If there’s anything our Fort Myers readers have learned from celebrity divorces in the news, it’s that couples who seem claim to be committed to each other forever often end up splitting up almost immediately. Because some well-documented celebrity marriages don’t last very long, it’s noteworthy when one makes it almost four decades before coming to an end.
This is what’s happening with Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille, better known as the musical duo the Captain and Tennille. The pair had a string of hits in the 1970s as well as a successful, if short-lived, weekly variety show on television.
However, that all seems far in the past now, as Tennille has filed for divorce in Arizona from her husband of 39 years. Details are slow to emerge so far, but it would seem a safe bet that the divorce will involve significant assets to be divided, given the couple’s success and their lack of children.
Dragon’s name was in the news a few years ago because he developed a neurological condition similar to Parkinson’s Disease that eventually forced him to retire from playing the keyboards. Some observers have speculated that the split might have been for health insurance-related reasons; depending on the couple’s plan, Dragon might qualify for better or cheaper care being single rather than being married.
However, that is all speculation at this point. Dragon said he was taken aback at the filing, especially because the couple still live together in their house. Whatever the reason, the case is bound to get further publicity if and when it is settled, likely after significant legal proceedings.
Source: Philly.com, “Captain and Tennille divorce after 39 years of marriage,” Gabrielle Bonghi, Jan. 23, 2014
