The story of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh is one marked by both dazzling fame and profound personal turmoil.

Once celebrated as Hollywood’s perfect couple, their marriage ultimately unraveled due to jealousy, infidelity, and a series of shocking revelations.

Janet Leigh First of a String of Tony Curtis' Wives - CBS News

**Janet Leigh**, born Janette Helen Morrison in 1927, grew up during the Great Depression in California.

Despite her family’s struggles, she excelled academically and graduated high school at just 16.

Her big break came in 1946 when actress Norma Shearer discovered her photograph at a ski resort, leading to a contract with MGM.

By 1947, she was on the silver screen, quickly becoming known for her beauty and talent.

 

**Tony Curtis**, born Bernard Schwarz in 1925, faced a much tougher upbringing.

Growing up in poverty and facing family tragedies, including the death of his younger brother, Curtis developed a tough exterior.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, he pursued acting, eventually changing his name to Tony Curtis to fit Hollywood’s mold.

 

Their paths crossed in 1950, and a whirlwind romance ensued.

They eloped in 1951, with their marriage initially appearing vibrant and passionate.

 

Despite their seemingly perfect life, the couple faced significant challenges.

In 1955, Curtis discovered a letter he believed was from choreographer Bob Foss to Leigh.

Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis's Real Hollywood Romance | Vanity Fair
This letter ignited a fierce argument, shattering his trust in her.

Although Leigh denied any wrongdoing, Curtis’s insecurities festered, leading him to cheat on her with various women, including a teenage actress.

 

As their marriage deteriorated, Curtis’s jealousy intensified.

He became obsessed with the idea that Leigh was unfaithful, particularly fixating on her interactions with Frank Sinatra.

His paranoia drove him to hire private investigators to follow her, despite his own infidelities.

 

By the early 1960s, the marriage was on the brink of collapse.

Curtis’s affair with 17-year-old Christine Kaufman while filming “Taras Bulba” was the final straw.

When Leigh visited the set and witnessed their chemistry, she became physically ill.

The couple divorced in September 1962, only for Leigh to marry stockbroker Robert Brandt the very next day.

 

In stark contrast, Curtis married Kaufman shortly after his divorce, further complicating his already tumultuous life.

His subsequent relationships were marred by instability and addiction, leading to a downward spiral in his career.

Janet Leigh First of a String of Tony Curtis' Wives - CBS News

The aftermath of their divorce left lasting scars on both Curtis and Leigh.

Curtis struggled to maintain a relationship with his daughters, Jaime Lee and Kelly, often blaming Leigh for turning them against him.

In contrast, Leigh found peace and stability in her second marriage, living a quieter life away from the Hollywood spotlight.

 

As time passed, the impact of their tumultuous marriage lingered.

Jaime Lee Curtis, who followed in her parents’ footsteps as an actress, often reflected on the chaos of her childhood, describing herself as a “save the marriage baby.

” Despite the challenges, she forged her own path in Hollywood, eventually winning an Oscar for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Tony Curtis, however, faced a different fate.

His career dwindled as he became more embroiled in personal chaos.

By the late 1960s, he was largely relegated to smaller roles, and his reputation suffered due to his tumultuous personal life.

The story of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of fame and the complexities of love.

Their marriage, once a symbol of Hollywood glamour, became a tragic narrative filled with betrayal and heartbreak.

While Leigh found solace in a new life, Curtis continued to grapple with the consequences of their fractured relationship until his death in 2010.

Their legacy, intertwined with both triumph and tragedy, remains a poignant reminder of the human cost of celebrity.

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family friends and fans have paid tribute to legendary Hollywood actor Tony Curtis who’s died in his Las Vegas home In 1955 Tony Curtis came home and found a letter that changed everything It was from another man to his wife Janet Lee That night their screaming fight was so loud the neighbors heard it Tony never trusted her again While Janet denied the affair Tony started sleeping with other women behind her back including a 17-year-old girl By the time they divorced Hollywood’s perfect couple was hiding shocking secrets phonetapping

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private investigators and a jealous rage that destroyed their family forever Here’s the bombshell story they tried to hide for 60 years Janet Lee was born Janette Helen Morrison on July 6th 1927 in Merrced California She grew up during the Great Depression the only child in a family that struggled to make ends meet Her father worked in factories and picked up odd jobs to keep them going They moved to Stockton not long after she was born and that’s where Janet spent most of her early years Even though her family didn’t have much

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Janet stood out She was a quiet shy girl but incredibly smart She skipped grades in school and graduated high school when she was just 16 She loved getting lost in movies often escaping into the dark of the theater while her family dealt with real world problems In 1946 something happened that changed her life forever Janet was studying music and psychology at the College of the Pacific and her parents were working at a ski resort in the Sierra Nevada to help pay the bills One day a woman named Norma Shearer once one

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of Hollywood’s biggest stars saw a photo of Janet hanging in the resort lobby It was a simple Christmas picture her dad had taken but Sheerer couldn’t look away She took the photo back to Hollywood and showed it to MGM’s top talent agent Just like that the doors to stardom flew open Janet had never acted before Still MGM gave her a screen test and soon she had a contract with one of the biggest studios in the world She left college started acting lessons and not long after she was on the radio for the first