Not only was the 1970s the decade that brought us groovy disco, but it was also the decade that provided us some of the most famous celebrity couples in history. Although some of these relationships did not survive the test of time and others were severed due to sadness or tragedy, they are all unforgettable nonetheless. Some of the events that took place behind closed doors are just now being brought to the public’s attention.
40 Plus Most Unforgettable 1970s Celebrity Couples Ranked
40. Martin Scorsese And Isabella Rossellini
Martin Scorsese has been married five times, and one of his ex-wives is the renowned and stunning actress Isabella Rosselini. Scorsese and Rosselini had two children together. She initially conducted an interview with the well-known director for a show that was broadcast on Italian television, and later she had a love relationship with him. It led to a marriage that lasted for four years, despite the fact that there are suspicions that Rossellini was unfaithful, which ultimately ended in the pair getting a divorce as a result of the situation.
40 Martin Scorsese And Isabella Rossellini
39. Dennis Hopper And Michelle Phillips
If you think that modern celebrities have whirlwind relationships, you haven’t witnessed anything yet that can equal to the passion that Michelle Phillips and Dennis Hopper shared. The actor from “Apocalypse Now” got married to the singer who would eventually become his wife on the spur of the moment. Phillips finally decided that she wanted to focus more on her professional life, despite the fact that the couple had been married for only eight days at that point.
39 Dennis Hopper And Michelle Phillips
38. Mikhail Baryshnikov And Jessica Lange
In 1976, the fact that Jessica Lange, a well-known actress from Hollywood, was dating Mikhail Baryshnikov, a ballet dancer from Russia, caused quite a stir in the media. When she started chasing the famous ballet dancer, she had not yet completed the formal process of divorcing her husband. This is the reason why this is the case. The troubled relationship persisted until the year 1982, at which time the pair became parents to a girl who would later become known as Aleksandra Lange “Shura” Baryshnikov.
38 Mikhail Baryshnikov And Jessica Lange
37. Ali MacGraw And Steve McQueen
During the production of The Getaway, actor and known ladies’ man Steve McQueen managed to persuade Ali MacGraw to divorce her marriage. After then, the pair wed and were married for a total of five years. Despite the fact that the actress stated to People magazine in 2018 that the relationship was “chemical,” she added that “He was very gorgeous the majority of the time.” However, there was also the possibility of harm, as there was a naughty lad around.
37 Ali MacGraw And Steve McQueen
36. James Taylor And Carly Simon
James Taylor and Carly Simon, two of today’s most popular singers, are living proof that playing and listening to music has the power to bring people closer together. Throughout the decade of the 1970s, the couple actually produced beautiful music together but, regrettably, their marriage ended in the 1980s. However, in contrast to many current musical couples, they did not continue their friendship after the breakup and did not compose any songs that had subtly critical lyrics about one another.
36 James Taylor And Carly Simon
35. Roger Vadim And Jane Fonda
Roger Vadim had a reputation for being a bit of a heartbreaker in his younger years, particularly when it comes to courting females. This was especially true when Roger Vadim was dating girls. It seemed as though he and Jane Fonda may take their relationship to the next level, and she was just one of the many famous individuals that he dated. Even though they had a kid together, they were unable to preserve their marriage, and it ended in 1973. Despite the fact that they had a child together.
35 Roger Vadim And Jane Fonda
34. Steve Martin And Bernadette Peters
When it was originally made known that Bernadette Peters and Steve Martin were involved in a romantic relationship, the news generated a great deal of media attention. The movies “The Jerk” (1979) and “Pennies from Heaven” (1981), both of which were released in the same year, were popular among fans of the celebrities because they featured the celebrities in co-starring roles. The relationship between the two people had ended by the year 1982, however, both of them went on to find love with other companions following the split.
34 Steve Martin And Bernadette Peters
33. Elliott Gould And Barbra Streisand
Elliott Gould and Barbra Streisand were two of the most famous people in the world throughout the decade of the 1970s. Because of this, the fact that they were the prototypical power couple at the beginning of the decade should not come as a surprise to anybody. Gould told People that he and Streisand “did amazing” in their marriage, despite the fact that by the time they separated in 2020, they had been married for eight years and had one child.
33 Elliott Gould And Barbra Streisand
32. Linda Evans And John Derek
The dramatic divorce between actor and director John Derek and TV personality Linda Evans, which was purportedly prompted by Derek’s extramarital affair, brought the couple’s name into the public eye and made them famous. He was apprehended when he was in the arms of another woman, and especially the young actress Bo Derek. In the year 2020, she conveyed her sadness to the Daily Mirror by admitting that she was engaged in the affair and claiming that the thought of it “still crushes my heart.” She did so by revealing that she was participating in the affair.
