French actor Jacques Bergerac has died at age 87. Although he had a brief career in Hollywood himself, he is best known as one of Ginger Rogers’ ex-husbands. He was also married to another Oscar winner, Dorothy Malone.
According to the AFP, Bergerac died back on June 15 at his home in Anglet, France.
Bergerac was studying law when he met Rogers in France. She managed to get him a screen test for MGM, which brought him to Hollywood, notes The Hollywood Reporter.
When the two married, he was only 26, 16 years younger than the legendary actress. The two divorced in 1957 and married Malone in 1959. They had a public divorce battle, splitting in 1964.
Bergerac’s film credits include George Cukor’s Les Girls, the Best Picture Oscar winner Gigi and the cult classic The Hypnotic Eye. He also made appearances on TV in Batman, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
He left Hollywood in the late 1960s and was an executive for Revlon Cosmetics. He also ran a rugby club in the 1980s.
Bergerac’s survivors include Malone, now 89; and his two daughters with Malone, Mimi and Diane.