Is it true that Jack Klugman and his wife Brett Somers NEVER divorced?

[Tiger32]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Yes my dear. Very true.


For Tiger32, I am catholic and I had no problem getting a divorce. The only thing the catholic church does is you are not allowed to marry again in any catholic church. That's it. They can't BAN you or keep you from getting a divorce. Nor can they keep you from marrying again. Catholics do it all the time. It is morals, sacraments and vows that the Catholic church hopes that you follow when you marry in their church as a catholic.

Again, I don't know if it is religious reasons that are being used here by Jack, but if it is, he is just as wrong for being separated and having co-habitated with other women.

I really am curious now as to what is going on with Brett and Jack.

Ireneparalegal, what is the point of a divorce if you cannot get remarried? Perhaps Jack Klugman felt that way, and didn't bother getting a divorce. A legal separation serves the same purpose if you have no plans to remarry.

[Janice]

Sometimes people want to get divorced because of money. You don't want your spouse, whom you're not living with, to be entitled to any of your money.

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Yes my dear. Very true.


The only thing the catholic church does is you are not allowed to marry again in any catholic church. That's it. They can't BAN you or keep you from getting a divorce. Nor can they keep you from marrying again. Catholics do it all the time. :

Actually, you can get a divorce and get remarried in the catholic church if you pay for an annullment. It can be pretty pricey depending on how stubborn your ex is, but it's not all that hard to do these days. Actually, if you were married and divorced in another faith and then wanted to get married in the catholic church, it's not a big deal and you don't have to go through all the annullment drama.

My gut feeling is that financial issues may be behind why Brett and Jack never formally divorced. California's a community property state, and it probably could have cost Jack quite a few $.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I had come across that bit of info and I was like "WTF?" Although it is not the first time I had heard of such a thing, but for THAT LONG A TIME?

Yeah, the whole Tracy/Hepburn thing was really something. Knowing he wanted Hepburn soooo bad and yet, for religious reasons, wouldn't divorce. Funny how men seem to use the religious excuse for not divorcing, but they sure don't remember the commandment THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.

AMEN TO THAT!! I totally agree, Irene.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Tiger32

Ireneparalegal, what is the point of a divorce if you cannot get remarried? Perhaps Jack Klugman felt that way, and didn't bother getting a divorce. A legal separation serves the same purpose if you have no plans to remarry.

You can divorce and remarry. I stated that if you are Catholic and you get a divorce, you cannot get MARRIED AGAIN IN A CHURCH. If you get an anullment, THEN YOU CAN GET MARRIED IN A CHURCH. If you get a DIVORCE, you can marry in an outdoor setting or in some chapel, but not in church. That is what I stated.

Some Catholics feel that if you don't get married in a church, then you are not married in the eyes of God, therefore, you are not married. Although you can be married by court and be legally married and have it recognized by your state as a legal marriage.

A legal separation is when a court order arranges the terms (custody, support, etc.) under which a married couple will live separately.

To the poster above referencing annullments. It is not abt "paying for one". A court (depending on each state) has rules as to who can be allowed to have an anullment. An anullment means to abolish, to make void by competent authority or to nullify. This differs from a divorce. An anullment establishes that a marital status NEVER EXISTED. Each states lists what grounds there are for anullment, but one of the most common reasons is fraud. Another is you were coerced into marriage.

Now, if you are Catholic and want an anullment by the church, so that you can one day marry again in the Catholic church, that is different. You must talk with a priest of your parish and give your reasons as to why you want an anullment. Our church is very strict on giving anullments. It doesn't come easy.


I don't know what Jack Klugman and Brett Somers reasons are for living apart but still being married, which is the whole reason for my thread. I know all abt divorce, legal separation, etc. I just wondered if anyone knew WHY.

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

You can divorce and remarry. I stated that if you are Catholic and you get a divorce, you cannot get MARRIED AGAIN IN A CHURCH. If you get an anullment, THEN YOU CAN GET MARRIED IN A CHURCH. If you get a DIVORCE, you can marry in an outdoor setting or in some chapel, but not in church. That is what I stated.

Some Catholics feel that if you don't get married in a church, then you are not married in the eyes of God, therefore, you are not married. Although you can be married by court and be legally married and have it recognized by your state as a legal marriage.

A legal separation is when a court order arranges the terms (custody, support, etc.) under which a married couple will live separately.

To the poster above referencing annullments. It is not abt "paying for one". A court (depending on each state) has rules as to who can be allowed to have an anullment. An anullment means to abolish, to make void by competent authority or to nullify. This differs from a divorce. An anullment establishes that a marital status NEVER EXISTED. Each states lists what grounds there are for anullment, but one of the most common reasons is fraud. Another is you were coerced into marriage.

Now, if you are Catholic and want an anullment by the church, so that you can one day marry again in the Catholic church, that is different. You must talk with a priest of your parish and give your reasons as to why you want an anullment. Our church is very strict on giving anullments. It doesn't come easy.


