Who is Mary Marquardt? All we know about Harrison Ford's first wife

Who is Mary Marquardt? All we know about Harrison Ford's first wife

Mary Marquardt is a renowned former US chef. She is also known for being the first wife of legendary movie director and actor Harrison Ford. She was married to the actor from 1964 until their divorce in 1979. Worth noting is that she firmly supported her ex-husband during the early years of his career. The couple has two sons together.

Harrison Ford and Mary Marquardt
Harrison Ford arrives at the 17th annual Hollywood Film Awards (L). Ford and his then-wife, Mary Marquardt (R), walked in New York City (R). Photo: Jason Kempin, Frank Edwards (modified by author)
Source: UGC

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Mary Marquardt is also a former illustrator. She has worked as an illustrator for several years now. Mary worked as a chef until 2001 when she retired due to illness. It is alleged that her divorce from her former husband resulted from his extramarital affair with Carrie Fisher. So, where is Mary Marquardt now?

Profile summary

Full nameMary Marquardt
GenderFemale
Date of birth1945
Age79 years old (as of 2024)
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
Height15
Weight128 lbs (58 kgs)
Hair colourBlonde
Eye colourBlue
Relationship statusDivorced
Ex-partnerHarrison Ford
Children2
UniversityRipon College
ProfessionFormer US chef
Net worth$5 million
Famous asHarrison Ford's first wife

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Who is Mary Marquardt?

Mary Marquardt is a former chef born in 1945 in the United States of America. After graduating high school, she attended Ripon College, an art college in Ripon, Wisconsin. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts in 1967.

How did Harrison Ford meet Mary Marquardt?

She met actor Harrison while she was studying in college. The two started dating each other and eventually tied the knot. Mary was good at cheerleading but chose to pursue cooking instead as she had a soft spot for it.

Does Harrison Ford have children?

Mary Marquardt's children are Benjamin Ford and Willard Ford. The eldest son, Benjamin, was born in 1966 and is a famous chef. Their second son, Willard, was born in 1969 and is a successful clothier. He decided to follow in his mother's footsteps. Her ex-husband is famous for his roles in films like Star Wars.

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Five facts about Mary Marquardt
Five facts about Mary Marquardt. Photo: @friskynotebook (modified by author)
Source: Original

What happened to Harrison Ford and Mary Marquardt's relationship

Harrison Ford had an affair with his co-star, Carrie Fisher, who revealed in her memoir that she had a brief romance with Harrison while filming Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

Fisher, who was only 19 then, starred alongside Ford, who was then 33 and a married father of two. She described their relationship as a three-month whirlwind, beginning when they were working on set together.

One memorable moment she shared was attending a birthday party for director George Lucas with Ford during the filming.

I looked over at Harrison. A hero's face — a few strands of hair fell over his noble, slightly furrowed brow. How could you ask such a shining specimen of a man to be satisfied with the likes of me?
A tiny part of me felt like I'd won the man lottery, and here I was both counting and spending the money. I was shocked by the fact that he fancied me. I was a very insecure girl and had only had one boyfriend. I was so inexperienced, but I trusted something about him. He was kind.

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Speaking in interviews later, Carrie added that their affair was so "intense". She told People:

It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend.

Mary's relationship with Harrison started to dwindle, and eventually, the couple separated. The couple finally divorced in 1979. The former chef chose to maintain a low profile after her divorce from the actor. However, she has always remained close to her sons after the divorce.

For instance, she and her son Benjamin once worked at a restaurant owned by Harrison Ford. Her firstborn son, Benjamin, has two sons, Ethan and Waylan. Willard also has two children, Guiliana and Eliel.

What happened to Harrison Ford after the divorce?

After his divorce, Harrison married twice. He married screenwriter Melissa Mathison, followed by Calista Flockhart.

His second marriage, to Mathison, lasted from March 1983 until they separated in 2000, with the divorce finalized in 2004. Together, they had two children: a son born in 1987 and a daughter born in 1990. Mathison passed away in 2015.

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Ford began dating actress Calista Flockhart after they met at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards. He proposed over Valentine's Day weekend in 2009, and they married on June 15, 2010, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They share a son, born in 2001, Flockhart adopted before meeting Ford.

Who are Harrison Ford's ex-wives?

Harrison Ford has been married three times and has two ex-wives. His first marriage was to Mary Marquardt. His second marriage was to screenwriter Melissa Mathison, best known for writing E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Actor Harrison Ford attends the 'Morning Glory' UK premiere
Actor Harrison Ford attends the 'Morning Glory' UK premiere at the Empire Leicester Square in London, England. Photo: Ian Gavan
Source: Getty Images

What happened to Harrison Ford's wife?

In the early 2000s, Mary was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has been fighting the disease for many years now. She often credits her eldest son, Benjamin, for caring for her.

Her health has been deteriorating, so she does not cook anymore. The former chef is not active on social media platforms. Mary Marquardt's Facebook account is not active.

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What is Harrison Ford's net worth?

According to Vents Buzz, Mary Marquardt's net worth is $5 million. Her ex-husband, Harrison Ford, has an estimated net worth of about $300 million.

His flourishing acting career and work, mainly with Universal Studios, earned him this handsome income. He is known as one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood.

Is Mary Marquardt still alive?

Harrison Ford's first wife, Mary Marquardt, is still alive. Although she has maintained a private life for decades, she has been battling multiple sclerosis (MS) since the late 1980s. This condition has affected her mobility and overall health.

Fast facts

  • She had a significant influence on Harrison Ford's early career.
  • She loves the outdoors and fresh ingredients.
  • Beyond the kitchen, Mary enjoys gardening.
  • She divorced in 1979 after 15 years of marriage.
  • Her hobbies include listening to jazz music, being outdoors, and watching films.

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Mary Marquardt's life is one to emulate. She has led a successful career as a chef, seeing her son follow in her footsteps. The former chef is also a philanthropist, and she has worked with various organizations, such as the United Way, World Vision, and Compassion International.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Ruth Gitonga avatar

Ruth Gitonga (Lifestyle writer) Ruth Gitonga has a background experience in Mass Communication for over six years. She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a degree in Mass Communication in December 2014. In 2023, Ruth finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She has worked for Briefly.co.za for five years now. She specializes in topics like lifestyle, entertainment, travel, technology, and sports. Email: gitongaruth14@gmail.com.

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Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.