Hollywood marriage

A Hollywood marriage originally meant a marriage between Hollywood celebrities. However, the term has grown to also have strong connotations of a marriage that is of short duration and quickly ends in separation or divorce, that is, a marriage that is the exact opposite of a fairy tale marriage.

More sympathetic views of Hollywood marriages emphasize that overexposure from intense media coverage, paparazzi shadowing, and the demanding schedules of fast-moving careers put unusual stress on such marriages. Rates of separation or divorce may also seem to be higher than they actually are due to the heavy publicity given to such events, simply because they involve celebrities. More negative views of Hollywood marriages attribute high divorce rates to the usage of weddings as publicity stunts and high rates of infidelity or promiscuity.

Perhaps the celebrity most associated with Hollywood marriage is Elizabeth Taylor, who was married eight times to seven husbands (not all were celebrities before she married them).

Famous cases of short-term Hollywood marriages

• Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander (Annulled after 55 hours in 2004)
• Drew Barrymore and Tom Green (2001)
• Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton (2000-2002)
• Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock (2006)
• Renee Zellweger and Kenny Chesney (2005)
• Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey (2002-2006)
• Ali Landry and Mario López (2004)
• Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett (1993-1995)
• Mike Tyson and Robin Givens (1988-1989)
• Liza Minnelli and David Gest (2002-2003)
• Shannen Doherty and Ashley Hamilton (1993-1994)
• Uma Thurman and Gary Oldman (1990-1992)

• Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley (2002)
• Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley (1994-1996)
• Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly
• Helen Hunt and Hank Azaria (1999-2000)
• Paula Abdul and Emilio Estevez (1992-1994)
• Dennis Hopper and Michelle Phillips
• Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman (1998-1999)
• Ernest Borgnine and Ethel Merman
• Cher and Gregg Allman (1975-1977)
• Selma Blair and Ahmet Zappa (2004-2007)
• Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (1995-1998)

Hollywood marriages of a longer duration which eventually ended in divorce

• Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (1920-1936)
• James Daly and Hope Newell (1942-1965)
• Robert De Niro and Diahnne Abbott (1976-1988)
• Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison (1983-2004)
• Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (1990-2001)
• Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid (1991-2000)
• Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (2000-2005)
• Harvey Keitel and Lorraine Bracco (1982–1993)
• Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley (1985-1994)
• Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson (2000-2006)
• Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards (2002-2006)
• Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe (1999-2007)
• Cher and Sonny Bono (1964-1974)
• Christina Applegate and Johnathon Schaech (2001-2006)
• Diane Lane and Christopher Lambert (1988-1994)
• Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore (1980-2009)

• Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown (1992-2007)
• Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson (1975-1976, 1989-1996)
• Rebecca Romijn and John Stamos (1998-2004)
• Madonna and Sean Penn (1985-1989)
• Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn (1996-2009+) (pending)
• Madonna and Guy Ritchie (2000-2008)
• Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin (1993-2002)
• Nicolas Cage and Patricia Arquette (1995-1996, 2000-2001)
• Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold (1990-1994)
• Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving (1985-1989)
• Barbra Streisand and Elliott Gould (1963-1971)
• Tyne Daly and Georg Stanford Brown (1966-1990)
• Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford (1991-1995)
• Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman (1998-2004)

