DAILY DIRT: ‘With this ring, I thee wed’

January 15, 2025 | By Steve Eighinger, Muddy River News Minister of Culture and Doctor of Love

Daily Dirt for Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025

Yes, there are a surprising number of “real” love stories that have emerged from the entertainment industry … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,173 of The Daily Dirt

1. Surprisingly, not every marriage involving entertainers ends in a much-publicized divorce.

I’ve rounded up what I feel are 10 of the best Hollywood/music marriages since the 1970s that are still going strong — and a few that are what you probably expect to hear about when two entertainers get hitched:

The good

Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach: The former Beatle and the former Bond Girl have been hitched since 1981 — that’s more than 40 years. The two have seven grandchildren and one great grandkid from previous relationships, but never had any together.

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick: The actors have been married since 1988. Their secret? “Don’t take marriage advice from celebrities,” Sedgwick has said.

Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson: They were married in 1980 and remain together. In fact, their relationship began in 1974, which, if my math is correct, is entering its 51st year. They have one child, a daughter.

Keith Richards and Patti Hansen: This might be THE shocker. Richards and Hansen have been married since 1983 on Richards’ 40th birthday.

Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman: The “Taxi” and “Cheers” stars were married in 1982 and stayed together until 2017. Though they separated, they have never divorced, preferring “to keep their family together”. They have three children.

Donnie Osmond and Debbie Glenn: The two have been married since 1978 and have five sons together, plus a dozen grandchildren.

Jeff Bridges and Susan Geston: This couple has been married 49 years and have three children.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson: This power couple was married in 1988 and at last report the two actors are still very much in love.

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollman: This is one of the best stories ever, at least to me. Pollman was the love of Fox’s life and the two actors have been married since 1988. She has remained at his side as he battles Parkinson’s.

The bad

Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez-Mora Macias: Mick has eight children with five different women, but Bianca was the only woman he was ever legally married to (in 1971). The marriage lasted until 1978, although both parties admitted to multiple sordid affairs. And before you say, “No, there were two Jagger marriages — you forgot Jerry Hall.” No, Jagger and Hall do not count. They had some sort of strange ceremony/marriage that was later declared “unofficial” by the High Court of England and Wales.

Rod Stewart and Alana Hamilton: Let’s be honest, Rod may be the greatest male vocalist the world has ever known, but as far as marriage morals are concerned he has always been … shall we say, lacking? For those keeping score, he has eight children with five different women, including three wives. But let’s give the 80-year-old rocker some credit — he’s been happily married to Penny Lancaster since 2007. Rod’s marriage to Hamilton in 1979 lasted until 1985, at least on paper. (Stewart’s oldest child is a daughter, 61-year-old Sarah.)

Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher: The singer and actress seemed like a perfect pair. They initially met in 1977, but did not marry until 1983. They were divorced a year later.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (second marriage): They should never have reunited. This one lasted for just a year, ending in 1976.

2. Did you know (Part 247)

That 59 years ago this week, “Batman” debuted on network television.
That author Stephen King’s real name is Richard Bachman
That Kid Rock’s real name is Robert James Ritchie.
That Carrie Underwood will be singing “America the Beautiful” and Lee Greenwood will be offering “God Bless the U.S.A.” at President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
That every college football champion since 2005 has come from the eastern half of the U.S.