Actors Who Got Married Long Before They Turned Twenty Years Old

Many entertainers achieve fame quickly, leading them to make big life choices earlier than most people. While teenage marriages are uncommon today, they happened more frequently with young actors throughout Hollywood’s history. These performers balanced the demands of stardom with the challenges of married life before even turning twenty. This article highlights several well-known actors who got married before reaching their twentieth birthday.

Jerry Lee Lewis

The performer married Dorothy Barton at just sixteen years old, long before becoming famous as a rock and roll pioneer and movie star. He went on to appear in films like ‘High School Confidential!’ while navigating a demanding career and personal life. The marriage ended after almost two years, coinciding with the start of his rise to stardom.

Taran Noah Smith

The young actor became famous for playing Mark Taylor on the popular TV show ‘Home Improvement’. When he was seventeen, he married a woman sixteen years older, which attracted a lot of attention from the media and caused disagreements with his parents about his money. After the show finished, he decided to leave acting and focus on building a career in other industries.

Glen Campbell

The singer and actor married Diane Kirk at just seventeen, early in his career as he was starting to gain recognition in the music world. He later became famous as the host of a hit variety show and appeared in many films, including the beloved classic ‘True Grit’. He’s remained a major figure in American entertainment thanks to his successful work in both music and movies.

George Jones

The famous singer, known for his roles in several musical movies, married Dorothy Bonvillion when he was just seventeen years old. This was the first of many marriages throughout his successful and eventful career. He’s celebrated as one of the best singers ever, and appeared in films such as ‘Country Music Holiday’. His life offstage was often just as captivating as the music he shared with his huge fanbase.

Mickey Gilley

This singer and actor played a key role in the ‘Urban Cowboy’ craze. He began his personal life young, marrying at seventeen in Mississippi. Throughout his career, he released numerous popular songs and appeared on TV shows like ‘The Fall Guy’. He’s best known for his lasting impact on the music and nightlife scene in Texas and across the country.

Macaulay Culkin

The actor first became famous as a child in the beloved movie ‘Home Alone’. He shocked many people when he married actress Rachel Miner at the young age of eighteen. Their relationship attracted a lot of media attention, but they divorced after two years, choosing to focus on their individual careers.

Corey Feldman

The actor was a popular face in 1980s movies, known for roles in films like ‘The Goonies’ and ‘The Lost Boys’. He married actress Vanessa Marcil at just eighteen years old in Las Vegas, but the marriage didn’t last long and they divorced quickly after. Throughout his long career, he’s consistently been featured in celebrity news.

Chuck Norris

Before achieving global fame as an action movie star, he married his high school sweetheart, Dianne Holechek, when he was just eighteen years old. They remained married for thirty years, building a family and raising two children as his career took off. He’s well-known for his skills in martial arts and for starring in the popular television show ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’. After decades together, their marriage eventually ended in the late 1980s.

Roger Moore

This English actor is best known for his role as James Bond in a series of films. He married his first wife, Doorn Van Steyn, at just eighteen years old. They shared a small apartment while he worked to establish himself as an actor. The couple divorced in 1953 after seven years of marriage.

Jerry Lewis

The famous comedian and filmmaker married singer Patti Palmer at just eighteen years old. They built a life together over the next thirty-six years, raising six children. He became a global star through his comedy partnership and iconic roles, like the one in ‘The Nutty Professor’. Their marriage eventually ended in the early 1980s as he began a new chapter in his life.

Donald O’Connor

He’s best remembered for his iconic dance number in the movie ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. He married Gwen Carter when he was just eighteen, as his Hollywood career was taking off. They were married for around nine years and had one daughter. He remained a prominent figure in musical theater and television for many years after that.

Peter Tork

He first became famous as a member of The Monkees, a popular band featured on television. He married Reine Stewart at the young age of eighteen in 1960, but the marriage didn’t last long, ending before he became a world-renowned star. He continued to be a respected and important person in entertainment until his death.

Stathis Giallelis

The Greek actor first gained recognition for his leading role in the highly praised film ‘America America’. He married young, at eighteen, as his acting career was just starting. This happened while he was becoming a well-known international star, working with director Elia Kazan. He continued to appear in films made around the world throughout the 1960s and 70s.

Tommy Rettig

Most people remember the actor for playing Jeff Miller in the popular show ‘Lassie’. He married Darlene Portwood when he was eighteen, around the time his childhood acting career was winding down. Later, he completely changed careers and began working with computer software. Getting married was part of his effort to live a more private life, away from the public eye.

Tito Jackson

This singer and actor was one of the original members of the famous family group, The Jacksons. He married Delores Martes at eighteen, while the group was becoming well-known. They had three sons who went on to create their own successful band. Throughout his life, he participated in many TV specials and documentaries about his celebrated family.

Marlon Jackson

The actor, who is also a singer, married Carol Ann Parker at the young age of eighteen. He rose to fame as part of a hugely popular family group that had numerous hit songs and was a regular on TV for many years. Their marriage has lasted for decades, which is rare and impressive in the entertainment world. Throughout his life, he’s also worked on a variety of different business and entertainment ventures.

Randy Jackson

The youngest sibling from the well-known musical family married Eliza Shaffy at eighteen. During the height of his family’s popularity, he performed with his brothers and sisters in various shows and movies. This happened during a particularly hectic time for the family, who were constantly in the public spotlight. Later in his career, he shifted his focus to working behind the scenes as a music producer and in other creative capacities.