32 Linda Evans And John Derek
31. Blake Edwards And Julie Andrews
Julie “Mary Poppins” Andrews, a famous actress in Hollywood, could not discover true love during her first marriage. Despite this, her second connection with Blake Edwards turned out to be the genuine deal. In 1969, she tied the knot with the director, and the two of them remained together for an incredible 41 years. That’s a very successful streak for Hollywood couples! Everything was only after Edwards’ untimely death in 2010 that it came to an end.
31 Blake Edwards And Julie Andrews
30. Julie Christie And Warren Beatty
According to a large number of reports, Hollywood power couple Julie Christie and Warren Beatty began dating in 1967 and were together for either six or seven years throughout their time together when they were in a relationship. Regardless of this, it would appear that they have maintained their friendship. In 2016, Warren said the following at an interview with People: “When [Christie] and her husband visit Los Angeles, they stay in our guest home. We are really close, and she is an exceptional person in addition to being a wonderful friend.
30 Julie Christie And Warren Beatty
29. Shakira And Michael Caine
Did you know that Michael Caine, who won an Academy Award, fell in love with the woman who would spend the rest of his life with him because of a television commercial? In point of fact, Shakira gave a performance as an actress in a commercial for Maxwell House coffee. It is alleged that following the event, he utilized his operatives to get in touch with her, and that the two of them had a wonderful time together. It seems incredible to think that they have been married since 1973!
29 Shakira And Michael Caine
28. Shelby Grant And Chad Everett
People who came of age in the 1970s will have clear recollections of how much people’s attention Chad Everett drew during that time period. On the other hand, it was too bad for his fans since he had his eye on another star called Shelby Grant to pursue a relationship with her. They tied the knot in 1966, and their union remained strong over the subsequent 45 years, right up to Everett’s unexpected death in 2011. During that period, they were successful in raising two kids.
28 Shelby Grant And Chad Everett
27. Robert Wagner And Natalie Wood
The equivalents of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston in their day were actors Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood. Both of them had great acting careers. They tied the knot in 1957, but their marriage lasted for barely five years before they got a divorce. In contrast to Brannifer, however, this influential couple really got back together in 1972 after having been apart for a relatively short period of time. Following that event, the pair remained together and did not part ways until nine years after Wagner’s passing, when they finally divorced.
27 Robert Wagner And Natalie Wood
26. Linda And Paul McCartney
Paul and Linda McCartney are living proof that music is the one thing that has the potential to genuinely bring people together. After being married in 1969, the pair rose to prominence almost immediately, becoming widely recognized as one of the most famous couples of the decade. The happy marriage that Linda and Paul had shared up until the year 1998, when Paul passed away unexpectedly, came to an end as a result of Paul’s untimely death.
26 Linda And Paul McCartney
25. Mary Marquardt And Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford, who shot to fame thanks to his roles in the films Indiana Jones and Star Wars, was already married when he broke into the public eye. The actor wed his high school sweetheart, the cook Mary Marquardt, in 1964, and their marriage lasted until 1979. Their romance began in high school. It would appear that she uncovered the fact that Ford was having an affair with Carrie Fisher, which ultimately led to the dissolution of their marriage.
25 Mary Marquardt And Harrison Ford
24. Joanne Woodward And Paul Newman
After being married in 1958, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were by no means a young couple by the time the 1970s rolled around; in fact, they were a very long way from being a fresh combination. In spite of this, the two individuals continued to get a considerable amount of attention from the general public throughout that time period. They remained together until Newman’s death in 2008, which coincided with the year that they also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They remained together until Newman’s passing.
24 Joanne Woodward And Paul Newman
23. Sasha Czack And Sylvester Stallone
Whether or not you were aware that Sylvester Stallone was married to Sasha Czack at the time, you could have heard of her because she was Sylvester Stallone’s first wife. Sasha Czack is a filmmaker and performer. She was previously married to the attractive actor before he became renowned for his part in Rocky, but after that, their lives went in different paths and they are no longer together. As a direct result of this, the two of them went their own ways within the first two years following the publication of Rocky III.
23 Sasha Czack And Sylvester Stallone
22. Michelle Phillips And Jack Nicholson
It seemed as though Jack Nicholson had a thing with actresses and singers while he was at the height of his career. And Michelle Phillips, with whom he carried on a tempestuous romance for a few years in the 1970s, was not an exception to this rule. She was, in point of fact, one of his numerous high-profile companions at the time. After then, she alleged that the relationship was severed when Nicholson discovered that the woman he thought was his aunt was, in fact, his own mother. She stated her accusation in an interview that took place several years afterward.
