Ted Turner wife history spans three marriages and 41 years, from a 1960 wedding in Chicago to a headline-making union with Jane Fonda that ended in 2001. Turner died on May 6, 2026, and every marriage on this list is now part of a closed, fully dated record. Here’s what actually happened, and when.
Key facts strip
- Married: Three times, all ending in divorce
- Wives: Julia “Judy” Gale Nye (1960–1964), Jane Shirley Smith (1965–1988), Jane Fonda (1991–2001)
- Public confirmation: Wikipedia, Biography.com, and multiple 2026 obituary features confirm all three unions with matching date ranges
Wife One: Julia “Judy” Gale Nye
Turner met Julia Gale Nye while attending Brown University in 1959, according to HollywoodLife. She was the daughter of champion sailor Harry Gale Nye Jr. The two married on June 22, 1960, at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church in Chicago, per the same report, citing the Chicago Tribune.
The marriage produced two children: daughter Laura, born in 1961, and son Robert “Teddy” Edward Turner IV, born in 1963. It ended in divorce in 1964, according to Wikipedia, Newsweek, and Biography.com — all citing the same year, four years after the wedding.
Wife Two: Jane Shirley Smith
Turner married Jane Shirley Smith next, though the exact year carries a small discrepancy across outlets. Wikipedia, Newsweek, and Yahoo News UK all cite 1965. AOL and HollywoodLife instead report a wedding date of June 2, 1964 — reported by AOL and HollywoodLife, not confirmed by the majority of other sources.
The marriage lasted more than two decades and produced three children: Rhett, Beau, and Jennie. Wikipedia and Newsweek both confirm the marriage ended in divorce in 1988, making it the longest of Turner’s three unions at roughly 23 years.
Wife Three: Jane Fonda
Turner’s most publicly documented marriage came last. He wed actress Jane Fonda in 1991, a union confirmed across every outlet covering his 2026 death, including Yahoo News UK and Newsweek. The pairing of a media mogul and a Hollywood star made them one of the most closely watched couples of the decade.
The marriage lasted 10 years and ended in divorce in 2001. Per earlier reporting referenced in Turner’s net worth coverage, the settlement reportedly cost Turner more than $100 million in cash and stock, along with a 2,500-acre ranch transferred to Fonda. The two remained close afterward, with Fonda later calling him her “favorite ex-husband,” per Yahoo News UK.
Related Read: Ted Turner Net Worth: The Billionaire Who Gave It Away
The Full Dated Timeline
Here’s every confirmed marital milestone across all three unions, numbered in order.
- 1959 — Turner meets Julia Gale Nye at Brown University. He’s an undergraduate at the time, per HollywoodLife.
- June 22, 1960 — He marries Julia Nye in Chicago. The wedding takes place at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church.
- 1961 — Daughter Laura is born. She’s the first of Turner’s five children.
- 1963 — Son Robert “Teddy” Edward Turner IV is born. This closes out the Nye marriage’s two children.
- 1964 — Turner and Nye divorce. Wikipedia, Newsweek, and Biography.com all confirm this year.
- 1965 — Turner marries Jane Shirley Smith. Wikipedia and most outlets cite this date; a smaller group of sources instead lists June 2, 1964 — reported by AOL, not confirmed elsewhere.
- 1988 — Turner and Smith divorce. The marriage, Turner’s longest, lasted roughly 23 years and produced three children.
- 1991 — Turner marries Jane Fonda. The wedding follows a period of growing public visibility for both figures.
- 2001 — Turner and Fonda divorce. The settlement reportedly includes over $100 million in cash and stock plus a 2,500-acre ranch.
- May 6, 2026 — Turner dies at his Florida home. Fonda publicly honors him, describing their bond and calling him deeply loved.
Which Wife Actually Moved the Story
The 1991 marriage to Jane Fonda is the pivot point. Turner had already built CNN and TBS into national forces by the time he married her, but the Fonda union pushed his personal life into a different tier of coverage entirely, pairing a media titan with one of Hollywood’s most recognized names.
