Steve Parker: What happened to Shirley MacLaine's ex-husband?

Steve Parker was an American Film producer and the ex-husband of Shirley MacLaine. Steve Parker’s ex-wife is an iconic actress, author, and former dancer who is known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed, and eccentric women, For her works, she has received numerous accolades over her seven-decade career including Academy Awards, an Emmy Award, BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards Volpi Cups and Silver Bears. While she is well known for her various accomplishments in the industry, not much is known about her husband. Who was Shirley MacLaine’s husband?

Steve Parker: Bio Summary

Full NameSteve Parker
Birth nameWilliam F. Parker
famous as*Film producer
* Shirley MacLaine’s ex-husband
Age79 years old at the time of death
Date of BirthFebruary 6, 1922
Place of BirthGermany
Date of DeathMay 13, 2001, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Zodiac signAquarius
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityCaucasian
Children Sachi Parker
Spouse Miki Hasegawa (m. 1987–2001),
 Shirley MacLaine (m. 1954–1982)

Who is Shirley MacLaine’s ex-husband?

Steve Parker was born on February 6, 1922, in Germany as the son of a State Department official and he had grown up all over the world. According to Robertwhiting, Parker claimed to have been a World War II paratrooper who spent much of his time in New Guinea, where he developed an interest in theater and helped organize shows before being sent to Hiroshima immediately after Japan’s surrender.

MacLaine made her film debut with Alfred Hitchcock’s black comedy The Trouble with Harry (1955), winning the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. While she rose to prominence with starring roles in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Some Came Running (1958), and Ask Any Girl (1959), according to IMDb, Steve Parker was also a producer known for My Geisha (1962), John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965) and The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956) before focusing on his career as a businessman.

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How did Shirley MacLaine and her husband meet?

Terms of Endearment actress Shirley MacLaine and her ex-husband, Steve Parker, had quite the love story that many fans don’t really know about. Shirley and Steve met for the first time in 1952 while she was making a name for herself on Broadway while he was struggling as an actor in New York.

Shirley MacLaine wrote in her book “My Lucky Stars” that before filming on My Geisha (1962) began, Yves Montand bet Parker that he could seduce her. Parker, whom MacLaine learned later, was having an affair at the time, took Montand up on the bet; Montand won.

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The couple bonded and very soon took their relationship to the next level and got married in 1954, just before her film career took off and led her to become one of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Steel Magnolias actress admitted that the circumstances surrounding their marriage were untraditional. 

While talking to People in March 2016, she said- “I guess you would say [we] ‘practiced an open marriage’ in 1954, which was another lifetime, no one understood it, we did. He lived in Japan basically; I lived in America working and this and that.“

She continued- “I think that’s the basis for a long-lasting marriage if you really want to do such a thing,” the actress reflected further on her open marriage with her ex-husband Steve Parker. “I would say better to stay friends and we don’t have enough time to talk about the sexuality of all. I was very open about all of that and so was he.“

Steve Parker and Shirley MacLaine called their marriage a quit in 1982 after being together for 28 years. Their 28 years of marriage was blessed with a child- a daughter- Sachi Parker, in 1956. Sachi lived with her father Steve Parker in Japan throughout most of her childhood according to Yahoo.

ALSO, READ; Sachi Parker: What did Shirley MacLaine’s daughter say about her?

In 2013, Steve Parker and Shirley MacLaine’s daughter released her memoir, Lucky Me: My Life With – and Without – My Mom, Shirley MacLaine, where she described what it was like growing up with a famous parent. Years later she’s making progress with Sachi, and they are all staying in touch.

What happened to Shirley MacLaine’s ex-husband?

After Shirley MacLaine and her ex-husband, Parker ended their 28 years of marriage, he moved on and got married to another woman, Miki Hasegawa on January 18, 1987. Shirley MacLaine’s ex-husband, Steve Parker died on May 13, 2001, in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. According to reports, he died of Lung Cancer. He was 79 years old at the time of his death.

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