22 Michelle Phillips And Jack Nicholson
21. Serge Gainsbourg And Jane Birkin
In 1968, French musician Serge Gainsbourg and model Jane Birkin were introduced to one another and almost immediately began a love relationship. The two of them were together for more than 10 years during their relationship. During the 1970s, they were a hot topic of conversation, in part because the contentious song “Je T’Aime” was made as a result of their marriage, which garnered a lot of attention at the time. According to a piece that was written about Serge and published in Far Out magazine, he considered the song to be “the ultimate love song.”
21 Serge Gainsbourg And Jane Birkin
20. Mick Jagger And Jerry Hall
Naturally, Mick Jagger was one of the few people who epitomized the stereotypical rock and roll image that was widespread in the 1970s. This was especially true for the genre of rock and roll known as hard rock. During that time period, Jagger’s relationship with model Jerry Hall was just as well known as the rumors that he had extramarital affairs. Their turbulent, yo-yo affair fascinated the public and would continue for decades until it finally came to a stop in the 1990s when it was officially proclaimed that they were no longer together.
20 Mick Jagger And Jerry Hall
19. Warren Beatty And Diane Keaton
Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton had a whirlwind romance at the end of the 1970s, and despite the fact that it was only a few months long, it was widely reported on in the media. In spite of this, the former nevertheless managed to provide some complimentary comments about her ex-partner. In 2016, she granted an interview to Variety, during which she shared the following quote: “He makes you feel like you are the only one, the person that counts… To put it more succinctly, he exudes presence.
19 Warren Beatty And Diane Keaton
18. Donald Sutherland And Jane Fonda
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2018, Donald Sutherland said that he and Jane Fonda had a clear physical attraction to one another while filming the 1971 movie Klute. He stated that even though they had already been cast, filming had not yet begun. And on another occasion, [Fonda] made it quite plain that he should come home with her by making a suggestion that was fairly offensive. And he simply responded the word, ‘Okay.’
18 Donald Sutherland And Jane Fonda
17. Richard Burton And Elizabeth Taylor
It is said that everyone is deserving of a second chance and stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor proved the validity of this statement by giving themselves several opportunities to succeed. They became notorious due to the instability of their marriages, the first of which started in 1963 and terminated in 1978, exactly 11 years apart. The couple renewed their vows in 1975, but by the following year, they were completing the paperwork to end their marriage.
17 Richard Burton And Elizabeth Taylor
16. Joe Namath And Raquel Welch
In the early 1970s, Raquel Welch had a brief but high-profile romance with Joe Namath, who was then a quarterback for the New York Jets and a major heartthrob. This is mostly due to the former partner’s notoriety among women, in addition to the fact that their romance took place not long after Welch’s second divorce. Additionally, the two of them went to the Academy Awards together. You can rely on that getting the attention of the media!
16 Joe Namath And Raquel Welch
15. Egon And Diane Von Fürstenberg
What could possibly attract more of the public’s attention than two famous people getting married? What do you get when you cross an actor with a prince? Diana and Egon von Furstenberg tied the knot in 1969, but their marriage lasted only until 1973 when they divorced. Despite this, they maintained a very strong bond up to the former’s passing in the year 2003. In an interview with People published five years earlier, Diane stated, “In some ways, I still think I’m his wife.”
15 Egon And Diane Von Furstenberg
14. June Carter And Johnny Cash
June Carter and Johnny Cash, two famous artists, have one of the most honest and uncomplicated love stories of any famous marriage. The former individual proposed to the latter on stage in 1968, and the year was the year they tied the knot. It should come as no surprise that audiences in the 1970s and beyond fawned over such a love story. Carter and Cash did in fact remain together until 2003, when tragedy struck and they both departed tragically within a span of four months of one another.
14 June Carter And Johnny Cash
13. Burt Reynolds And Sally Field
Burt Reynolds was not only the lead actor in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit, but he also won Sally Field’s affections during their time together in the film. During the subsequent three years, their relationship was well received by the general public, but by the end of the decade, it had become irrelevant. However, the connection is still remembered with the same kind of warmth as the movie that served as its catalyst.
13 Burt Reynolds And Sally Field
12. Anne Byrne And Dustin Hoffman
It seemed as though actors Helen Byrne and Dustin Hoffman were going to remain dedicated to the parts they were playing for the foreseeable future. They were married for the greater part of the decade of the 1970s, and during that time they were even able to produce two children as a family unit. However, luck was not on their side, and by the beginning of the following decade, their partnership was a thing of the past. Fate did not have anything in store for them.
12 Anne Byrne And Dustin Hoffman
11. Bill Hudson And Goldie Hawn
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn did not always had a romantic relationship, despite the fact that it is difficult to think this now that time has passed. Prior to that, she was previously married to famous powerhouse Bill Hudson and enjoyed a fruitful marriage that lasted for six years before it ended in 1982. During that time period, people considered the pair to be a powerful celebrity couple. Goldie started a romantic relationship with Kurt the next year, and the rest, as they say, is history.
