Shelley Winters: The Unstoppable Force Who Found True Love Late In Life

The Legendary Appetite of Shelley Winters

Let me tell you about Shelley Winters, a woman who lived life to the fullest. Her appetite for everything—from career success to indulging in life’s pleasures—was nothing short of legendary. Whether she was diving headfirst into powerful, unforgettable roles on the big screen or indulging in her so-called "eight-day ice cream diet" (which she joked about), Shelley didn’t hold back. And let’s not forget her steamy affairs with some of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men. Shelley wasn’t one to shy away from her desires, and she had no trouble satisfying them. But there was one thing that eluded her for much of her life: true love.

The Search for True Love

Throughout her life, Shelley Winters was on a relentless quest for the one thing she hadn’t yet found—true love. And wouldn’t you know it, she finally discovered it in the most unexpected place: on her deathbed. At the age of 85, Shelley tied the knot with her companion of 20 years, Gerry DeFord, in a ceremony officiated by her dear friend, actress Sally Kirkland. Now here’s the twist—Gerry was gay, and their relationship was completely chaste. But that didn’t matter to Shelley. She saw Gerry as her soulmate, the person who truly understood her and made her feel whole.

When Sally Kirkland, an ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, legally married Shelley and Gerry at the Rehabilitation Centre of Beverly Hills, it was nothing short of a joyous occasion. “Shelley was crying tears of pure joy,” Sally exclusively tells Closer in the magazine’s latest issue, currently available on newsstands. “To be honest, I can’t even recall if they exchanged rings or not. All I know is that Shelley was over the moon with happiness.”

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Young Ambitions and Starlet Days

Back when Shelley was just starting out, her priorities were a little different. She shared them with none other than Marilyn Monroe, her then-roommate. Shelley would tell stories to Sally about how she and Marilyn would make lists of all the men they wanted to date. “They lived in this tiny apartment in Hollywood,” Sally recalls, “and they would take turns bringing men home. Marilyn said she wanted to date Albert Schweitzer. She had a thing for intellectuals. Meanwhile, Shelley had her eye on all the Italian hunks.” It’s clear that even in their early days, both women were driven and knew what they wanted.

A Career Spanning Seven Decades

Shelley’s film career was nothing short of remarkable, spanning seven decades. She delivered acclaimed performances in timeless classics like "The Poseidon Adventure," "A Place in the Sun," "A Patch of Blue," and "The Diary of Anne Frank," for which she won two Oscars. But her love life was just as impressive as her career. Before Gerry, Shelley had been married three times—to Mack Mayer, Vittorio Gassman (with whom she had a daughter, Vittoria), and her "A Hatful of Rain" co-star, Anthony Franciosa. Shelley herself estimated that she’d had hundreds of affairs over the years.