# What is the longest ex-marriage in history?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 6, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635 "2025-11-06T17:59:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/1 "2025-11-06T17:59:01Z")
I mentioned this in the “Abe Vigodas” thread but I’m spinning it off into its own thread.
For purposes of this thread, we’ll define an ex-marriage as the period after the divorce where both parties are still alive.
As I mentioned in the other thread, Ray Anthony and Mamie Van Doren got divorced in 1961. Sixty-four years later, they’re both still alive. So a sixty-four year long (and ongoing) ex-marriage.
Can somebody give an example of a longer ex-marriage? It doesn’t have to involve celebrities or famous people.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/2 "2025-11-06T18:02:53Z")
Do you care if either got remarried? It’s more impressive if neither did.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/3 "2025-11-06T18:07:11Z")
No, I’m just going for the length of the ex-marriage.
In the example I gave, Van Doren has had three subsequent marriages.
---
### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/4 "2025-11-06T18:42:24Z")
Mel Brooks was divorced from his first wife Florence Baum in 1962, so 63 years ago. Close but no cigar.
Lee Grant divorced her first husband Arnold Manoff in 1960 - 65 years ago.
Sophia Loren had her marriage to Calro Ponti annulled in 1962, again 63 years ago. But they stayed together and married in 1966. Not sure if we need a special category for this one.
Rober Wagner divorced Natalie Wood in 1962, and remarried her in 1972, before her death in 1981.
Estelle Parsons divorced her first husband in 1958, 67 years ago. He passed away in 1972.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/5 "2025-11-06T18:47:07Z")
I think you missed the part about both ex-spouses being alive.
Arnold Manoff, for example, died in 1965. So the length of their ex-marriage was just five years.
---
### Author:  [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/6 "2025-11-06T18:56:57Z")
I’m at over 35 years from my first divorce.
---
### Author:  [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/7 "2025-11-06T18:59:50Z")
@Procrustus That’s _got_ to be a personal record.
---
### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/8 "2025-11-06T19:15:34Z")
Since some cultures have very young marriages (early teens), there are probably ex-marriages in the 80 year range.
---
### Author:  [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/9 "2025-11-06T19:25:57Z")
That would be my guess. In some Muslim societies it’s still, or was until recently, not uncommon for girls to be married in their early teens. And divorces are easy to get (at least for the husband). So I’d guess the longest ex-marriage would be against that background.
---
### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/10 "2025-11-06T19:28:25Z")
40 years here. Nowhere close, but I celebrate the event every year with my current wife.
---
### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/11 "2025-11-06T19:40:36Z")
My parents divorced in 1968 after being married for 16 years, and my mother died earlier this year, exactly one week before what would have been their 73rd anniversary. So 57 years of amicable ex-marriage.
---
### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/12 "2025-11-06T20:25:27Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> I think you missed the part about both ex-spouses being alive.
Ah yes, I missed that on first read. I get it now.
---
### Author:  [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/13 "2025-11-07T03:32:04Z")
Woody Allen married his first wife when he was 20, divorced in 1956 when he was 23. No word on when/if she died. That was 69 years ago, she was 17 when they married. She’d be 88 now… a chance she’s still around.
He married Louise Lasser in 1966 and divorced in 1970. That’s 55 years ago, still both going strong-ish…
---
### Author:  [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/14 "2025-11-07T03:34:22Z")
> [@md-2000](#):
>
> No word on when/if she died.
The key is to not think of death as an end, but more as a very effective way of cutting down on your expenses.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/15 "2025-11-07T04:12:36Z")
> [@md-2000](#):
>
> Woody Allen married his first wife when he was 20, divorced in 1956 when he was 23. No word on when/if she died. That was 69 years ago, she was 17 when they married. She’d be 88 now… a chance she’s still around.
I have found some online sources from as recently as last month, which are saying Rosen is still alive.
So sixty-nine years is the new mark to beat.
---
### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/16 "2025-11-07T05:03:35Z")
Angela Landsbury had a long divorce before she died.
Divorced 1946. She died in ‘22, I think. Very old.
(NM,I fill none of the requirements)
---
### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/17 "2025-11-07T08:44:55Z")
I have been divorced from my fist wife for 48 years. I am divorced from my second wife for 25 years. I still go to shows with my first wife. We probably went to over 100 from the time of my second divorce up to Covid. She called last week to say that she had tickets for a play early next year for us.
---
### Author:  [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/18 "2025-11-07T12:59:41Z")
> [@md-2000](#):
>
> Woody Allen … married Louise Lasser in 1966 and divorced in 1970. That’s 55 years ago, still both going strong-ish…
From one of his movies:
Louise: “Sex without love is an empty experience…”
Woody: “Yes, but as empty experiences go, it’s one of the best.”
---
### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/19 "2025-11-07T17:37:22Z")
I’m at 42 years.
---
### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2025, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635/20 "2025-11-07T20:05:10Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#):
>
> 40 years here. Nowhere close, but I celebrate the event every year with my current wife.
I’m only at twenty years but I celebrate each year with my ex wife. We go out to the same sushi place and are very well known there for our annual divorcaversary
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-ex-marriage-in-history/1024635.md?page=2)