Jeff Still Loves His Wife

Husband and Wife - Jeffrey Hunter and Barbara Rush; at Home; 1953

Jef Hunter

Has been carrying a torch for Barbara Rush, who seems determined to go through with a divorce.  But that tall, dark and handsome guy on whom she has her eye isn’t in the mood for marriage.  He happens to be Rock Hudson, whose chief interest is his career.  Jeff is not exactly weeping in his beer though at least as long as Debra Paget is around.




[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Jeffrey Hunter; Barbara Rush; Rock Hudson

Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman “Hank” McKinnies, November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) and Barbara Rush were married from December 1, 1950 until March 29, 1955.  They would have one son together, Chris.  Hunter and Debra Paget would star in two films together, Fourteen Hours and Princess of the Nile.  I'm not sure there was ever a relationship between the two, but they would have made a handsome couple.  I'm 100% sure Barbara and Rock didn't happen, as we have more info than those living in the 1950s would have.  I've always thought Jeffrey Hunter was a strikingly handsome man - almost too beautiful to be true.  Tragically he died from a cerebral hemorrhage from injuries received on the set at the young age of 42.  

Jeffrey Hunter and Debra Paget in Fourteen Hours

Constance Snags Herself Another Beau

Joel McCrea and Constance Bennett

"Constance Bennett now sports two beaus, Joel McCrea is the new addition.  He is reported to be cutting in on the Marquis de la Falaise de la Coudraye.  He is tall, robust, and handsome chap who has been in movies since the early single days.

Joel McCrea and Constance Bennett

He doesn't have exclusive rights to Constance, however.  The Marquis and he both sometimes lunch with her.

Henry de La Falaise and Constance Bennett

McCrea has played in two of her pictures - Born to Love and Common Law."




[Source: Picture Play; July 1931]

The Marquis and Constance on Their Wedding Day; 1931

Bennett and McCrea would eventually star in a total of 4 films together.  And the Marquis really had nothing to worry about for he and Constance would marry later that year, a mere days after divorcing his wife, the formidable Gloria Swanson.  He and Bennett divorced in 1940.

Henry de La Falaise and Gloria Swanson

Dewey Looks for Greener Pastures

Dewey Martin

Dewey Martin

Is expected to file for divorce soon, and that’s a pity.  He and his wife went through some mighty lean years together.  Now that his career is clicking, his marriage seems to be doing just exactly the opposite.  The price of fame can be high.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Dewey Martin and Peggy Lee

I assume Movieland is referring to his first wife Margaret Ann Havelhurst.  I cannot find any marriage dates for the two.  Martin was also married to singer Peggy Lee from 1956-1958.  

Jane Gets Stopped on her Way to Her Wedding

Jane Powell

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

And Pat Nerney, after waiting all this while, got stopped by a cop for speeding on the way to their wedding in Ojai.  Pat explained the situation.  The cop wished them lots of luck and handed them a ticket anyhow. Jane had an interchangeable wardrobe made for her European honeymoon; so she could get all her fine feathers in two suit cases, an overnight bag, and a hat box.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

Jane Powell and Pat Nerney were married from November 8, 1954 until 1963.  

Pat Nerney and Jane Powell

Jane has been married 5 times, currently to former child star Dickie Moore.  I find Jane's films simply delightful and it is too bad that classic movie musicals went out of style and we have been deprived of this wonderful star on screen.

Will Joe and Marilyn Ever Reunite?

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn 1954

And Joe DiMaggio who supplied the biggest screen divorce story of the year, may also come up with the largest reconciliation.  At this writing, Marilyn still has her divorce on file, but Joe, with time for reflection, seems to think he acted too hastily in walking out on his blonde bride.  And he was the one who did the walking, of that you can be sure even though Marilyn hastily applied for the divorce.  Joe was blazingly angry at something about which he wouldn’t talk.  The rumor mill has been working overtime to try to come up with an answer.  But Joe took the first active step toward a reconciliation when he visited Marilyn while she was hospitalized for minor surgery.  It was the concern that a man shows for his wife and not a divorced mate.  If they reconcile, and we believe they will, both Marilyn and Joe will have to learn a little more of the old game of give and take which has saved many marriages.  Certainly Marilyn has no intention of chucking over her career and Joe will have to accept that fact – just as Marilyn will have to accept the fact that a marriage brings responsibility to the home.  The highly publicized separation could be the best thing that ever happened to that marriage.  We believe the reconciliation will be as sudden as the divorce.  Marilyn needs a long rest, which a second honeymoon could provide – rather than the publicity field day occasioned by their first.

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Marilyn and Her Attorney Announcing the Divorce

We all know the story of Marilyn and Joe.  If not, there are plenty of sources which speak of the topic.  I wish they could have made things work.  They seemed to have a lifelong love, or at least lifelong respect for one another.  Joe certainly never married again and Marilyn is known to turn to Joe when life was roughest.

Marilyn 1954

There were rumors of the two reuniting in February 1961, but though Joe nursed Marilyn through this tough moment in her life, the two never remarried.  Maybe they found each other again in that great baseball diamond in the sky.

Joe and Marilyn - in Happier Times