Hugh O'Brian as Wyatt Earp
Posted on 06/26/2006 12:48:21 PM PDT by COUNTrecount
GLENDALE, Calif. - "Wyatt Earp" star Hugh O'Brian, 81, has married for the first time in what the couple described as "a wedding to die for." The weekend ceremony was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
"This is my first, and most definitely, my last trip down the aisle," O'Brian said in a statement announcing his marriage Sunday afternoon to his girlfriend of 18 years, teacher Virginia Barber, 54.
It was the bride's second marriage.
Some 300 guests — including look-alikes of John Wayne and Pope John Paul — witnessed the ceremony at the cemetery's Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, publicist Monique Moss said Monday.
The Rev. Robert Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, officiated, and the couple was serenaded by close friend Debbie Reynolds. Dubbed "A Wedding to Die For," the ceremony concluded with a cocktail reception.
O'Brian may be best known to baby boomers as television's tough Old West marshal on "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," which aired from 1955 to 1961.
Besides cleaning up the Tombstone Territory on TV, O'Brian appeared on dozens of shows over the years including "The Love Boat," "Murder, She Wrote," "Fantasy Island," "L.A. Law," "Charlie's Angels," "Police Story," "Perry Mason" and "General Electric Theater."
The groom must have been looking for a two-fer incase he couldn't last through the ceremony.
If I were them I would get started on the kid thing pretty soon.......
I thought he was killed in the "Gunfight at OK Corral".
Nah, the Duke shot him in "The Shootist."
Gotta say that he's got a great sense of humor.
"...announcing his marriage Sunday afternoon to his girlfriend of 18 years"
They could've already tackled that kid thing if they wanted...
Yeah. Kind of a dubious place to be having a wedding. My grandfather is buried there, and I have subsequently learned that Forest Lawn Memorial Park events, are to die for(only a partial pun intended). Anyway, they have a lot of to do places there for different swell events. So, I guess if one can stand all the smog out in lovely southern California, then just throw a big bash up at Forest Lawn. It's all so weird because Forest Lawn seems so synomous with cemetery, to me...
Too young.
LOL!! The "girlfriend" stayed around for 18 YEARS!!! She must of liked his spurs.
Robbin' the cradle.
He was a kind of international playboy...I seem to remember that he was involved with Princess Soraya for a while...but never married her. She was the one who could not provide the Shah with children and so he divorced her.
Did the bride wear black?
I participated in one of those Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership seminars in high school many years ago. One of the speakers, and I'm ashamed to not remember his name, started in the mail room of a telecomunications firm and worked his way up to VP. He spoke on the value of hard work and where it can take you. His is one of the few speeches I've heard over the years that really stuck with me. He said, "Just because you have a college degree doesn't mean someone owes you a job. You have to earn the job you want." It was important for me to hear that and it has proven to be excellent advice. It's a good organization that does that for kids.
14 posts and not one FReeper has said this is "Hugh"!
Ahmmm....read the title.LOL.
I miss not seeing a pic of Mrs. Earp...
You are correct....I missed it! Noticed it right after posting and hoped no one else would see it! DUH!
You know, he would have enjoyed it more if he had married her when he was 57. She was 20 then.
Shotgun marriage.
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