Johnny Carson Lost A Fortune In His Third Divorce (& His Spotless Reputation)

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The following article includes discussions of addiction. 

Johnny Carson was married four times and divorced thrice. With that much experience under his belt, one would expect the late talk show host to have learned a thing or two about the legal process involved. Yet, he lost a massive fortune in his third and last divorce. When his divorce to Joanna Holland was finalized in 1985, she walked away with an estimated $20 million in combined assets, including properties and luxury cars. In today's world, that would amount to nearly $62 million.

If this wasn't enough, Holland was also awarded $35,000 a month in spousal support, a hefty amount for us mere mortals but not for Carson's estranged third wife. She had actually asked for a whopping $220,000 a month, so $35,000 might have sounded like a good deal to Carson. Holland's lawyer, Arthur Crowley, was pretty proud of his work throughout the proceedings. After reaching a temporary deal with Carson's legal team a year earlier, Crowley boasted about the $2 million in cash and $41,000 a month in spousal support he secured for his client. "It's the biggest divorce deal I ever heard of," he told UPI in 1984.

Even though the deal was temporary, Crowley celebrated the cumulative wins since Holland filed for divorce in March 1983. "It really amounts to $2.5 million, counting the $500,000 I got for her three months ago," he continued. He had good reason to boast. To this day, Carson's divorce from Holland ranks among the most expensive celebrity divorces. Still, when the iconic talk show host died in 2005, he was worth $200 million, so the divorce didn't exactly break him. 

Johnny Carson and Joanna Holland's marriage was a whirlwind. They got secretly married in September 1972, just a year after meeting, and the same year his second divorce was finalized. But the marriage crumbled amid Carson's purported philandering. Holland reportedly grew tired of his affairs. "I don't think there is another woman," a friend of the couple told People in February 1983, a month before Holland filed for divorce. "I think there are women. There's a difference. Men go through a period where they have to prove they are still attractive."

Carson's alcohol struggles also reportedly played a role on their divorce. "It came to a point in our marriage where when we'd be out, I would see this — go out with one person and come home with somebody whose was completely different in temperament. And it got more difficult," Holland said in a 1979 "Sixty Minutes" interview, authors Bill Zehme and Mike Thomas recalled in the 2024 biography "Carson the Magnificent" (via Page Six).  

Years later, Holland gave more detailed insight into her mental anguish during the marriage. "During that black drunk phase, I was scared," she said, according to the biographers. "Sometimes anything could set him off. Those were the scary times." Carson joined the list of celebrities who addressed their drinking problem, cutting back on the habit in his later years. "I don't drink well," he admitted (via NCLAP). Carson remarried in 1987, two years after his third divorce, and was with Alexis Maas until his death. 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).