Tawny Little - Facts about the Former Miss America & John Schneider's Ex-wife

Tawny Little had been married before she tied the knot with Johnny Schneider. Their marriage lasted a few years, and Tawny tried her hand at marital union once more before settling down with her now-late husband, Richard Jon Welch.

Tawny Little and John Schneider married on July 16, 1983. The couple held their ceremony on the "Dukes of Hazzard" set on the Bur-bank Studios lot and said their vows in front of 400 guests. John was the one to suggest the venue.

Tawny admitted she was initially perplexed but realized they could have security and privacy. It was her second wedding following her divorce from the Los Angeles-based neurosurgeon Miles Little.

Tawny Little Is a Former TV Reporter

Tawny drew her first breath in Portland, Maine, on September 15, 1956, born to John and Constance "Connie" Godin. In 2016, she shared a heartwarming story about how her first name came about.

Her mom's 18-years-younger sister, Carole, struggled to say Connie as a toddler, so instead of "Connie," she would say "Tawny." Constance adored the mispronunciation and declared if she ever had a daughter, that's what she would name her.

And a daughter came along indeed. Tawny grew up in Toronto and New York and excelled academically. A former pageant queen, she was named Miss New York in 1975 and crowned Miss America the following year.

Immediately after, she ventured into TV journalism at KABC-TV. Tawny had no experience in news reporting at the time, but she built a remarkable career and reputation. During her time with KABC, she also tried her hand at acting.

Tawny, who also played piano and spoke several languages, took minor roles, often as a reporter, in films and TV shows, most notably in "Rock II," opposite Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers, "Day of the Assassin" with Glenn Ford, and the '80s sci-fi series "V."

In 1992, she moved from KABC to KCAL-TV. She continued her acting stint until the late 1990s, with her last few appearances being in 1997's "Money Talks" with Charlie Sheen and Chris Tucker, 1998's "The Adventures of Ragtime," and a minor role in "Malcolm and Eddie" in 1999.

Tawny Little and John Schneider: They Didn't Like Each Other Much at First

Tawny met John at the 1982 Oscars when Tawny was covering the arrival of celebrities on the red carpet. When John arrived, Tawny immediately approached him for a chat, but the actor recalled, "I thought she was another pushy reporter."

Tawny also remarked, "He struck me as just another egotistical actor." A few months later, they began dating and eventually married. They lived in Studio City, California, and in 1985, their home was broken into. Tens of thousands of dollars in cash and valuables were stolen.

Mike Wayne's home, which was nearby, suffered the same fate, although police concluded that the burglaries were unrelated. A year later, for reasons unknown, John and Tawny divorced. The pair had no children.

Tawny Little Remarried Twice More

A few months after divorcing John, Tawny found love with producer Don Corsini. The former couple is said to have married in November 1986 and had two children, sons Joseph and Christian Corsini.

It's unknown when their marriage ended, but Tawny tied the knot again with Richard Jon Welch in January 2000. The couple welcomed a son, Cole Welch, and were married for over a decade until Richard died in 2014. John also remarried twice to Elly Castle and his now-late wife Alicia Allain.