I don't know what Jack Klugman and Brett Somers reasons are for living apart but still being married, which is the whole reason for my thread. I know all abt divorce, legal separation, etc. I just wondered if anyone knew WHY.

I think that you are confusing legal annulments with annulments in the Catholic Church. Yes, legal annulment is "free", except for attorney fees and court costs. The criteria for a legal annulment--marriage never happened and neither spouse is entitled to anything range from entering a marriage under coercion, fraud, or if someone was not considered mentally competent enough (under age, intoxicated, suffering from mental defect) to choose to marry.

Annulments in the Catholic Church are a different matter entirely and are based upon different parameters. Actually, if you are willing to go through all of the red-tape rigmarole, make some "donations", and get your petition to clergy who are higher on the food chain (Monsignors and Bishops), they are not to difficult to come by. If you cannot get an annulment in the Catholic Church, you can still remarry in a church if you want, just not a Catholic one.Catholic Annulments have always been considered a back door to divorce, except for the cases that would hold merit in annulling a marriage of almost any other faith, or a civil ceremony.

I don't know what Jack or Brett's religious persuasion may be, but I have the feeling that the reasons they are still together--technically, on paper--are financial ones. Maybe it's taken their attorneys this long to work out a mutually agreeable settlement before petitioning the court?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by shotzette

I think that you are confusing legal annulments with annulments in the Catholic Church. Yes, legal annulment is "free", except for attorney fees and court costs. The criteria for a legal annulment--marriage never happened and neither spouse is entitled to anything range from entering a marriage under coercion, fraud, or if someone was not considered mentally competent enough (under age, intoxicated, suffering from mental defect) to choose to marry.

Annulments in the Catholic Church are a different matter entirely and are based upon different parameters. Actually, if you are willing to go through all of the red-tape rigmarole, make some "donations", and get your petition to clergy who are higher on the food chain (Monsignors and Bishops), they are not to difficult to come by. If you cannot get an annulment in the Catholic Church, you can still remarry in a church if you want, just not a Catholic one.Catholic Annulments have always been considered a back door to divorce, except for the cases that would hold merit in annulling a marriage of almost any other faith, or a civil ceremony.

I don't know what Jack or Brett's religious persuasion may be, but I have the feeling that the reasons they are still together--technically, on paper--are financial ones. Maybe it's taken their attorneys this long to work out a mutually agreeable settlement before petitioning the court?

I am not confusing the two. I am merely pointing out the TWO DIFFERENCES of those anullments. And again, when referring simply to marrying/divorcing and wanting to get married again, one cannot do it in a catholic church. I know that one can marry in another church of another denomination. But that is going in a different direction.

I merely brought the catholic church up because another poster mentioned how for religious reasons one may not desire a divorce. I am catholic and can only speak abt the catholic church. I cannot speak abt another religion when I don't know what "rules" they have. I don't even know what Jack Klugman's religion is, if he in fact has one. So, that religious issue is now moot. Unless one can come up with a source that shows me that religion is in fact the reason Jack and Brett haven't divorced.

Being a paralegal and now doing family law matters here in my own home, I think I have a good idea of what the differences are between an anullment and one by the catholic church.

As I stated before, I would like to find a reliable source (not Wikepedia or IMDB) that states the reason that Jack and Brett are not actually divorced.
As for that attorney comment that they (the attorneys) are working out a mutual agreement, is so out there. Jack and Brett wouldn't be dumb enough to allow two attorneys to lag for decades with a divorce matter that will cost them more than they each actually have.
_______________________________________________________
I found this piece from an article that appeared in a 1996 TV Guide, so far it is the only good source I can find:

AN ODD COUPLING: Jack Klugman is proud and happy with his surgically enhanced -- er, asset. The 77-year-old "Odd Couple" star spills all on his penile implant in the new TV Guide.

"I'm not ashamed of that," Klugman tells the magazine. "It's a medical thing, a surgery that is done millions of times. But there's all this humorous ridiculing and silliness that goes along with it."

Fine, but the question is -- is it working?

Apparently.

Klugman is both married -- and dating. His marriage to ex-game-show fixture Brett Somers is still legal (although they've been legally separated since 1974). On top of that, he's dating actress Peggy Crosby. Klugman says he never divorced Somers so that he wouldn't be tempted to marry the women he sleeps with.
_________________________________________________________

I guess this source is the closet I will get, without having to actually view the public records in Los Angeles for the family law documents pertaining to Jack Klugman and Brett Somers.

[shotzette]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Being a paralegal and now doing family law matters here in my own home, I think I have a good idea of what the differences are between an anullment and one by the catholic church.

You're a paralegal? I never would have guessed...

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by shotzette

You're a paralegal? I never would have guessed...

Your cute!