She Was Never Just The President's Ex-Wife
Jane Wyman had already survived Hollywood scandals, failed marriages, and a bitter divorce before Ronald Reagan became President, but her most notorious feud was still ahead of her. While her former husband occupied the White House, she was ruling television as a ruthless matriarch, and her clashes with another Hollywood legend proved that Wyman had lost none of her fire.
Her Real Age Was A Hollywood Mystery
Jane Wyman was born Sarah Jane Mayfield in St. Joseph, Missouri, but even something as simple as her birth year became a source of confusion. She frequently gave 1914 as her birth year, although later research and several biographical accounts identified 1917 instead. It was an unusual mystery for an actress whose personal life would eventually become a subject of national fascination.
Americasroof, Wikimedia Commons
Her Childhood Wasn't Particularly Glamorous
Long before Hollywood came calling, Jane experienced an unsettled childhood that included the death of her father and changes in her family circumstances. Biographical accounts differ about her early upbringing, including whether the couple who raised her formally adopted her. What is clear is that she developed an interest in performing and eventually began pursuing opportunities outside Missouri.
Los Angeles Times, Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood Didn't Welcome Her Immediately
As a young performer, Jane tried to establish herself in entertainment but found that the industry offered few immediate opportunities. She worked various jobs, including as a manicurist and telephone operator, and performed as a radio singer under the name Jane Durrell. Eventually, she returned to Hollywood determined to make acting her profession.
She Started At The Very Bottom
Jane's early film work included appearances in musical productions where she was just another face among dozens of performers. She eventually secured a Warner Bros. contract in 1936, but the studio initially cast her in minor parts and lightweight comedies. Her famous name was becoming established, yet she remained far from the respected dramatic actress she hoped to become.
Screenshot from Gold Diggers of 1937, Warner Bros. (1936)
Her First Marriage Ended Quickly
In 1937, Jane married clothing manufacturer Myron Futterman, a businessman considerably older than she was. Their marriage lasted less than two years, with differences over having children reportedly contributing to their separation. The divorce was finalized in 1938, just as another important man was entering Jane's life.
Studio Publicity, Wikimedia Commons
She Met A Future President On Set
Jane met Ronald Reagan while they were working as Warner Bros. contract players, appearing together in the 1938 comedy Brother Rat. Reagan was a rising actor and former sports broadcaster whose charm attracted Jane's attention. Their relationship quickly developed, giving Hollywood's publicity departments a promising new couple to celebrate.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
Hollywood Thought They Were Perfect Together
Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan married on January 26, 1940, in Glendale, California. Their relationship was frequently presented in fan magazines as an ideal Hollywood marriage, with two attractive performers building successful careers together. Behind that carefully polished public image, however, their priorities would gradually move in different directions.
Their Family Suffered A Terrible Loss
The couple welcomed their daughter Maureen in 1941 and later adopted a son, Michael. In June 1947, Jane gave birth to another daughter who had arrived prematurely and died shortly afterward. The tragedy occurred during an already difficult period in their marriage, adding immense personal grief to their increasingly complicated lives.
Her Career Started Outshining His
During World War II, Reagan served in the military while Jane continued working in Hollywood. Her career took a major step forward with The Lost Weekend, followed by an Academy Award nomination for The Yearling. As Jane became a serious dramatic star, Reagan's own career was moving along a less successful path.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wikimedia Commons
His Political Obsession Became A Problem
Reagan grew increasingly involved in labor issues and Screen Actors Guild activities, while Jane remained focused on acting and her family. She later described becoming frustrated with his lengthy political discussions, which she found exhausting. Their different interests contributed to a growing divide that Hollywood's carefully managed publicity could no longer conceal.
She Made The Breakup Public
In 1948, Jane sought a divorce from Reagan, ending a marriage that many fans had believed was exceptionally happy. According to contemporary accounts, her public comments about the marriage surprised Reagan, who had still hoped they might reconcile. The breakup attracted considerable attention, especially because Jane's professional success was accelerating at precisely the same moment.
The Divorce Came With An Awkward Twist
Their divorce coincided with Jane's breakthrough performance in Johnny Belinda, which would earn her Hollywood's highest acting honor. Reagan reportedly joked that the movie itself was competing with him for his wife's attention. Although the remark was humorous, it reflected how closely Jane's rising career had become associated with the collapse of their marriage.
Screenshot from Johnny Belinda, Warner Bros. (1948)
She Won Hollywood's Biggest Prize
At the 1949 Academy Awards, Jane won Best Actress for Johnny Belinda, portraying a woman who cannot hear or speak. She had worked extensively to understand the character, even having her hearing temporarily blocked during filming to improve her performance. The Oscar transformed her standing in Hollywood and established her as a major dramatic performer.
She Refused To Be Defined By Divorce
Following her Oscar victory, Jane continued building a career that extended far beyond her famous former marriage. She starred in major productions including The Blue Veil and earned another Academy Award nomination for her performance. While Reagan's political ambitions continued developing, Jane was busy proving that she could succeed independently.
Screenshot from The Blue Veil, RKO Radio Pictures (1951), Enhanced
She Found Love Again, Then Lost It
In 1952, Jane married musician and vocal coach Fred Karger, beginning another turbulent chapter in her personal life. The couple divorced in 1955, but their relationship did not end permanently. In 1961, they married each other again, only to divorce for a second time in 1965.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
She Had A Painfully Funny Explanation
After several failed marriages, Jane developed a dry sense of humor about her romantic history. She once suggested that some women simply were not suited to remaining married and counted herself among them. Rather than presenting herself as a victim of Hollywood heartbreak, she seemed willing to acknowledge that marriage was something she had struggled to make work.
