In Scarlet Women, Femme Fatales, and Other Women I listed high profile women and the persons to whom they have been linked romantically. I thought it was interesting, and hope you did also. In this article I serve up the men.
As I noted in the article on the ladies many of the most highly publicized marriages of our time have either survived infidelity or fallen victim to it, depending upon the players involved. I further found that multiple partners would appear to be the norm if we are to take a look at the private (and not so private) lives of celebrities and other high profile personalities.
Let’s take a look at several high profile men and their romantic liaisons, via information gathered from searching the web. Let me clarify that not all liaisons and romantic links occurred while all persons involved were married. In some cases, only one party was married, in some cases, both, and in some cases, neither.
We’ll start with the man who broke the heart of a princess: England’s Prince Charles. Unable to commit to Camellia Parker, the woman he really loved, the Prince of Wales sought a suitable bride for himself after Camellia married a man who wasn’t so slow to commit. Despite a fairy tale wedding, a bride who tried, and royals who disapproved, the relationship between Charles and Camellia continued. The subsequent divorces of Camellia Parker Bowles from her husband, and Prince Charles from his wife, caused concern that Charles and Camellia would marry. The untimely death of Princess Diana served to push Camellia from the public eye and the social register until she and Charles finally legalized their relationship.
President John F. Kennedy’s womanizing was lengendary, yet Jackie Kennedy held the marriage together despite her husband being romantically linked with Marilyn Monroe, Lee Remick, Judy Campbell Exner, Joan Crawford, Arlene Dahl, Angie Dickinson, Marlene Dietrich, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sonja Henie, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield, Gene Tierney, and White House secretaries nicknamed “Fiddle” and “Faddle” by the Secret Service.
Spencer Tracy and Louise Treadwell were married, but that didn’t stop his long-term relationship with Katherine Hepburn or romantic linkings with Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, Paulette Goddard, Grace Kelly, Nancy Davis (Reagan), Gene Tierney or Loretta Young.
Frank Sinatra was married to four women, Nancy Barbato, Ava Gardner, Mia Farrow and Barbara Marx. Throughout the years, he was romantically linked to Gloria Vanderbilt, Tuesday Weld, Natalie Wood, Lana Turner, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Shirley MacLain, Kim Novak, Nancy Davis (Reagan), Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich, Pamela Harriman.
Joseph P. Kennedy, married to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was romantically linked to Marion Davies, Marlene Dietrich, Pamela Harriman, Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson.
Journalist Edward R. Murrow, married to Janet Huntington Murrow, was romantically linked to Tallulah Bankhead, Marlene Dietrich, and Pamela Harriman.
Actor Gary Cooper, married to Veronica Balfe, was romantically linked to Mae West, Lupe Velez, Barbara Stanwyck, Sophia Loren, Patricia Neal, Merle Oberon, Carole Lombard, Grace Kelly, Libby Holman, Paulette Goddard, Anika Ekberg, Marlene Dietrich, Tallulah Bankhead, Ingrid Bergman, Clara Bow, Claudette Colbert, and Countess di Frasso.
Actor Yul Brenner had one spouse, actress Virginia Gilmore. Over the years he was romantically linked to Tallulah Bankhead, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Gina Lollabrigida, Marilyn Monroe, and Nancy Davis (Reagan).
Actor Peter Lawford, married to Patricia Kennedy, Deborah Gould, and Patricia Seaton, was romantically linked to Lucille Ball, Dorothy Dandridge, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Judy Holliday, Kim Novak, Nancy Davis, Elizabeth Taylor and Lana Turner.
Sammy Davis, Jr., married three times to Loray White, May Britt, and Altovise Gore, was romantically linked to Linda Lovelace, Marilyn Monroe and Kim Novak.
Actor Rock Hudson, married once to Phyllis Gates, was linked romantically to both men and women including Marc Christian, Joan Crawford, Lee Garlington, Michael Kearns, Elizabeth Taylor and Mamie Van Doren.
Actor Sean Connery, married to actress Diane Cilento and portrait painter Micheline Roquebrune, has been romantically linked to Ursula Andress, Brigitte Bardot, Kim basinger, Lynsey de Paul, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lana Turner, Shelley Winters, and Lana Wood.
Aristotle Onassis was married twice, the first time to Tina Livanos, daughter of a rival shipowner, and the final time to Jackie Kennedy, widow of the U.S. President Jack Kennedy. He was linked romantically to Gloria Swanson, Eva Peron, Simone Simon, Veronica Lake, Paulette Goddard, Doris Duke, Pamela Harriman, and Maria Callas.
A diplomat in the service of the Dominican Republic, Porfirio Rubirosa was married five times: dictator’s daughter Flor de Oro Trujillo, actress Danielle Darrieux, heiress Doris Duke, heiress Barbara Hutton, and starlet Odile Rodin. He was romantically linked to Dolores Del Rio, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ava Gardner, Veronica Lake, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, and Eva Peron.
