The Actors with the Most Wives: From Mickey Rooney to Sean Bean

When comparing the number of marriages in the entertainment world, one cannot help but draw parallels with the infamous King Henry VIII, who was married six times. While many might think of English actor Sean Bean, who has been married five times and is still very much alive, the record for the most wives amongst actors goes to a star from the golden age of Hollywood - Mickey Rooney.

Mickey Rooney: The Record-Breaker

Mickey Rooney is a legend of the film industry who starred in 16 films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He was the America's beloved boy next door as Andy Hardy in a series of films for the studio. Rooney’s career spanned nearly a century, from the 1920s to his passing in 2014 at the age of 93. A true show business veteran, Rooney was married eight times during his life, making him the king of married men in the entertainment world.

Rooney's Eight Wives

Rooney's marriages included:

Ava Gardner (1942-1943) Betty Jane Phillips (1944-1948) Martha Vickers (1949-1951) Elaine Devry (1952-1958) Barbara Ann Thompson (1958-1966; murdered by her jealous lover) Marge Lane (1966-1967) Carolyn Hottle (1969-1975) Jan Chamberlin (1978-2014; with approximately a year of separation before his death)

Honorable Mentions

While Mickey Rooney holds the record for the most wives, there are other notable mentions in the entertainment community who have had a few marriages under their belts. Here are a couple of them:

Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor, the legendary American stand-up comedian and actor, was married seven times during his lifetime, with six of those marriages ending in divorce. He married for the seventh time, but this marriage did not last. Regardless, he holds a place in the annals of married actors.

Tony Curtis

Another famous act who has had six wives is Tony Curtis. The American actor’s legendary career in Hollywood includes six marriages, all of which spanned the decades from the 1940s to the 1990s.

Conclusion: Sean Bean and Mickey Rooney's Marriage Records

While Sean Bean is a talented and renowned actor, with a total of five marriages, he falls short in comparison to actors who have had a much greater number of marriages. Sean Bean’s marriages are memorable, but they still do not match the incredible number of marriages Mickey Rooney experienced throughout his incredible career in the entertainment industry.

Whether marrying just a few times, or having an incredibly diverse and extensive list of spouses, the world of celebrity and marriage is rife with fascinating stories. From the legendary Hollywood star Mickey Rooney to the still-marrying Sean Bean, there is no shortage of tales to tell about the marriage records of actors in the industry.