When you think of Shirley Jones, you probably picture the quintessential "America's Sweetheart." She was the wholesome, velvet-voiced star of Oklahoma! and the steady, denim-clad matriarch on The Partridge Family. But honestly, if you look past the sitcom apron and the Broadway lights, her personal life was way more intense than anything scripted for 1970s television.
People always ask: who was Shirley Jones married to? The short answer is she had two very different husbands. First, there was the dashing but deeply troubled Broadway star Jack Cassidy. Then, in a move that baffled half of Hollywood, she spent nearly four decades with the eccentric, high-energy comedian Marty Ingels.
It’s a tale of two extremes. One was a "sexual Svengali" (her words, not mine) and the other was a man who famously drove her crazy but loved her to his core.
The Jack Cassidy Years: Passion and Pain (1956–1975)
Shirley met Jack Cassidy when she was just 21. She was a small-town girl from Smithton, Pennsylvania, who had basically been plucked from a chorus line audition by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Jack was older, sophisticated, and already established in the theater world.
They got married on August 5, 1956. On the surface, they were the ultimate power couple. They were both gorgeous, they sang together, and they eventually had three sons: Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. Plus, Shirley became the stepmother to David Cassidy, Jack’s son from his first marriage to Evelyn Ward.
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But behind the scenes? It was heavy.
Jack was incredibly charismatic but struggled with what we’d now recognize as significant mental health issues and bipolar disorder. He was also an alcoholic. In her 2013 memoir, Shirley Jones: A Memoir, she didn't hold back. She described their sex life as adventurous and Jack as someone who pushed boundaries, but his professional jealousy was a constant shadow.
Think about it: Shirley won an Oscar in 1961 for Elmer Gantry. Jack never reached that level of film stardom, and that kind of imbalance can wreck a marriage. They eventually divorced in 1975. Tragically, just a year later, Jack died in a fire at his apartment. Shirley has often said that despite the divorce, he was the love of her life and she would have taken him back in a heartbeat if he’d sought help.
Enter Marty Ingels: The Unlikely Love Story (1977–2015)
If Jack Cassidy was the dramatic leading man, Marty Ingels was the chaotic comic relief.
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When Shirley announced she was marrying Marty in 1977, her friends—and the public—were genuinely shocked. Marty was a Brooklyn-born comedian and talent agent known for being loud, neurotic, and "difficult." He suffered from severe agoraphobia and panic attacks.
Basically, nobody thought it would last. Her sons weren't exactly thrilled at first, either.
But here’s the thing: it worked. They even wrote a book together called Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story. It wasn't a perfect, serene marriage. Shirley actually filed for divorce in 2002 before changing her mind and withdrawing the petition. They stayed together for 38 years until Marty passed away from a stroke in October 2015.
She once told an interviewer that he "drove her crazy," but that life was never boring with him. He was her protector in a different way than Jack had been.
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The Cassidy Boys and the Family Legacy
You can't really talk about Shirley's marriages without mentioning the kids. Her life was always centered around being a mom, even when she was a global superstar.
- Shaun Cassidy: Became a massive teen idol in the late '70s with hits like "Da Doo Ron Ron" before becoming a major TV producer (New Amsterdam, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series).
- Patrick Cassidy: Followed his parents into musical theater and has had a huge career on Broadway.
- Ryan Cassidy: Works mostly behind the scenes in the industry, often in art departments.
- David Cassidy: Her stepson, who she starred with on The Partridge Family. Their bond was famous; she was the stable "stage mom" he needed during the height of his "Cassidymania" fame.
Why Shirley's Choices Matter Today
Looking back at Shirley Jones' history, it's a reminder that even the most "perfect" public figures have complicated private lives. She navigated a marriage to a man with severe mental illness at a time when people didn't really talk about that. Then, she chose a second husband who was completely unconventional because he made her laugh and felt like home.
If you're looking to dive deeper into her history, here are the best steps to take:
- Read her 2013 autobiography: If you want the unfiltered truth about her time with Jack Cassidy—including the stories she kept secret for decades—Shirley Jones: A Memoir is essential.
- Watch "The Partridge Family": To see the chemistry between her and David Cassidy, watch the early episodes. It's wild to think they were playing mother and son while she was actually his stepmother in real life.
- Explore the Jack Cassidy Discography: To understand why she fell for him, listen to their studio recordings together. The talent was undeniable.
Shirley Jones is still thriving in her 90s, and while both her husbands are gone, the legacy of those two very different relationships defines her just as much as her music does.