“I Had Cheated Before, But This Was Something Different”: 9 Affairs That Ruined Old Hollywood Stars' Reputations

By this point, celebrity scandals — especially affairs — are nothing new. One news cycle and the drama is usually put on the back burner. But, in Old Hollywood, even the rumors of an affair could ruin a career…

However, that doesn’t mean Tinseltown’s brightest stars never fooled around with someone else’s dame or fella — it just meant they were a little more discreet about it. From Greta Garbo to Humphrey Bogart, here are 9 of Old Hollywood’s most scandalous love triangles:

During this time, Salka introduced Garbo to Mercedes de Acosta, a prominent member of the LGTBQ+ community, who had come to Hollywood for two reasons: To write a screenplay and seduce the one and only Greta Garbo.

Luck proved to be on Khan’s side: Although Hayworth had plans to end her vacation early, Maxwell persuaded her to stay and attend a party that Khan was set to attend. Hayworth was charmed by Khan, and despite both of them being technically married, they began dating. Hollywood — as well as the media— was livid.

3. Ingrid Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, and Petter Lindström:

Rossellini and Bergman began an affair that rocked the nation and ruined her illustrious career. Bergman soon left Lindström and became pregnant with Rossellini’s child (their son, Renato Rossellini, was born mere days before Bergman and Lindström’s divorce was finalized).

Barbato and Sinatra officially divorced in November 1951, and he and Gardner married 72 hours later. The singer and actor had a tumultuous marriage until the spark finally flickered out in October 1953, when they officially separated. Their divorce was not finalized until 1957. Despite the tenuous nature of their relationship, the exes remained friends until Gardner’s passing in 1990.

5. Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher, and Elizabeth Taylor:

Reynolds later revealed her point of view during the debacle: “We were friends for years and years [she and Taylor], but we had a lapse of time when she took Eddie to live with her because she liked him, too. She liked him well enough to take him without an invitation!”

6. Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, and Jill Esmond:

Upon returning to England, the acclaimed actors separated from their respective partners and moved in together, even though their divorces were not finalized until February 1940. Six months later, in August 1940, Olivier and Leigh wed in Santa Barbara, California. Sources close to the couple said the marriage began falling apart almost immediately because of Leigh’s alcohol addiction.

7. Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Louise Treadwell:

By the early 1960s, Tracy was battling multiple health conditions. When he was officially diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease, Hepburn abandoned her acting career for five years and, for the first time in their nearly three-decades-long relationship, moved in with her lover to be his caretaker.

8. Lauren Bacall, Humprey Bogart, and Mayo Methot:

However, the toxic relationship between the “Battling Bogarts” ended in 1945 when Humphrey met Lauren Bacall on the To Have and To Have Not set and made quite the first impression.

Which one of these scandalous love triangles surprised you the most? Do you know of any other “forbidden” Old Hollywood romances? Let us know in the comments!

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