Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Meet the four-time divorcee, Sam Elliott’s Wife, Katharine Ross

Meet Sam Elliot's Wife, Katharine Ross
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

Hollywood marriages are often the opposite of what the industry portrays in movies, lasting and sure. Sam Elliott’s wife, Katharine Ross, knows this enough as she experienced much breakable matrimony until her fifth husband. 

Katharine’s multiple marriages have been the occasional subject of her life. However, the “A Star is Born” actor remained unfazed. It was his first marriage, and it looks like “the legacy” of their love is a lasting romantic tale built on friendship. 

Let’s look deeper into the life of Katharine Ross, the “Fatal Beauty” that hooked Sam Elliott to a lifetime of happiness:

Katharine Ross and her childhood

Katharine Ross turned 81 in 2021 and the beauty of her youth remains in the details of smile lines. She was born on January 29, 1940, in the Hollywood part of LA, California. 

She’s the daughter of Indiana native, Katherine Mullen (1909–1993) to Dudley Tying Ross. Her father’s navy career rendered their family a nomadic life as they lived from Virginia, Palo, Alto, and finally in Walnut Creek.

Ross attended Diablo Valley College where she was first introduced to film. Later in life, she found herself in San Francisco, with a small apartment and a budding acting career as an understudy.

Her stay in the Actor’s Workshop Productions led her to audition for many roles. However, her main takeaway here is her college sweetheart, Joel Fabiana, her first husband.

During their marriage, she was also pursuing television roles. 

Katharine Ross and her acting career

Ross’s natural unique beauty made her stand out among other upcoming artists during her time. Soon enough, she appeared on her TV debut in Sam Benedict (1962. It was quickly followed by her appearances in Civil War-era Shenandoah (1965), Games (1967), and The Graduate (1967). 

Her role as Elaine in the Mike Nichols classic earned Ross a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.

Along the way, Ross starred in films with forgettable roles. Even so, she came out a winner when she starred in the 1978 movie, “The Legacy.” This role led her to her onscreen partner that would later be her real-life husband, Sam Elliott. 

Katharine Ross and her four divorces

Unlike how Ross’s beauty handed her a lifetime’s worth of career, her marriages weren’t as lasting. 

Before she’s able to spend 36 years and counting with her current husband, she was married to a fellow actor, Joel Fabiani. Their marriage stretched from 1960 to 1962. After two years, she met and married John Marion in 1994. They divorced in 1997.

Her third marriage happened when she was peaking at her career. As she starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), she also found her third husband, Conrad L. Hall. They tied the knot in 1969 and got divorced four years later.

In 1975, she met Gaetano Lisi while filming The Stepford Wives (1975). He would later become her fourth husband. Yet, they called it off four years later.

Katharine Ross and her 36 years of marriage with Sam Elliott

Five years later after her fourth divorce, she married her fifth husband, Sam Elliott. She is his first try at marriage, and evidently, he’s enjoying his beginner’s luck. 

A year after she walked down the aisle, Ross gave birth to their only child, Cleo Rose, on September 17, 1984, in Malibu, California.

Sam Eliott and Katharine Ross’ daughter grew up to be a multi-talented musician. She also does occasional modeling. 

Even after almost four decades of marriage, their love remains sweeter than any love story on the silver screen. Their public appearances together still make fans swoon over their successfully lasting union.

Katharine Ross and her “violent” only child

In March 2011, a media frenzy surrounded Ross and her child. The award-winning actress claimed that Cleo stabbed her using a scissor. 

At that time, her daughter was 12 years old. The young Ross was a violent teen at that moment, that her mom had to obtain a restraining order from her.

Cleo reportedly murmured that she wants to kill her mom as she eventually stabbed the Oscar nominee’s hand about six times.

Although the unforgettable incident was a tragic memory of the duo, they showed that they’re over it in their recent public appearances together.

In fact, they were together during the red carpet event of Sundance Film Festival in 2017. Ross and Eliott starred in the film “The Hero” and their child was there to support them. 

Katharine Ross Net Worth and latest works

RELATED: Meet the Fab Cast of The Ranch – Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliott, Debra Winger + More

With almost 60 years in the limelight, Katharine Ross’ net worth is around $5,000,000 as per multiple sources. She owes her financial success to her first few major roles in The Graduate, The Stepford Wives, and Voyage of the Damned.