11 Bill Hudson And Goldie Hawn
10. Sam Elliott And Katharine Ross
The actress Katharine Ross had to go through four marriages before she found “the one,” but her dogged pursuit of happiness paid off in the end. On the set of the blockbuster movie The Legacy, which was released in 1978, she first met Sam Elliott. In 1984, the couple tied the knot, and unlike their previous relationship, this one lasted for the long haul. In point of fact, they have remained married up until this very day!
10 Sam Elliott And Katharine Ross
9. Eric Clapton And Pattie Boyd
Model Pattie Boyd had not one but two musicians fighting for her affection: Eric Clapton and her then-husband George Harrison. Pattie Boyd was married to George Harrison at the time. Both of the suitors competed against one another in a guitar battle for the privilege of dating the attractive woman. However, Clapton was victorious in the end. In 1979, he tied the knot with Boyd, and the couple stayed together for the next ten years as husband and wife.
9 Eric Clapton And Pattie Boyd
8. Gregg Allman And Cher
Cher, the vocalist, wed guitarist Gregg Allman only three days after finalizing her divorce from Sonny Bono. The information was widely reported, and fans anxiously watched the development of the relationship. However, the latter had problems with drug misuse, and when Cher subsequently featured in a TV show with her ex-husband, Allman filed for divorce, which was finally finalized in 1979. Cher and Allman had been married for a while before the divorce was finalized.
8 Gregg Allman And Cher
7. Bianca And Mick Jagger
After getting married in 1971 in a ceremony that received widespread media attention, Bianca and Mick Jagger were seldom out of the public glare. They became well-known due to the fact that they frequently visited the infamous nightclub Studio 54. Up until the time that they got divorced seven years later, the couple was one of the most sought after by the paparazzi. Given this, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they were one of the most photographed couples.
7 Bianca And Mick Jagger
6. Sondra Locke And Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood, a prominent movie star and director, is known for having a number of affairs, but his connection with Sondra Locke is likely the one that he will remember the most. They began dating after meeting each other on the set of The Outlaw Josey Wales in 1976, despite the fact that their relationship deteriorated over the course of time. In 2018, Sondra said in an interview with Vanity Fair that her departure from Clint Eastwood’s film franchise marked “the beginning of the end.”
6 Sondra Locke And Clint Eastwood
5. Lee Majors And Farrah Fawcett
The pair enjoyed great success thanks to Lee Majors’s television career and Farrah Fawcett’s appearances on Charlie’s Angels during the same time period. In point of fact, the fact that they were both so well-known was a factor in the breakup of their romantic partnership. According to what Majors said in an interview with People in 2019, “there was a year or so when I guess I saw her two weeks in one year.” When it comes to occupations like that, it might be really challenging.
5 Lee Majors And Farrah Fawcett
4. Yoko Ono And John Lennon
Everything related to The Beatles was an enormous hit back in the 60s and ’70s, as it still is, of course, today. This is also true of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, who are both still well-known figures in our modern culture. Throughout the 1970s, there was widespread speculation that the former was responsible for the breakup of the British band that was at the top of the charts. Despite this, the two remained together for the entirety of the decade, right up to Lennon’s untimely murder in 1980.
4 Yoko Ono And John Lennon
3. Aristotle Onassis And Jacqueline Kennedy
After her marriage to the Greek-American billionaire Aristotle “Ari” Onassis in 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy, who had previously served as First Lady, became known as “Jacky O.” Even before the marriage started to fail, the media could not get enough of the couple and the extravagant lifestyle they led. According to an article published in 2021 in Closer Weekly, “Had Ari not passed away in 1975, it is quite probable that they would have parted ways.”
3 Aristotle Onassis And Jacqueline Kennedy
2. Andrea Dotti And Audrey Hepburn
After Audrey Hepburn’s marriage to Mel Ferrer ended in divorce, the legendary beauty began a relationship with Andrea Dotti, an Italian psychotherapist. The two of them got married in 1969, and their union resulted in the birth of a son. She fell deeply in love with Ferrer when they were exploring the ruins of Greece. Despite the fact that there were allegations of cheating on both sides, the partnership lasted for 13 years before it finally came to an end.
2 Andrea Dotti And Audrey Hepburn
1. Priscilla And Elvis Presley
The union between Elvis and Priscilla Presley was riddled with scandal from the beginning. Yes, it was damaged by what appears to have been adultery on the part of Elvis, and there are rumors that he lost interest in her when she gave birth to a kid with him. Even after the couple had separated amicably in 1973, Priscilla stated in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2006 that “He was the love of my life.” The couple eventually divorced.
1 Priscilla And Elvis Presley