If you think the "famous for being famous" trope started with a certain family in Calabasas, you’re about half a century late to the party. Long before social media filters and reality TV crews, the Gabor sisters—specifically Zsa Zsa and Eva—were basically the blueprint for modern celebrity culture.
They had the accents. They had the diamonds. Honestly, they had more ex-husbands than most people have streaming subscriptions. But here is the thing: everyone lumps them together as if they were the same person with different wigs. They weren't. Not even close.
While Zsa Zsa Gabor was busy slapping a Beverly Hills cop and leaning into her role as the world’s most glamorous professional ex-wife, her younger sister Eva Gabor was actually building a legit acting career and a multimillion-dollar business empire. People forget that.
The Sisterly Rivalry That Built an Empire
The Gabors didn't just stumble into Hollywood. Their mother, Jolie Gabor, was the ultimate "momager" before that word even existed. She pushed her daughters—Magda, Zsa Zsa, and Eva—to marry well and stay in the headlines.
Eva was actually the first to hit American soil in 1939. She paved the way. Zsa Zsa followed a few years later, and that’s when the "Gabor" brand really exploded.
They were competitive. Very competitive. Merv Griffin, who was close with the family, once noted that the sisters lived to please their mother, who played them against each other like a violin. If Zsa Zsa got a new diamond, Eva needed a bigger one. If Eva got a TV show, Zsa Zsa needed a movie.
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Eva Gabor: The One Who Actually Liked Working
If you grew up watching Nick at Nite, you know Eva. She was Lisa Douglas on Green Acres. She played the sophisticated New York socialite forced to live on a farm in Hooterville, famously wearing marabou feathers while trying to cook "hotsy-totsy" hotcakes.
But Eva wasn’t just a sitcom star. She was a powerhouse.
- The Voice of Disney: She was the voice of Duchess in The Aristocats and Miss Bianca in The Rescuers. That elegant, breathy Hungarian accent? That was pure Eva.
- The Wig Queen: Long before every influencer had a hair line, Eva Gabor Wigs was a massive success. By the 1970s, her company was one of the largest wig manufacturers in the world.
- The "Nice" One: In Hollywood circles, Eva was generally considered the kinder, more approachable sister. She took her craft seriously, often sitting in on script meetings for Green Acres to discuss character development.
Zsa Zsa Gabor: The Queen of the One-Liner
Zsa Zsa was a different beast entirely. She didn't really care about "the craft" of acting. She cared about being Zsa Zsa.
She once famously said, "I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house."
That basically summarizes her entire public persona. She was married nine times (though she claimed only eight husbands, since one was a bigamist marriage that lasted about 24 hours). Her list of exes included hotel magnate Conrad Hilton and actor George Sanders—who, in a move that feels like a soap opera plot, eventually married Zsa Zsa’s sister Magda just to spite her.
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The Slap Heard 'Round the World
The moment that cemented Zsa Zsa Gabor in the "scandal" Hall of Fame happened in 1989. She was 72 years old, driving her $215,000 Rolls-Royce Corniche through Beverly Hills. A motorcycle cop, Paul Kramer, pulled her over for expired tags.
It escalated quickly. Zsa Zsa slapped him.
The ensuing trial was a literal circus. She showed up in couture, compared the Beverly Hills police to the Gestapo, and complained about the jail food. She eventually served three days in a jail cell, which she later described as "wonderful" because she had time to write her book. It was peak performance art.
The Numbers Game: Marriages and Misconceptions
People often ask who was more successful. It depends on how you measure it.
If you're looking at marital statistics—a weird metric, sure, but one the Gabors lived by—Zsa Zsa takes the lead.
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| Sister | Marriages | Most Famous Spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Zsa Zsa | 9 | Conrad Hilton |
| Eva | 5 | Frank Jameson |
| Magda | 6 | George Sanders |
But there’s a darker side to the glamour. Despite the diamonds and the "dahling" catchphrases, the sisters dealt with significant family trauma and the pressure of maintaining a facade. They converted from Judaism to Catholicism in the 1920s to survive the rising tide of antisemitism in Europe, a fact they rarely discussed in the spotlight.
Why the Gabors Still Matter in 2026
We live in a world of curated personas. We’re used to people being "famous for being famous." But the Gabors did it without the internet. They used sheer force of personality to stay relevant for over fifty years.
They taught us that celebrity is a business. Whether it was Eva selling wigs or Zsa Zsa selling the idea of a "glamorous life," they were always on.
Actionable Takeaways for the Modern Spectator
- Look for the "Work" Behind the "Fame": Next time you see a celebrity who seems famous for "nothing," look at their business portfolio. Usually, like Eva Gabor, there’s a massive business empire (wigs, skincare, tequila) funding the lifestyle.
- The Power of Branding: The Gabors understood that a consistent "character" (the accent, the "dahling," the furs) is more memorable than a series of disconnected roles.
- Don't Believe the Tabloids: Zsa Zsa’s legal troubles often overshadowed her actual film credits, like her role in John Huston’s Moulin Rouge. It’s a reminder that a loud scandal usually drowns out quiet competence.
The Gabor legacy isn't just about the jewelry or the drama. It’s about two women who navigated Hollywood on their own terms, often using the media's obsession with their personal lives to build independent fortunes. They weren't just "dahlings"—they were pioneers.
To truly understand the Gabor influence, watch a few episodes of Green Acres followed by Zsa Zsa's 1989 trial footage. You'll see the two sides of a coin that still flips in Hollywood today: the talented professional and the professional personality.