Another Man Was Making Political History
While Jane continued her acting career, Ronald Reagan married actress Nancy Davis in 1952. He eventually became governor of California in 1967, establishing himself as an increasingly influential political figure. For Jane, those developments meant that a marriage she had ended decades earlier would remain a permanent subject of public interest.
She Refused To Discuss Her Famous Ex
Despite the constant attention, Jane refused to turn her former marriage into an ongoing public spectacle. In a 1968 interview, she explained that discussing former spouses was simply in poor taste, regardless of any political disagreements. It was a firm boundary that she maintained even as Reagan became one of America's most recognizable public figures.
Photographer unknown. Distributed by w:Universal Pictures., Wikimedia Commons
Her Ex-Husband Became President
Ronald Reagan won the 1980 presidential election and entered the White House in January 1981. His election made Jane Wyman the first former wife of an American president, an unusual distinction she had never sought. Yet just as her former husband reached the highest political office in the country, Jane was preparing for a remarkable professional comeback.
She Returned As Television's Meanest Matriarch
In 1981, Jane began starring in the CBS drama Falcon Crest as Angela Channing, the powerful owner of a California winery. Her character was controlling, calculating, and determined to maintain authority over her family and business. The role gave Jane an opportunity to abandon her familiar sympathetic screen image and embrace something considerably more dangerous.
Screenshot from Falcon Crest, Warner Bros. Television (1981-1990), Enhanced
She Demanded A Better Villain
Jane was initially dissatisfied with the way Angela Channing had been written, finding the character excessively unpleasant without enough complexity. She wanted Angela to be interesting rather than simply cruel, encouraging the production to give her a more distinctive personality. The changes helped turn Angela into the formidable figure viewers came to love watching.
Screenshot from Falcon Crest, Warner Bros. Television (1981-1990), Enhanced
Another Hollywood Legend Challenged Her
The show's producers brought in legendary actress Lana Turner to play Jacqueline Perrault, creating considerable excitement around the series. Turner was a major star in her own right, and her arrival meant that two powerful Hollywood personalities would now share the spotlight. Unfortunately, the arrangement reportedly became considerably more contentious behind the scenes than viewers realized.
Screenshot from Falcon Crest, Warner Bros. Television (1981-1990), Enhanced
Their Rivalry Became Hollywood Gossip
Reports of tension between Jane and Lana circulated during Turner's involvement with Falcon Crest. Accounts from people associated with the production described Jane's frustration with Turner's demands and the time spent preparing her for filming. Turner publicly dismissed suggestions of a serious feud, but later accounts from production personnel indicated that the relationship was genuinely strained.
She Wasn't About To Surrender Control
Jane reportedly maintained strict expectations for professional behavior on the Falcon Crest set and possessed considerable influence over the production. According to later accounts, her clashes with Turner contributed to the decision to eliminate Turner's character from the series. Although the precise responsibility for that decision remains difficult to establish, the rivalry became one of the show's most enduring behind-the-scenes stories.
Her Television Comeback Was A Triumph
Whatever happened behind the cameras, audiences responded enthusiastically to Jane's commanding performance. Falcon Crest became a long-running prime-time success, and Jane won a Golden Globe in 1984 for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series. Decades after her first Hollywood breakthrough, she had once again established herself as a major television attraction.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
She Had No Patience For Presidential Questions
As Falcon Crest became popular, Jane remained irritated by journalists who preferred discussing Reagan instead of her acting achievements. She was known to end interviews when reporters ignored her refusal to address the subject. In 1989, she emphasized her decades of work, pointing to 86 films and hundreds of television appearances as evidence that her identity extended far beyond her former marriage.
Her Former Co-Stars Remembered Another Side
Despite her reputation for being demanding, several colleagues remembered Jane with considerable affection. At a 2010 Falcon Crest reunion, Lorenzo Lamas described her as a wonderful mentor who had helped shape his career. His recollections suggested that the formidable personality associated with Angela Channing did not fully capture the woman working behind the scenes.
She Finally Broke Her Silence
After Falcon Crest ended in 1990, Jane gradually withdrew from public life and devoted more attention to painting and private interests. When Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, she made a rare public statement honoring him as a great president and a kind, gentle man. It was a dignified acknowledgment from someone who had spent decades refusing to publicly revisit their marriage.
She Left Behind A Remarkable Legacy
Jane Wyman died on September 10, 2007, at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, after several years of declining health. Her achievements included an Academy Award, multiple additional Oscar nominations, and a celebrated television comeback that introduced her to a completely new audience. Despite the failed marriages, Hollywood rivalries, and constant presidential comparisons, she remained determined to be remembered for her own extraordinary career.
Pictorial Parade, Getty Images
Her Final Victory Was Being Remembered
Jane's legacy extended beyond her awards and television success, with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recognizing her film and television achievements. She also devoted considerable time to charitable work, particularly supporting the Arthritis Foundation, which honored her contributions. The scandals may have attracted headlines, but her extraordinary ability to reinvent herself remained the more lasting achievement.
Photographer not credited, Wikimedia Commons
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