And Joe DiMaggio
One of the most famous yet tumultuous love stories in Hollywood history. Monroe and DiMaggio were introduced by some mutual friends back in 1952. DiMaggio, who was a retired baseball legend, was totally taken by Monroe's looks and charm.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Suits Instead Of Spotlights
It was on January 14, 1954, that the couple eloped at San Francisco City Hall. It was said to be a small ceremony attended only by close friends. Monroe opted for a stylish brown suit instead of a typical wedding dress, while DiMaggio kept it simple in his suit.
Debbie Reynolds And Eddie Fisher
"America's Sweethearts" decided to get married on June 26, 1955. They became parents to two kids: Carrie and Todd Fisher. But things changed between them after the sad passing of Mike Todd, Elizabeth Taylor's husband, who died in a plane crash.
Gloria Luchenbill, Wikimedia Commons
“America's Sweethearts” Turn Sour
This is because, after Todd's passing, Fisher was sent by Reynolds to comfort Taylor, who was devastated by her loss. Instead of just providing support, Fisher and Taylor themselves began an affair, which instantly became known to the public.
A Daughter’s Script
Reynolds filed for divorce from Fisher in 1959. Even after all the drama, Reynolds and Taylor worked together on the film These Old Broads in 2001. It was written by their daughter, Carrie. Undoubtedly, Eddie Fisher's reputation suffered due to the reported scandal.
Photographer not credited, Wikimedia Commons
Natalie Wood And Robert Wagner
Wood and Wagner first met when the actress was just a child star at MGM. Their initial connection was arranged by the studio, which sought to generate publicity for both stars. They soon began dating in 1956 and got hitched in 1957.
Press photo, Wikimedia Commons
Red Carpets To Rocky Waters
Of course, their wedding was a glam party. At the time, Wood was an established actress who was recognized for her roles in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and West Side Story (1961). She subsequently developed an affair with her Splendor in the Grass co-star, Warren Beatty.
West Side Story (7/10) Movie CLIP - I Feel Pretty (1961) HD by Movieclips
Second Time’s The Charm
The couple was, hence, forced to separate after four years of marriage. However, in 1972, after both had gone through other relationships—Wood marrying producer Richard Gregson and Wagner marrying actress Jill St. John—they reignited their romance.
Twentieth Century-Fox, Wikimedia Commons
Joan Crawford And Alfred Steele
This relationship was marked by love and tragedy, and here's why. The couple married in May 1955, when Crawford was 47 and Steele was 54. However, Alfred Steele died of a heart attack on April 19, 1959, just days before his 58th birthday.
Unknown Author, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Love’s Late Sparkle
Crawford had met Steele, the president of Pepsi-Cola, through mutual friends in 1954. At the time, Crawford was a single mother raising her four adopted children and felt a sense of loneliness. Steele had recently divorced his second wife, so their connection quickly grew.
Joan Crawford & Alfred Steele Pepsi Footage | Dallas, Texas (1959) by TheConcludingChapterofCrawford
Tony Curtis And Janet Leigh
While they were married, Curtis and Leigh worked together on a bunch of movies, like Houdini in 1953 and The Perfect Furlough in 1958. Their time on-screen helped them become a well-known couple in Hollywood. Their marriage story is a little unconventional, though.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Against All Studio Odds
Curtis and Leigh decided to elope in Greenwich, Connecticut. They went against studio executives, who warned Curtis that marrying would "poison" his career. Comedian Jerry Lewis also attended their wedding as a witness. They were blessed with two daughters.
Dell Publishing, Lawrence Schiller, Wikimedia Commons
A Legacy Of Leading Ladies
One was Kelly Lee Curtis, born in 1956, and the other was Jamie Lee Curtis, born in 1958. Soon came the tensions. Around 1962, after nearly 11 years of marriage, they divorced. Some reports say the reason was Curtis's affair with actress Christine Kaufmann.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Marlon Brando And Movita Castaneda
Apparently, Brando's cheating became a big problem in this marriage. While shooting Mutiny on the Bounty in 1962, he started seeing Tarita Teri'ipaia, who played his love interest in the movie. This affair added to the tension between him and Castaneda.
U.S. Information Agency. Press and Publications Service. (ca. 1953 - ca. 1978), Wikimedia Commons
A Bounty Of Drama
Their initial interactions were reportedly rocky, with Castaneda rejecting Brando's advances at first. Despite this start, they began a romantic relationship that led to their marriage in June 1960. The couple welcomed their first child, Sergio (Miko), in October that year.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Paul Newman And Joanne Woodward
Newman was happily living with his first wife, Jackie Witte, with whom he had three children. But, after meeting Woodward, it all changed. He divorced Witte in 1958 and married Woodward on January 29 of the same year in Vegas.
20th Century Fox, Wikimedia Commons
From Broadway To Forever
Woodward and Newman met in 1953 when they were understudies in the Broadway play Picnic. The couple had three daughters. They were Nell, Melissa, and Clea. Their relationship has been celebrated in the recent HBO documentary The Last Movie Stars.
20th Century Fox, Wikimedia Commons
Jacqueline And John F. Kennedy
These celebrities met in May 1952 at a dinner party thrown by journalist Charles L. Bartlett. Back then, Kennedy was a congressman from Massachusetts. They hit it off right mainly due to their common interests in Catholicism, books, and travel.
