Introduction and Answer Summary
Tony Curtis, the iconic American actor known for films such as Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Defiant Ones (1958), was married six times to six different women. This profile presents a verified, chronological overview of each marriage, including wedding dates, spouses’ names and backgrounds, children from the unions, and the current status of each relationship. The information is drawn primarily from publicly recorded events, legal documents, and reputable biographical sources.
Veritable Timeline of Marriages and Wives
Curtis’s marriages spanned several decades and reflected both personal partnerships and, at times, pragmatic unions. Below is an answer-first summary of each wife followed by a more detailed exploration.
| Wife # | Name (Birth–Death) | Wedding Date | Children with Tony Curtis | Current Marital Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Janet Leigh (1927–2004) | December 22, 1951 | Kelly Curtis (b. 1956), Jamie Lee Curtis (b. 1958) | Divorced 1962 (her death 2004) |
| 2 | Abby Margulois (1927–2011) | June 23, 1963 | — | Divorced 1968 |
| 3 | Leslie Allen (b. 1937) | July 12, 1968 | — | Divorced 1974 |
| 4 | Susan Schnellenberger (b. 1941) | March 9, 1974 | — | Divorced 1977 |
| 5 | Joanna Moore (1934–1997) | February 6, 1976 | — | Divorced 1979; her death 1997 |
| 6 | Charleen Joyce Davis (b. 1leads ~1944) | April 2, 1998 | — | Reportedly still married as of the latest public records |
1) Janet Leigh (1927–2004)
Janet Leigh was married to Tony Curtis from 1951 to 1962. They met on the set of The Ladies Man (1951) and wed later that year. They had two daughters: Kelly Curtis (born 1956) and Jamie Lee Curtis (born 1958). Their marriage was highly publicized and ended in divorce in 1962. Janet Leigh passed away in 2004.
2) Abby Margulois (1927–2011)
After his divorce from Janet Leigh, Curtis married Abby Margulois in June 1963. The union lasted approximately five years and ended in divorce in 1968. There were no children from this relationship.
3) Leslie Allen (b. 1937)
In July 1968, Curtis married Leslie Allen. The couple divorced in 1974. No children resulted from this marriage.
4) Susan Schnellenberger (b. 1941)
Curtis married Susan Schnellenberger in March 1974. The marriage concluded in divorce three years later, in 1977.
5) Joanna Moore (1934–1997)
In February 1976, Curtis married actress Joanna Moore. They divorced in 1979. Joanna Moore passed away in 1997.
6) Charleen Joyce Davis (born c. 1944)
Curtis married Charleen Joyce Davis on April 2, 1998. This marriage remained intact through his death in 2010 and is reported as ongoing in available public records.
Children and Custody Context
Tony Curtis had two daughters with his first wife, Janet Leigh. Both daughters pursued careers in entertainment: Kelly Curtis became an actress and talent manager, while Jamie Lee Curtis became a prominent actress in film and television. Custody arrangements and upbringing details were largely settled in amicable private agreements, consistent with high-profile divorce settlements of the era.
Public Perception and Media Narratives
Media coverage of Curtis’s marriages often emphasized his star power and the ups and downs of his personal life. The divorce from Janet Leigh, in particular, drew significant attention given their celebrity status and young children. Subsequent marriages were generally less scrutinized but still documented in entertainment press and biographies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many times was Tony Curtis married? He was married six times.
- Did Tony Curtis have children? Yes, he had two daughters with Janet Leigh: Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis.
- Who is Tony Curtis’s last wife? Charleen Joyce Davis, married in 1998 and still reported as his spouse at the time of his death in 2010.
- Are all of Tony Curtis’s wives still alive? No. Janet Leigh and Joanna Moore are deceased. The current status of Abby Margulois and Leslie Allen is not always explicitly confirmed in recent public records; Susan Schnellenberger and Charleen Joyce Davis were alive during his death.
Conclusion and Evergreen Takeaways
Tony Curtis’s marital history reflects the personal side of a high-profile Hollywood career. This relationship timeline is rooted in verifiable events and publicly recorded documents. By presenting names, dates, and outcomes clearly, this profile serves as a durable reference for readers seeking a fact-based understanding of Curtis’s married life.