George Peppard's Spouses: Marriages And Hollywood Life

George Peppard captured global attention as the suave Paul Varjak in Breakfast at Tiffany's and later as Colonel "Hannibal" Smith on The A-Team. Yet behind his polished silver-screen exterior, his personal life involved a complex series of relationships. Peppard married five women across six separate marriages, navigating the intense pressures of mid-century Hollywood fame, personal demons, and public divorces.

Understanding Peppard's romantic history requires looking beyond the gossip columns to examine the five women who shared his life, the children they raised, and how his personal struggles shaped his later years.

The Early Years and First Marriage: Helen Davies

Before Hollywood stardom fully materialized, Peppard married his first wife, Helen Davies, in 1954. During this decade, Peppard was paying his dues in New York City, studying method acting at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg, and taking odd jobs like driving a taxi and working as a radio engineer to make ends meet.

The marriage lasted a decade, ending in divorce in 1964. During their time together, the couple welcomed two children:

• Bradford Davies Peppard
• Julie Marie Peppard

This foundational period spanned Peppard’s transition from a struggling stage actor to a bankable film star following his breakout role opposite Audrey Hepburn. However, the relentless demands of a rising movie career strained domestic life, leading to their separation.

The High-Profile Romance: Elizabeth Ashley

In 1966, Peppard married actress Elizabeth Ashley, his co-star in the steamy drama The Carpetbaggers. Their relationship was arguably his most famous union, frequently covered by entertainment magazines and gossip columnists. They represented the quintessential glamorous Hollywood couple of the late 1960s.

Together, they had a son named Christian Peppard. Despite the initial passion and shared artistic background, the marriage grew volatile. They divorced in 1972. Interestingly, Peppard's romantic life with Ashley held lingering complexities; historical accounts note that they married twice across their turbulent relationship timeline, though both instances ultimately concluded in legal separation.

Navigating Instability: Sherry Boucher and Alexis Adams

Following his split from Ashley, Peppard entered a transient phase in his personal life during the mid-1970s and 1980s.

• Sherry Boucher-Lytle: Peppard married Sherry Boucher, an actress from Louisiana, in 1975. The marriage was relatively short-lived, ending in divorce in 1979.
• Alexis Adams: In 1984, Peppard married Alexis Adams. This union also proved brief, dissolving in divorce by 1986 as Peppard juggled the intense production schedule of The A-Team, which premiered in 1983 and made him a household name to a new generation of television viewers.

Peppard later reflected candidly on his repeated marital breakups. In a 1990 interview, he famously quipped that getting divorced multiple times felt like breaking the exact same leg in the exact same place, adding that he was fortunate he didn't require a cane to walk.

Final Years and Stability: Laura Taylor

In 1992, Peppard married Laura Taylor (sometimes referred to in public records as Kim Dalton). This final marriage coincided with a profound personal transformation. Peppard had struggled with severe alcoholism for years until achieving sobriety in 1978. In his later decades, he dedicated significant personal time to helping other alcoholics navigate recovery.

During the early 1990s, Peppard was diagnosed with lung cancer following a lifetime of heavy smoking. He successfully quit smoking and continued working, even touring the United States in a one-man theatrical show portraying Ernest Hemingway titled Papa. Taylor remained by his side through his cancer treatments until his passing on May 8, 1994, in Los Angeles. Although treated for lung cancer, his ultimate cause of death stemmed from complications related to chemotherapy-induced leukemia.

You can explore more about his cinematic impact and archival records through the Internet Movie Database or historical retrospectives hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times was George Peppard married?

George Peppard was married six times to five different women. He married Elizabeth Ashley twice, with both instances ending in divorce.

Who were George Peppard's children?

Peppard fathered three children. He had two children, Bradford and Julie, with his first wife Helen Davies, and one son, Christian, with his second wife Elizabeth Ashley.

Did George Peppard overcome his personal struggles later in life?

Yes. After battling alcoholism for years, Peppard achieved sobriety in 1978 and spent much of his later life mentoring others dealing with substance abuse. He also quit smoking after a lung cancer diagnosis in 1992.

What was George Peppard's final role?

Peppard spent his final years touring in the theatrical one-man show Papa, playing Ernest Hemingway, showcasing his lifelong dedication to dramatic acting beyond his famous television and film work.