America's Royal Romance
After he snagged a Senate seat in November 1952, they wed in September 1953 in Rhode Island. In June 1961, the Kennedys met Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to England for the christening of Jackie's niece. They then came to be known as "America's royal couple".
Cecil W. Stoughon, Wikimedia Commons
Anne Bancroft And Mel Brooks
Their interfaith marriage—Bancroft was Catholic, and Brooks was Jewish—played a big role in their relationship, but it didn't get in the way. Bancroft's mother was pretty supportive. So, they officially got married on August 5, 1964, at New York City Hall.
Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Partners In Laughter
Much known to the world, the lovebirds collaborated on several projects, including the films Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), To Be or Not to Be (1983), and Silent Movie (1976). They also appeared on the television show Curb Your Enthusiasm.
To Be or Not to Be (1983) - Trailer HD 1080p by Grindhouse Movie Trailers
Love Lives On Through Words
At the age of 73 in the year 2005, Anne Bancroft died of uterine cancer. Frequently discussing the massive influence she had on his life, Brooks has called her "the love of his life". Their son, Max Brooks, is a well-known author of the novel World War Z.
Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Katharine Hepburn And Spencer Tracy
Now, here's another complicated love story. Their affair lasted for about 26 years, beginning in the early 1940s and continuing until Tracy's passing in 1967. Hepburn and Tracy met on the set of Woman of the Year in late 1941 when Hepburn was a divorced actress.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood's Open Secret
Tracy was a major star but was unhappily wedded to Louise Tracy. It is believed that the pair maintained a discreet relationship. They often lived separately to protect Tracy's family from public scrutiny. Hepburn and Tracy together starred in a total of nine films.
Lassos the moon, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Yoko Ono And John Lennon
This relationship began while Lennon was still married to Cynthia Lennon. The whole situation made him leave his first wife and their son. Lennon later talked about his feelings, stating, “When I fell in love with Yoko, I knew this is different from anything I've ever known”.
Bernard Gotfryd, Wikimedia Commons
Art And Revolution
The story goes that Ono and Lennon first met in 1966 in November at the Indica Gallery in London during an exhibition of her work. He was intrigued by Ono's art, especially a piece with a ladder and a magnifying glass that revealed the word "YES".
Eric Koch / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Barbra Streisand And Elliot Gould
As Streisand and Gould started to make a name for themselves—Streisand as a big musical star and Gould getting noticed for his parts in movies like MASH—their relationship started to get a little shaky. By 1971, after eight years of marriage, they decided to separate.
Broadway's Young Dreams
In an interview post-divorce, Gould mentioned that they "didn't grow together". Streisand was only 21 years old when she decided on forever. The two had come across each other in 1962 while working on the Broadway production of I Can Get It for You Wholesale.
Julie Andrews And Blake Edwards
When they first crossed paths, Andrews described Edwards as "the most charismatic and interesting fellow" she had ever met. This was in 1959, but Andrews and Edwards truly connected while working jointly on the 1969 musical film Darling Lili.
Friedman-Abeles, Wikimedia Commons
Behind The Camera Love
Throughout their marriage, the pair worked on movies like 10 (1979), Victor/Victoria (1982), and S.O.B. (1981). Even after her husband passed away in 2010 due to pneumonia, Julie Andrews continued to honor his legacy in different ways.
Julie Andrews tribute for husband Blake Edwards. By Nicole Simpson
Keeping His Vision Alive
For instance, in 2019, Andrews curated a film retrospective titled Blake Edwards: A Film Selection by Julie Andrews at the Metrograph Theater in New York City. This event displayed Edwards' films so audiences could remember and appreciate his contributions.
Julie Andrews tribute for husband Blake Edwards. By Nicole Simpson
Ali MacGraw And Steve McQueen
It all started for them during the shooting of The Getaway in 1972. MacGraw described their connection as "chemical," and of course, they ended up getting married in July 1973. Prior to their marriage, MacGraw was married to producer Robert Evans.
The Getaway (1972) Trailer | Steve McQueen | Ali MacGraw by Film Trailer Channel
Eric Clapton And Pattie Boyd
Pattie Boyd was originally married to George Harrison from The Beatles in 1966. Over the years, their relationship hit some rough patches, mainly because of George's cheating and personal issues. During that time, Eric Clapton entered the scene.
Beatles member, George Harrison and Patti Boyd in an interview on their wedding by iconic
Love Through Six Strings
He was a close buddy of George and ended up having a big crush on Boyd. But Boyd remained committed to Harrison. So, he expressed his admiration through music, with the classic song "Layla". They finally got hitched on March 27, 1979, in Tucson, Arizona.
Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd (Pretty Girl) by Pattie Boyd
Carly Simon And James Taylor
It is said that Simon once saw Taylor on the cover of Time magazine. On that, she famously declared to her sister, "I'm going to marry that man"—a sentiment that would eventually come true. The music industry couple married on November 3, 1972.
Kathleen Ballard, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Songs Still Echo
They had two children, Ben and Sally. Even though the lovers parted ways in 1983, in her memoir Boys in the Trees, Simon discusses her enduring love for him and her desire to heal him. This was despite the fact that they do not speak anymore.
You Can Close Your Eyes (HD) - James Taylor & Carly Simon by TayMon
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