Cloris Leachman met her only husband, George Englund, in 1950. They were introduced by George’s sister, Patricia, who was affectionately called Patsy. Leachman was drawn to Patsy because she was bold and unafraid of authority.
At the time, Leachman and Patsy were working together on the Broadway show *As You Like It*, where Leachman played Celia. They shared a dressing room, which helped them bond and grow close.
In her autobiography, *Cloris Leachman with George Englund*, the eight-time Emmy Award winner shared why she admired George Englund’s sister, Patsy. Leachman described a time when she and Patsy were late returning from lunch to the theater. The strict stage manager, Karl Nielsen, scolded them for being late.
Patsy wasn’t scared by the reprimand and calmly said, “Karl, you are absolutely right. It won’t ever happen again.” Leachman respected Patsy for handling the situation so well.
Leachman also wondered if Patsy had a brother. Fortunately, she did. One evening, George Englund, along with their stepfather Ken Englund and friend Herb Sargent, came to see them. On another night, George visited backstage, and Leachman noted that they quickly became husband and wife.
In a 2017 interview with FilmFestival.com, Cloris Leachman shared how she met her husband George Englund. She explained that after moving to New York City in the 1950s, she was in a Broadway play called *As You Like It* with Katharine Hepburn. That’s where she met George, who was connected to the play through his sister.
Leachman and George lived together for four years before getting married in April 1953. That same year, they had their first child, Adam. Over the years, they had four more children: George Jr., Dinah, Morgan, and their late son Bryan.
George was born in June 1926 to actress Mabel Albertson and Harold Austin Ripley. His name was George Howe Ripley at birth, but it changed when his parents divorced. His mother remarried and his new stepfather, screenwriter Ken, adopted him and his sister Patsy.
According to the LA Times, George grew up in Washington D.C., went to Black-Foxe Military Institute, and earned a degree in English and Philosophy. He was also active in sports, captaining the basketball and tennis teams.
Though George acted in a few films and TV shows, his main focus was on being a screenwriter, producer, and director. He worked on shows like *The Eddie Fisher Show* and was involved in movies such as *The Ugly American*, *See How She Runs*, *Dark of the Sun*, and *The Streets of LA*.
George Englund was often away from home because of his work, sometimes for weeks at a time. This left Cloris Leachman to take care of their children and manage the household with the help of a housekeeper. Their different views on parenting often led to arguments.
When George returned home, he would be surprised and upset to find that some of their agreed-upon plans were not followed, and the kids seemed a bit neglected. Leachman said that their disagreements about raising the children were a major source of stress in their marriage.
The couple lived on Beverly Glen Boulevard, close to George’s mother, Mabel, and they saw her often. Mabel suggested that George get a stable job as a television stage manager and work his way up. But George was not interested in that job; he wanted to be a producer and director.
Leachman was happy to be a mom and enjoyed her acting career, but the couple’s issues continued. At the time, she was starring in the drama series *Lassie*. George’s co-star, Joan Collins, was rumored to have taken an interest in him.
After leaving the show and still unaware of George’s relationship with Collins, Leachman took their children to visit her sister Mary in Darien, Connecticut. She was worried about her young children, who were aged one and a half, three, and four and a half.
Life in Darien was nice for Cloris Leachman and her children. They were warmly welcomed by her sister Mary and Mary’s husband, Bob Castle, who was a vice president at an advertising company. Leachman bought a small house nearby for $15,000, and she and her children moved in happily.
While Leachman settled into this new life, her husband, George, was working full-time in New York but would visit occasionally. One night, during one of his visits, Leachman became pregnant. Shortly after, she got a call to go to Los Angeles for a television show.
Leachman had to leave quickly, and George agreed to take their sons with him to LA. While filming the TV show, Leachman had to run and jump a lot, which was very tiring, especially because she was pregnant.
The physical strain caused her to start bleeding. She described it as losing something large and painful, which led to George taking her to the hospital. Sadly, she had a miscarriage.
The experience was very hard for Leachman, and she felt deeply saddened and emotionally drained when she returned home.
While George was away working in New York, he called Cloris Leachman and urgently said, “Babe, you need to come back. The children need you.”
Leachman returned to Darien for a visit and spent the weekend with her sister Mary and her husband. When she went back to New York, she felt very tired and her health was still poor. She felt anemic, sad, and lifeless.
One night, Leachman called George, saying she missed her children and wanted to see them. George said he would either send the kids to visit her or bring them himself. Leachman was thankful for his support but wanted to take things one day at a time until she felt better, and George agreed.
A couple of nights later, while waiting to perform on stage, Leachman saw a newspaper headline that read: “Joan Collins Should Get An Oscar For The Love Scene She Played With George Englund Last Night.” The headline shocked her, but she managed to perform.
Three nights later, at 4:00 a.m., Joan Collins called Leachman. She said, “Cloris, this is Joan. George just left here. We see each other every day. I’m in love with him. What do you want to do about that?”
Leachman, feeling confused and sleepy, replied, “I don’t know. I’m not sure what the choices are. Do you think you two can make a go of it?”
Joan Collins told Leachman that she loved George and believed he loved Leachman too. Overcome with emotion, Collins dropped the phone and Leachman could hear her throwing up in the background.
When George found out about the call, he was very angry. Even though he didn’t confront Leachman about the affair, he was mainly worried about his wife and the family’s well-being.
In her autobiography, Leachman revealed that she had her own affairs while married to George, including relationships with stars like Gene Hackman and Andy Williams. She even suspected that George was cheating on her and described their marriage as “somewhat open.”
After finishing her work in the play “A Touch of the Poet,” Leachman returned to Los Angeles feeling weak and guilty for being away from her children. At the airport, she saw George and their kids waiting for her. Adam was standing alone, looking down, while George held baby George and Bryan stood next to him.
Leachman shared that when she returned home, her son George Jr. kept asking where his mother was, even though she was right in front of him. He didn’t recognize her. Before she left for New York, Leachman and her family had moved from their small house on Beverly Glen to a new place on Comstock Avenue in West Los Angeles. However, they only lived there for a year before she and George separated. George then moved to a cottage above the Sunset Strip.
During the filming of “The Ugly American” in 1963, George wanted the kids to join him in Thailand, and Leachman went along to take care of them. He wanted their children to experience different cultures, which was important to him. They agreed not to argue during the trip.
While in Thailand, the family had an amazing experience. They explored Bangkok every morning in a three-wheeled pedicab. Leachman not only took care of the kids but also made sure George was well-looked-after. She brought him juice while he was working outdoors, and he praised her for being a wonderful wife and companion throughout the trip.
The promise to stay civil made a big difference during their trip. They didn’t have any arguments while they were abroad. Meanwhile, George had ended his relationship with Joan Collins, who then began dating actor Warren Beatty.
Leachman and George decided to work on their marriage. When they returned home, they bought a house in Brentwood Park and moved in together with their family.
During this time, they had their fourth son, Morgan, and their only daughter, Dinah, was born in January 1966. However, after 26 years of marriage and five children, Leachman and George divorced in December 1978.