Long-term Hollywood marriages that have not ended in divorce

• Art Linkletter and Lois Foerster - 73 years (11/25/1935)
• Karl Malden and Mona Greenberg - 70 years (12/18/1938)
• Peter Graves and Joan Endress - 58 years (12/13/1950)
• Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara - 54 years (9/14/1954)
• James Garner and Lois Clarke - 52 years (8/17/1956)
• Alan Alda and Arlene Alda - 52 years (3/15/1957)
• Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme - 51 years (12/29/1957)
• Hal Linden and Francis Martin - 51 years (4/13/1958)
• Jack LaLanne and Elaine LaLanne - 49 years (9/24/1959)
• Martin Sheen and Janet Sheen - 47 years (12/23/61)
• Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward - 50 years (1958-2008, ended by Newman's death)
• Bob Newhart and Virginia Quinn - 46 years (1/12/1963)
• Bill Cosby and Camille Cosby - 45 years (1/25/1964)
• Dolly Parton and Carl Dean - 43 years (5/30/1966)
• Christopher Walken and Georgianne Walken - 40 years (01/1969)
• Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards - 39 years (11/12/1969)
• Billy Crystal and Janice Crystal - 39 years (6/4/1970)
• Donald Sutherland and Francine Racette - 37 years (1972)
• Ernest Borgnine and Tora Traesnaes - 36 years (2/24/1973)
• Sissy Spacek and Jack Fisk - 35 years (4/12/1974)
• Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard - 34 years (6/7/1975)
• Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi - 34 years (6/12/1975)
• Sidney Poitier and Joanna Shimkus - 33 years (1/23/1976)
• Sam Waterston and Lynn Louisa Woodruff - 33 years (1/26/1976)
• Jeff Bridges and Susan Geston - 32 years (6/5/1977)
• Eugene Levy and Deborah Divine - 32 years (1977)
• Mickey Rooney and Jan Rooney - 30 years (8/7/1978)
• Meryl Streep and Don Gummer - 30 years (9/30/1978)
• Jeff Daniels and Kathleen Treado - 30 years (1979)
• Martin Short and Nancy Dolman - 29 years (1980)
• Jay Leno and Mavis Elizabeth Nicholson Leno - 28 years (11/30/1980)
• John Lithgow and Mary Yeager - 28 years (1981)
• Susan St. James and Dick Ebersol - 27 years (11/21/1981)
• Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman - 27 years (1/28/1982)
• James Earl Jones and Cecilia Hart - 27 years (3/15/1982)
• Chevy Chase and Jayni Luke - 27 years (6/19/1982)

• Tim Daly and Amy Van Nostrand - 26 years (9/18/1982)
• Dana Carvey and Paula Zwagerman - 26 years (1/8/1983)
• Denzel Washington and Paulette Washington - 26 years (1983)
• Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward - 26 years (4/16/1983)
• Dan Aykroyd and Donna Dixon - 26 years (4/29/1983)
• Beau Bridges and Wendy Treece Bridges - 25 years (1984)
• Harry Morgan and Francis X Bushman 22 years (12/17/1986)
• Ralph Macchio and Phillis Fierro - 22 years (4/5/1987)
• Geoffrey Rush and Jane Menelaus - 21 years (1988)
• Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson - 21 years (April 1988)
• Jonathan Frakes and Genie Francis - 21 years (5/28/1988)
• Treat Williams and Pam Van Zant - 21 years (June 1988)
• Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan - 20 years (7/16/1988)
• Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick - 20 years (9/4/1988)
• Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates - 20 years (1989)
• Hugh Laurie and Jo Green - 19 years (6/06/1989)
• John Goodman and Annabeth Hartzog - 19 years (10/27/1989)
• John Travolta and Kelly Preston - 17 years (September 1991)
• Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw - 17 years (10/12/1991)
• Warren Beatty and Annette Bening - 17 years (3/10/1992)
• Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley - 15 years (11/13/1993)
• Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson - 14 years (7/03/1994)
• Celine Dion and Rene Angelil - 14 years (12/17/1994)
• Brad Silberling and Amy Brenneman - 14 years (1995)
• Jayne Brook and John Terlesky - 13 years (1996)
• Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas - 13 years (5/14/1996)
• Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower - 12 years (1997)
• Will Smith and Jada Pinkett - 11 years (12/31/1997)
• Barbra Streisand and James Brolin - 10 years (July 1998)
• David Arquette and Courteney Cox - 9 years (6/12/1999)
• Patrick Dempsey and Jillian Fink Dempsey - 9 years (7/31/1999)
• Audra McDonald and Peter Donovan - 9 years (2000)

See also

• List of people with longest marriages