Aside from being an actress, she’s also a screenwriter and children’s book author. She wrote children’s stories like “The story of the Pilgrims,” “Twinkle, Twinkle,” and “Little Bug.”

Despite her multiple divorces, Katharine Ross proves that she’s a woman of her own for her well-established career. 

At 81, her youthful glory days have clearly passed. However, being Sam Eliott’s wife for almost half of her life is a win in itself. “The Graduate” star evidently found genuine love amidst the flashy gold and Hollywood Stardom.

Have you watched any Katharine Ross movies? Comment your favorite one below!

Latest Stories

Baylee Littrell stuns American Idol with his country voice, proving he's more than just the son of Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell.

Backstreet Boys Son Baylee Littrell Stuns American Idol With His Country Voice

When Baylee Littrell stepped onto the American Idol stage, most of the judges had no idea who he was. But that changed fast. Performing an original song, “Waiting on Myself ...

Dolly Parton wrote I Will Always Love You as a heartfelt goodbye to Porter Wagoner—the real meaning behind one of music’s most iconic songs.

The Story Behind Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You And Its True Meaning

Few songs in music history have carried as much emotional weight as Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” It’s the kind of song that lingers, weaving itself into the ...

HARDY and Caleigh Ryan welcome their baby girl, Rosie Ryan Hardy, born on March 7, stealing hearts with her sweet arrival.

Hardy And Caleigh Ryan’s Baby Girl Rosie Ryan Has Arrived And She Is Stealing Hearts

HARDY might be known for his gritty country-rock anthems and rowdy lyrics, but his newest role hits a little closer to the heart—Dad. The singer-songwriter and his wife, Caleigh Ryan, ...

Zach Top’s lawnmower cover of George Jones’ Finally Friday is pure country gold, proving real country music is alive and thriving.

Zach Top Covers George Jones on a Lawnmower and It’s Pure Country Gold

Zach Top is bringing real country music back, and he’s doing it in the most down-home way possible—kicked back on an old riding lawnmower, strumming his guitar, and sipping a ...

Carrie Underwood skipped a country song for her American Idol audition to impress Simon Cowell, who wasn’t a fan of the genre.

Why Carrie Underwood Didn’t Sing a Country Song for Her American Idol Audition

Carrie Underwood is as country as sweet tea and a front porch swing. Raised in Checotah, Oklahoma, she grew up singing in church, performing at local events, and listening to ...

Kellie Pickler pushes back in a heated legal battle with her late husband’s parents, fighting claims over estate property in an escalating court dispute.

Kellie Pickler Fights Back Against In-Laws in Heated Legal Battle

The legal battle between Kellie Pickler and her late husband’s parents, Sharon and Reed Jacobs, is only getting more intense. In the latest development, Pickler has filed an emergency motion ...

Dolly Parton stays in her modest $400K home, cherishing the love and memories of her late husband, Carl Dean, over luxury and extravagance.

The Story Behind Dolly Parton’s Modest $400k Home And Why She Stays

Dolly Parton is one of the most successful and beloved country artists of all time, with a fortune that could buy her the most extravagant mansion money can offer. And ...

Randy Travis’ life story comes to the big screen with Forever and Ever, Amen, a biopic capturing his legacy, struggles, and triumphs

Randy Travis’ Life Story Comes To The Big Screen With Forever And Ever, Amen

Few voices in country music have been as instantly recognizable—or as deeply influential—as Randy Travis’. From his groundbreaking debut in the 1980s to his inspiring fight for recovery after a ...

Dolly Parton’s If You Hadn’t Been There is a heartfelt tribute to her late husband, Carl Dean, capturing love, loss, and gratitude in song.

The Meaning Behind Dolly Parton’s New Song “If You Hadn’t Been There”

There’s something about Dolly Parton’s voice—singing or speaking—that feels like home. But her songwriting? That’s where she truly weaves magic, turning raw emotion into melodies that feel like they were ...

Cooper Alan’s Plead The Fifth is country’s new favorite drinking song, dominating TikTok and streaming charts with its catchy, whiskey-fueled anthem.

Cooper Alan’s “Plead The Fifth” Becomes Country’s New Favorite Drinking Song

Country music has no shortage of drinking anthems, but few have caught fire as fast as Cooper Alan’s latest hit, “Plead The Fifth.” The song has become a runaway success, ...