Waylon Jennings

The actor and musician married Maxine Lawrence at just eighteen years old. He’s best known for providing the memorable theme song and narration for the TV show ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ throughout its entire run. For many years, he was a prominent figure in entertainment, working as both a performer and an actor. He and Maxine eventually divorced as he focused on building a career in broadcasting and music.

Ernest Tubb

A country music and film pioneer, he starred in movies like ‘Hollywood Barn Dance’ and ‘Jam Session’. He married Lois Elaine at eighteen, as he was starting his career. Over several decades, he became a legendary performer and is known for helping to make popular many performance styles we still enjoy today.

Robert Conrad

Most people remember the actor for playing the lead in the TV show ‘The Wild Wild West’. He married his first wife, Joan Kenlay, at a very young age – just seventeen. They had five children and stayed married for more than twenty-five years. Throughout his career, he was known for being athletic and for often playing strong, tough characters.

Michael Landon

This acclaimed actor and producer became famous for his roles in ‘Bonanza’ and ‘Little House on the Prairie’. He married Dodie Levy-Fraser at just nineteen years old, and they later adopted a child. The couple remained together as his television career began to flourish, but they divorced in 1962, coinciding with a peak in his fame.

Pat Boone

The singer and actor married Shirley Foley at the young age of nineteen, and they shared a remarkable sixty-five-year marriage until her passing in 2019. He rose to fame in the 1950s, starring in movies such as ‘April Love’. Their long and loving relationship was well-known as an unusual example of stability and commitment in Hollywood.

John Derek

The actor and director was a handsome man who starred in iconic films like ‘The Ten Commandments’. He married Pati Behrs at a young age of nineteen, and they were married for seven years. He then had several other well-known relationships and famously helped launch the film careers of the women he later married.

Bo Svenson

Born in Sweden, this actor is most famous for playing the main character in the action movie ‘Walking Tall’. He married Lise Lennert when he was just nineteen years old, while serving in the military. Remarkably, they’ve been married for over sixty years – a rare accomplishment in the world of entertainment. Throughout his extensive career, he’s been in many films and TV shows.

Willie Nelson

As a critic, I’ve always been fascinated by figures who truly leave their mark, and this artist is definitely one of them. He was barely nineteen when he married Martha Matthews, and quickly became a familiar face on screen, popping up in films like ‘The Electric Horseman’ and ‘Red Headed Stranger’. But it wasn’t just his acting; his incredibly distinctive voice and overall style really cemented his place in the American cultural landscape. He and Martha had three children together, but sadly, their marriage eventually ended in divorce after a number of years.

Merle Haggard

Before becoming a legendary entertainer, he briefly appeared in shows like ‘The Waltons’ and several musical productions. He married his first wife, Leona Hobbs, at the young age of nineteen, during a difficult time in his life. He would later become one of the most admired people in American entertainment history.

Buck Owens

Roy Clark, the star of the popular show ‘Hee Haw,’ married Bonnie Owens at a young age, nineteen. They performed music together and stayed friendly even after they divorced years later. He was a key figure in developing a distinctive musical style and became a well-known face on television for many years. His impact can still be seen in today’s entertainment and variety shows.

Conway Twitty

Early in his career, the singer and actor appeared in movies like ‘College Confidential.’ He married Ellen Jenkins when he was just nineteen, while his star was rising. However, the demands of fame soon put a strain on their relationship, and they eventually separated. He later went on to become one of the most celebrated musicians and performers of all time.

Charlie Rich

The actor known as the Silver Fox was in the movie ‘Every Which Way But Loose’. He married Margaret Ann Rich at the young age of nineteen, and they stayed married until he passed away in 1995 – a remarkably long marriage for someone in the entertainment business. Throughout his career, he worked in many different types of film and television.

Don Everly

This talented performer, one half of a well-known duo, inspired generations of musicians. He married his first wife, Mary Ruth, at just nineteen years old. Throughout the 1960s, he was a regular on TV and in films, including ‘The Everly Brothers Show.’ He achieved worldwide fame and was celebrated for his amazing vocal harmonies throughout his long career.

Phil Everly

Similar to his brother, he married young, at the age of nineteen, to Jacqueline Alice. He quickly became a prominent figure in the early days of rock and roll, performing on many musical shows. Their marriage didn’t last long, coinciding with the peak of their initial success. He remains a highly regarded and influential performer from his generation.

Bobby Vee

The popular singer and actor married Karen Bergen at the young age of nineteen, and they shared a loving marriage for over fifty years until she passed away in 2015. He starred in movies such as ‘Play It Cool’ and achieved great success with numerous hit songs. Despite a difficult start to his career, he became a much-loved icon in popular culture.

Jermaine Jackson

The singer and actor married Hazel Gordy at the age of nineteen. Throughout his career, he’s been in the movie ‘Voyage of the Rock Aliens’ and numerous TV shows. Their marriage lasted for more than ten years and was well-known within the entertainment world. He’s had a successful career performing both as a solo artist and with various groups.

Gary Lewis

The son of comedy icon Jerry Lewis, this musician and actor married his first wife, Jinky Suzanne, at just nineteen. He found fame in the 1960s as the frontman of a popular band and also appeared in films like ‘A Swingin’ Summer’. Although his career was paused when he served in the military, he continued to entertain audiences for decades.

Taylor Hanson

Taylor Hanson first became famous in the late 1990s as a member of the band Hanson. He married Natalie Anne Bryant at the young age of nineteen, and they’ve since built a family with seven children. Their marriage has lasted for over twenty years. Throughout his career, Taylor has also made appearances on television and in music-related documentaries.

Share your thoughts on these early Hollywood marriages in the comments.

2026-02-26 09:48