Gene Dickinson Was Angie Dickinson’s 1st Husband – What We Know about Him

Gene Dickinson was married to Angie Dickinson for a few years, and the couple did not welcome any children. Even though the relationship did not last, the actress revealed there was no bad blood between her and her ex-husband.

Before making a name for herself as an actress, Angie Dickinson met and soon after married her first husband, Gene Dickinson. The pair were college sweethearts, but their marriage only lasted a few years.

The divorce was a tough pill to swallow for Angie Dickinson's ex-husband. However, the actress revealed her former partner was a "grand guy," and the problem was that they were not a great match for each other.

How Did Gene Dickinson Meet His Ex-wife?

Angie and Gene met when she was around 18 and attending Glendale College. "He was cute, quiet, and not pushy," the actress recalled. Gene was a good-looking athlete who wooed his future wife with his "wonderful" personality.

A romance between the college sweethearts blossomed instantly, and ten months after meeting and spending all of their free time together, Gene and Angie tied the knot in Burbank.

Despite their relationship ending, Angie and Gene remained on good terms — they were friends, even.

They married on June 2, 1952, during a traditional ceremony attended by both their parents. However, the actress later revealed she only married Gene to escape her turbulent home life.

Gene Dickinson and His Ex-wife Were Only Married for Four Years

Angie grew unhappy with her life shortly after she and Gene officially became Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson. The actress revealed before becoming married, she lived in her parents' home with her family — including her alcoholic father — and needed a way out.

Angie admitted that putting the pain of their divorce on Gene was the lowest point of her life, adding, "He's a grand guy, but we were a wrong twosome." Their separation also occurred around the same time her career took off and her lifestyle changed. Gene's ex-wife shared:

"It changes your interests, so you're no longer the person you were, and your other friends just don't fit into your life anymore. And Gene didn't fit into my life at all."

Both Gene Dickinson and Angie Dickinson Found Love Again Following Their Divorce

Despite their relationship ending, Angie and Gene remained on good terms — they were friends, even. When Gene, whom Angie revealed during an interview influenced her love for sports, started seeing someone new, the three of them went on a camping trip.

Angie also moved on following her and Gene's divorce and married Burt Bacharach, and together, they welcomed a daughter, Nikki Bacharach. However, Angie's second marriage also did not last, and after separating in 1976, they divorced in 1981.

According to reports, the cause of Angie and her second husband's divorce was the success she found after landing her role in "Police Woman."

When Angie Dickinson's daughter was a little girl, the pair experienced a near-death accident in Hawaii. While swimming near a famous area on the island, Angie and Nikki got caught in a riptide that dragged them onto a sharp coral reef. The actress revealed:

"I thought, 'Well, this is it, the End.' It was a horrifying experience. I'll never get over it."

The mother and daughter fortunately survived the scary moment in Hawaiian waters. Sadly, Gene's ex-wife later lost her daughter to suicide in 2012. Nikki was diagnosed with the brain disorder Asperger's syndrome, and after years of suffering, she took her life.

"She quietly and peacefully committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought on by Asperger's [...]," Nikki's father's spokesperson said of Nikki's death.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.