Fashion designer Oleg Cassini has had two wives, Merry Fahrney and Gene Tierney. He has been romantically linked to Lady Sylvia Ashley, Grace Kelly, Jayne Mansfield, and Marilyn Monroe.
Actor Clark Gable was married five times. His wives were actress Josephine Dillon, Ria Langham, acress carole Lombard, Lady Sylvia Ashley, and actress Kay Spreckels. He was romantically linked with Shelley Winters, Loretta Young, Lupe Velez, Lana Turner, Nancy Davis, Norma Shearer, Lourella Parsons, Merle Oberon, Doris Lilly, Grace Kelly, Hedy Lamarr, Jean Harlow, Virginia Gray, Paulette Goddard, Ava Gardner, Marion Davies, and Joan Crawford.
Millionaire Howard Hughes was married either two or three times: to debutante Ella Rice, to actress Jean Peters, and perhaps to actress Terry Moore (she says she married him). He was linked romantically to the following men and women: Richard Cromwell, Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, Marlene Dietrich, Billie Dove, Errol Flynn, Ava Gardner, Russell Gleason, Paulette Goddard, Cary Grant, Jean Harlow, Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Hutton, Hedy Lamarr, Carole Lombard, Ida Lupino, Marilyn Monroe, Tyrone Power, Ginger Rogers, Randolph scott, Norma Shearer, Yvonne Shubert, Gene Tierney, Lana Turner, Gloria Vanderbilt, Ulta Violet, and Shelley Winters.
Actor Randolph Scott was married twice to Maraianna du Pont Somerville and Marie Patricia Stillment. He was romantically linked to Lupe Velez, Mr. Blackwell, Cary Grant and Howard Hughes.
Actor Cary Grant had five wives: actress Virginia Cherrill, heiress Barbara Hutton, actress Betsy Drake, actress Dyan Cannon, and Barbara Harris. He was romantically linked to Mr. Blackwell, Joan Crawford, Doris Duke, Howard Hughes, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren, Kim Novak, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott and Mae West.
Actor Tyrone Power was married twice, to actresses Annabella, and Linda Christian. Bisexual, he was romantically linked to Mr. Blackwell, Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Errol Flynn, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, Howard Hughes, Eva Peron, Simone Simon, Gene Tierney, Lana Turner and Loretta Young.
Who can forget when singer Eddie Fisher dumped his first wife Debbie Reynolds to marry second wife Elizabeth Taylor only to be dumped by Liz so she could marry Richard Burton? His third wife was Connie Stevens. He has been romantically linked with Mamie Van Doren, Maria Schell, Stefanie Powers, Merle Oberon, Hope Lange, Judy Garland, Mia Farrow, Marlene Dietrich, Ann-Margaret, and Pier Angeli.
Actor-director Woody Allen has been married twice, to his high school sweetheart Harlene Rosen, and to actress Louise Lasser. His long term relationship with Mia Farrow ended when he fell in love with Soon-Yi Previn, Mia’s adopted daughter. He has also been linked romantically to Diane Keaton.
Actor Warren Beatty married actress Annette Bening in 1991. Thus stopped one of Hollywood’s most “active” bachelors. He has been romantically linked with Natalie Wood, Mamie Van Doren, Liv ZUllmann, Barbra Streisand, Diane Sawyer, Stephanie Seymour, Carly Simon, Madonna, Michelle Phillips, Diana Ross, Bianca Jagger, Diane Keaton, Vivian Leigh, Isabelle Adjani, Brigitte Bardot, Candice Bergen, Jacqueline Onassis, Judy Carne, Cher, Julie Christie, Joan Collins, Britt Ekland, Jane Fonda, Melanie Griffith and Goldie Hawn.
Actor Errol Flynn was married to three actresses: Lili Damita, Patrice Wymore and Nora Eddington. He was romantically linked to Beverly Aadland, Truman Capote, Apollonio Diaz, Doris Duke, Howard Hughes, Barbara Hutton, Hedy Lamaar, Eva Peron, Tyrone Power, Lana Turner, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lupe Velez, and Shelley Winters.
Actor David Niven was married to Primula Rollo and Hjordis Tersmeden. He was romantically linked to Mae West, Loretta Young, Ann Todd, Norma Shearer, Simone Simon, Carole Lombard, Merle Oberon, Ginger Rogers, Deborah Kerr, Evelyn Keyes, Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, Barbara Hutton, Grace Kelly, Doris Duke, Ava Gardner, and Paulette Goddard.
Singer Elvis Presley was married once to Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. Women with whom he has been linked romantically include: Mamie Van Doren, Tuesday Weld, Natalie Wood, Barbra Streisand, Cybill Shepherd, Juliet Prowse, Doris Duke, and Ann-Margret.
I don’t know if these lists have done anything more than provide some entertainment. I think, however, that public figures and high profile celebrities provide role models for the rest of us. Hopefully we’ll choose as role models those celebrities who have solid marriages rather than those who appear to have a lack of commitment to marriage or long term relationships.