The woman who became the backbone of the renowned actor Harrison Ford in the starting phase of his career was his first wife Mary Marquardt. The outstanding chef and the illustrator exchanged vows with the actor in 1964 and their married life lasted for 15 years.
Despite being Harrison Ford’s first wife, she never tried to grab the eyeballs and showed immense patience in the relationship rumors of her former husband. The epitome of patience decided to focus on her passion for cooking after the divorce and raised her two sons commendably. Learn more about the early life and post-divorce life of the high-strength woman Mary Marquardt by reading this post.
Mary Marquardt Wiki/Bio
| Full Name | Mary Marquardt |
| Profession | Chef |
| Birth Date | 1945 |
| Birth Place | U.S. |
| Age | 79 years old |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches |
| Weight | 128 pounds |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Nationality | American |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse | Harrison Ford (ex-husband) |
| Children | Benjamin Ford and Williard Ford |
| College | Ripon College, Wisconsin |
| Degree | Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
Mary Marquardt Background
Born in 1945 in the U.S.A., Mary Marquardt’s age is 79 (as of 2024). Not much information is available on the internet about her family as she always keeps her life private.
After high school, she joined Ripon College in Wisconsin in the 1960s and completed her graduation. At that time, she crossed paths with the love of her life Harrison Ford who was struggling to become an actor. During her college days, Mary was a popular cheerleader but she chose to become a chef discovering her passion in cooking.
Mary Marquardt Harrison Ford Marriage
After sharing a lovable bond for a couple of years in college, Harrison Ford and Mary Marquardt tied the knot on June 18, 1964. When the duo got married, Mary was only 20 years old. The couple was not financially independent at that time but struggled a lot to support each other.
Mary Marquardt started a part-time job to support her husband as he was not well-settled and trying to get roles in movies and TV shows. In 1966, the duo welcomed their first son Benjamin Ford and Harrison got his first-ever role in the film ‘Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round.’
Three years later, Mary gave birth to her second son Willard Ford. With each passing day, the responsibilities started increasing as the family was expanding but Harrison failed to take care of everything due to rapid growth in his career. The major turning point came in the actor’s life when he played the role of Han Solo in the superhit film Star Wars.
The movie’s immense success proved blissful to Harrison’s acting career but turned out to be horrific for Mary Marquardt.
Mary Marquardt’s Divorce with Harrison Ford
When Harrison rose to prominence, his first wife Mary observed unacceptable changes that ruined their relationship.
The actor experienced a tremendous rise and got projects like Apocalypse Now which kept him away from home for a long and created a rift between the couple. Additionally, the dating rumors of Harrison and Carrie Fisher started surfacing which made the situation worse.
After remaining in a long relationship of 15 years, Mary Marquardt parted ways with Harrison, and their divorce was finalized in 1979. She decided to live away from the public eye and raised her two sons as a single mother.
Mary Marquardt Children and Life After Divorce
Entering a new phase of her life, Harrison Ford’s first wife Mary Marquardt joined college again in the 1980s and gave wings to her passion for arts and cooking. With her professional skills, she became a well-known chef and opened a cafe with her son Benjamin Ford who also developed an interest in cooking during his teenage.
Her younger son Willard Ford chose a different path and became a clothier. He owns a clothing company and a boxing gym as well.
Mary worked for many years as a chef in collaboration with her elder son and retired in the early 2000s. Currently, she is living a peaceful life away from social media with her sons and grandchildren.
Mary Marquardt Net Worth
The exact figures of Mary Marquardt’s net worth haven’t been discovered. But as per the speculations, it stands at $2 million, all thanks to her professional cooking skills. The restaurant in which she worked with her son immensely contributed to her net worth for several years until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Mary Marquardt Social Media Accounts
Harrison Ford’s first wife Mary belongs to that era when social media didn’t exist. She led a simple life since childhood with her family and didn’t show much interest in gaining fame.
She runs a private Instagram account with only 29 followers while her son Benjamin has 17K followers. He often shares his experience on his Instagram account as a chef and the recipes for new dishes he innovates in his kitchen.
Wrapping Up!
Mary Marquardt supported Harrison Ford in the toughest phase of his life but failed to continue the relationship for a lifetime. After the divorce, Ford married twice but she never spoke about Harrison Ford’s marriage publicly.
She maintained silence on Harrison Ford’s wives, Melissa Mathison(1983-2001) and Calista Flockhart (2010-present), and stayed focused on her career and children’s upbringing. This applaudable act shows her kind heart and reflects her priority to keeping personal matters non-public.
FAQ’s
Who was Harrison Ford’s first wife?
Ans: Harrison Ford married the illustrator and the chef, Mary Marquardt on June 18, 1964.
Is Harrison Ford’s first wife alive?
Ans: The first wife of Harrison Ford, Mary Marquardt is 79 years old and living happily with her son and grandchildren.
Did Harrison Ford have children with his first wife?
Ans: Harrison Ford has two sons with his first wife, Mary. His elder son’s name is Benjamin Ford while the younger one is Williard Ford.
How old was Harrison Ford when he had his first child?
Ans: Harrison Ford was 25 years old at the time of the birth of his first child with his ex-wife Mary Marquardt.