That shift shows in the record itself. His first two marriages, spanning 28 combined years and five children, generated comparatively thin, single-source coverage. The Fonda marriage generated wall-to-wall reporting, both during the decade it lasted and again in every obituary written after his May 6, 2026 death. One marriage changed how the public saw him. The other two built the family that survived him.
What We Still Don’t Have Full Numbers On
Even with this much documentation, a few details across all three marriages remain unresolved.
- The exact wedding date for Jane Shirley Smith. Most sources say 1965, but a meaningful minority says June 2, 1964, and no outlet has explained the gap.
- The full financial terms of the Fonda divorce. The $100 million-plus figure and the 2,500-acre ranch are both widely repeated, but no court filing or verified financial disclosure has been published alongside them.
- Why Turner and Nye’s marriage ended. No outlet has published a dated, sourced account of the specific reasons behind the 1964 divorce.
Anyone offering more precision than this on these three points is filling gaps the public record hasn’t filled.
How the Three Marriages Compare
Length and public visibility varied sharply across Turner’s three marriages.
| Wife | Years Married | Children | Public Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Gale Nye | 1960–1964 (4 years) | 2 (Laura, Teddy) | Low; stayed out of the spotlight |
| Jane Shirley Smith | 1965–1988 (23 years) | 3 (Rhett, Beau, Jennie) | Moderate; overlapped with Turner’s media buildup |
| Jane Fonda | 1991–2001 (10 years) | 0 | High; global tabloid coverage |
Smith’s marriage produced the most children and lasted the longest, but Fonda’s marriage generated by far the most press attention, a gap that widened further after Turner’s 2026 death revived interest in the union.
What Jane Fonda Has Said, On the Record
Fonda spoke publicly about Turner following his May 6, 2026 death, describing her love for him and acknowledging his five children as “talented, complex” individuals, per Newsweek’s coverage. She closed her tribute by calling him loved and remembered — one of the few direct, dated quotes from any of Turner’s three wives about the marriage itself.
Neither Julia Nye nor Jane Smith has a comparable dated, on-record public statement about their marriages to Turner, which is consistent with both women maintaining a lower public profile than Fonda throughout and after their unions.
The Children Across Three Marriages
Turner’s five children came from his first two marriages, not his third. Laura and Teddy came from the Nye marriage; Rhett, Beau, and Jennie came from the Smith marriage. Fonda and Turner had no children together during their decade-long union.
That distribution matters for how his estate is structured. Reporting on his fortune notes that a large share of Turner’s wealth is tied to foundations and conservation projects rather than passed directly to any of his five children, regardless of which marriage produced them.
Where Things Stand in 2026
As of Turner’s death on May 6, 2026, all three marriages are closed chapters, and each ex-wife has now outlived him. Fonda’s public tribute is the most recent, dated statement tied to any of the three unions. Neither Nye nor Smith has issued a comparable public statement following his death, based on available reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ted Turner’s Wife
Who was Ted Turner’s first wife?
Julia “Judy” Gale Nye, whom he married on June 22, 1960, in Chicago. They divorced in 1964 after having two children.
Who was Ted Turner’s second wife?
Jane Shirley Smith. Most sources cite a 1965 wedding date, though some report June 2, 1964. The marriage lasted until their 1988 divorce.
Who was Ted Turner’s most famous wife?
Actress Jane Fonda, whom he married in 1991. The union lasted 10 years and ended in divorce in 2001.
How many children did Ted Turner have with his wives
Five, all from his first two marriages: Laura and Teddy with Julia Nye, and Rhett, Beau, and Jennie with Jane Smith. He had no children with Jane Fonda.
How much did Ted Turner’s divorce from Jane Fonda cost him?
Reportedly more than $100 million in cash and stock, plus a 2,500-acre ranch transferred to Fonda.
Did Ted Turner stay close to any of his ex-wives?
Yes. He remained close to Jane Fonda after their 2001 divorce, and she publicly honored him following his May 6, 2026 death.
Is Ted Turner still married to anyone?
No. He died on May 6, 2026, single, having divorced all three of his wives during his lifetime.
Disclaimer: These details reflect publicly available reporting and records — not confirmed statements from the individuals involved.
