Famous Weddings & Divorces in 1964

Famous Weddings

Bill Cosby

Jan 25 Comedian and actor Bill Cosby marries Camille Olivia Hanks

Pete Rose

Jan 25 MLB outfielder Pete Rose (22) weds first wife Karolyn Englehardt

Peter Sellers

Feb 19 Actor Peter Sellers (38) weds actress Britt Ekland in London, England

Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor

Mar 15 English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor (32) marries for the 5th time to Welsh actor Richard Burton (38); divorce in 1974, remarry in 1975

Jane Goodall

Mar 28 Anthropologist Jane Goodall marries wildlife photographer Baron Hugo van Lawick, at Chelsea Old Church, London (divorced 1974)

John Wayne Gacy

Apr 9 Serial killer John Wayne Gacy (22) weds co-worker Marlynn Myers

Apr 29 Princess Irene marries Spanish prince Carel Hugo de Bourbon Parma

Roy Campanella

May 5 Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella (41) weds long-time friend Roxie Joynes

Ritchie Blackmore

May 18 English rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (19) weds German girl Margrit Volkmar (19); divorce in 1969

Ernest Borgnine & Ethel Merman

Jun 27 Broadway musical actress-singer Ethel Merman (56) weds Academy Award-winning actor Ernest Borgnine (47) in Beverly Hills, California; divorce 1964

Mahalia Jackson

Jul 2 Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (52) weds Sigmond Galloway

Jul 31 George Lascelles marries Patricia Tuckwell

John Coltrane

Aug 4 Jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane (35) weds jazz harpist and pianist Alice Macleod

Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft

Aug 5 American screenwriter and future film maker Mel Brooks (38) weds American actress Anne Bancroft (32) at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau; second marriage for both, until her death in 2005

Muhammad Ali

Aug 14 World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali (22) weds cocktail waitress Sonja Roi

Bruce Lee

Aug 17 Bruce Lee (23), Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor, weds Linda Emery (19), teacher

Dick Cheney

Aug 29 46th US Vice President Dick Cheney (23) weds Lynne Ann Vincent (23) at the First Presbyterian Church of Casper in Wyoming

Sep 18 Greek King Constantine II marries Danish princess Anne-Marie

Peter Benchley

Sep 19 Author Peter Benchley (24) weds Winifred B. Wesson

Jayne Mansfield

Sep 24 American actress Jayne Mansfield (31) weds American film producer and director Matt Cimber (28) in Mulege, Baja California Sur, Mexico; divorce in 1966

Charlie Watts

Oct 14 English "Rolling Stones" drummer Charlie Watts (23) weds English sculptor Shirley Shepherd (26) in Bradford, England, until his death in 2021

Harry Nilsson

Oct 24 Aspiring American songwriter Harry Nilsson (23) weds Sandi McTaggart (21) in Los Angeles, California; divorce in 1967

Sonny Bono & Cher

Oct 27 American singers Sonny Bono (29) & Cher [Sarkisian] (18) wed, Cher wears bell-bottoms; divorce in 1975

Ellen Burstyn

Nov 12 Academy Award-winning actress Ellen Burstyn weds actor Neil Nephew

Roberto Clemente

Nov 14 MLB right fielder Roberto Clemente (30) weds Vera Zabala at San Fernando Church in Carolina

José Ferrer

Nov 22 American actress and singer Rosemary Clooney (36) weds Puerto Rican actor José Ferrer (51) for the second time in Los Angeles, California; divorce a second time in 1967