‘CSI’s David Caruso Was Married 3 Times & None of Marriages Was Saved - Meet Actors’ Ex-wives

Actor David Caruso became a familiar face on television over the years, but inconsistencies in his personal life often hampered his career.

David Caruso's career might not have begun most fashionably, and neither did he get the luxury of attending one of Hollywood's best acting schools. Instead, he worked hard at developing his talent and became a regular on prime-time television.

Caruso began acting as an extra in police lineups and spent the early years of his career playing bit roles until he got his much deserved big break playing John Kelly in the hit television series "NYPD Blue."

Caruso's career took a turn for the better, and more attractive roles soon followed. However, at 65, the actor has drawn the curtain on his career, choosing to bow out on a high note.

Many speculate that Caruso's high wages are partly reasons for his decision to quit acting as very few could afford his demands. Also, the Queens-born actor is said to be challenging to work with on a movie set.

Colleagues were not the only ones that found it difficult to handle Caruso; his three wives from his three failed marriages all found it difficult to cope. The actor once admitted that he did not know how to have a relationship. Here's a look at his life and career.

MEET CARUSO

Born in 1956, Caruso marked himself out as the best candidate to play a police officer role in movies, and he did it with the flamboyance of a veteran actor. Despite his lack of acting background, Caruso did not seem to have trouble playing his roles.

Growing up was not a smooth experience for the "Twins" actor. After being abandoned by his father at age 2, Caruso grew up to fend for himself. He started working as an usher in a cinema where he saw over 80 movies a week, and the experience ignited his passion for acting.

He moved to California in the late 70s, hoping to achieve his dream of becoming an actor. In his early years, some of his roles were in movies such as "First Blood" and "An Officer and a Gentleman."

Caruso landed his first significant role as detective John Kelly in the 1993 police procedural series "NYPD Blue," which earned him a Golden Globe Award and Prime-Time Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

He was named by "TV Guide" as one of the six new stars to watch in the 1993-1994 season. Shockingly, after two years in the show, Caruso made headlines by walking out of the series four episodes into the second season. His decision to leave was due to his failure to get the raise he requested.

His role in "CSI: Miami" was widely considered one of his most successful on-screen appearances. Still, after the last episode aired, Caruso made no other appearance in a movie and has primarily focused on other interests.

Caruso has always hoped to be a film star and not a TV star, and so he spent most of his time squabbling with the writers and directors, hoping to get relieved from his role.

Steven Bochco, the showrunner of "NYPD Blue," condoned Caruso's antics because he was a wonderful fit for the role, but one of the writers, David Milch, did not find it easy to cope with star man's on-set stubbornness.

In his book, "Truth is a Total Defense," Bochco described Caruso's behavior as cancerous, adding that he thrived in a chaotic environment that became harmful and unbearable for his co-stars.

Caruso was accused of creating a marriage-like relationship and subjected her to mental and emotional abuse.

HIS MARRIAGES

Caruso has married three different women in his life, and regrettably, none of his marriages have survived. Surprisingly, flight attendant Margaret Buckley, Caruso's last ex-wife, is the least known of his three ex-wives.

His other wives were actors Cheri Maugans and Rachel Ticotin. After eight years together, Caruso and Buckely filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

The duo had no children together, but Caruso would go on to father two children with his former girlfriend Liza Marquez, in addition to his child from his union with Ticotin.

Their divorce finalized two and a half years after their separation, and Buckley was awarded $2.7 million and a 2004 Range Rover, furniture, and other items.

Caruso retained his two properties in Florida and one in California. He also kept his luxury cars, a Mercedes-Benz and a Bentley.

FIRST MARRIAGE

Caruso's first wife, Maugans, found most of her work as a TV actress, appearing in shows such as "Dallas," "Tucker's Witch," and "Archie Bunker's Place."

Her most famous role is that of Edna in "Friday the 13th Part III." Maugans and Caruso were married from 1979 to 1984 when Caruso was still a struggling actor.

SECOND MARRIAGE

His second wife, Ticotin, is by far the most well-known of Caruso's three wives. While most people are unfamiliar with Ticotin's name, she made a name for herself in the film "Total Recall," alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, playing the female lead.

She also featured in the short-lived show "Law & Order: LA" and movies like "Fort Apache" and "The Bronx." Her marriage with Caruso was one of the most difficult.

The duo found it hard to communicate and tried marriage counseling to save their marriage, but all efforts were bound to fail.

LEGAL BATTLE

Caruso hit the headlines in 2009 after his ex-girlfriend Marquez filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of fraud, intentional infliction of mental distress, breach of contract, and six other allegations.

Marquez claimed the actor persuaded her to forgo a job opportunity to work on "CSI: Miami" by claiming he was willing to cater to her financial needs and support her.

After moving in together, Caruso was accused of creating a marriage-like relationship and subjected her to mental and emotional abuse and sometimes physical abuse over her interactions with other men. Caruso branded her claims as false, adding that his focus was on their children.