Who was Jane Powell's husband? Actress divorced 4 times before husband Dickie Moore
From TV to the stage, Jane Powell left no medium untouched in her long and successful acting career. Best known for 'Royal Wedding' and 'Seven Brides of Seven Brothers', Powell emerged as a force in the post-war period. But while she enjoyed great success professionally, her personal life was an entirely different matter. Married five times, Powell struggled to find her ideal partner before she met Dickie Moore, to whom she was married for over two decades.
Powell's passing at 92 is being widely mourned by fans, as she was one of the last survivors of Hollywood's golden age. Recently, the industry also lost beloved character actor Michael Constantine, as well as 'The Wire' star Michael K Williams. In late August, Ed Asner also died, at the age of 91. The industry has lost a large number of celebrities this year, but few will be as emotional as the passing of Powell.
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That brings us to her personal life. The extremely talented actress had a largely troubled personal life, with four marriages ending in divorce before she found Moore, who passed away in 2015. Here's a look at the ups and downs of Powell's relationships, and how she fared through some of her best years.
Who was Jane Powell married to?
Before getting married, Powell enjoyed a brief romance with actor Stanley Catron, who she met on the sets of 'Song of the Open Road' in 1944. They broke up a year or two later, leading Powell to marry actor and figure skater Geary Steffin. The duo tied the knot in 1949 and divorced in 1953. The brief marriage also saw the birth of two of Powell's children - Gearhardt Anthony Steffen III and Suzanne Steffen. The marriage was brought to an end with Powell's shocking affair with Gene Nelson.
In 1953, Powell met Nelson while filming 'Three Sailors and a Girl', and the couple instantly fell in love. It led to both of them getting divorced later that year, but unfortunately, that also ended their romance. Nelson got cold feet in late 1953, and ended the romance leaving Powell furious with the damage done to her personal life. A year later, a heartbroken Powell married friend and automobile executive, Patrick Nerney. At the time of the wedding in 1954, Powell was just 25! Two years later, Powell gave birth to Lindsey Nerney.
In 1963, Powell and Nerney called it quits on their marriage, but it is unclear why exactly. At the time, Powell's big-screen career had effectively ended, and she spent her time on TV shows like 'The Ed Sullivan Show'. She spent just two years alone, before tying the knot for the third time, with journalist James Fitzgerald. Eventually, Fitzgerald became Powell's business manager, with "their marriage became more of an unhappy business relationship."
After 10 years though, the relationship became too strained to save and Powell and Fitzgerald divorced in 1975. Once again, just years later, Powell got married again. In 1978, she tied the knot for the fourth time with David Parlour before divorcing in 1981. Details of that relationship are scant, so we don't know what exactly happened. A year later though, Powell finally found everlasting love, with child actor Moore. In 1982, the couple moved in together in New York and dated for six years before getting hitched in 1988. The couple met when Moore sat down to interview Powell for his book on child stars, sparking a 33-year long relationship that lasted until Moore's death in 2015.
The relationship with Moore turned out to be just the thing Powell needed. Following his death, she said, "I’m learning to be alone now... I’ve never been entirely free. Someone’s always told me what to do, not that Dick did, but I’m so happy doing what I’m doing right now. I’m so enjoying myself." Powell spent her last few years gardening and enjoying the company of her pets, the first time in a long time she was truly alone, before her passing in 2021.