Eight years after divorcing Katheryne and ending their almost two-decades-long marriage, Don Knotts found his second wife and got married again. This time the lucky (or unlucky) lady was Loralee Czuchna, and the two got married in 1974. This marriage lasted slightly less time than the previous one, and after 15 years it also ended in divorce. In the early ‘70s, rumors of Don going through a mental health breakdown were beginning to circle the media. Here’s what the actual story was…
Apparently, Don was going through a severe bout with depression that began with him obsessing about his health. His depression gradually became worse over time and was cited as the reason for the married couple growing apart over the years until their eventual divorce. The actor was fully engaged in his depression by the time the couple ended their relationship, and the separation left him dealing with both his damaged mental state, as-well-as the painful feelings associated with the separation from one’s spouse. It took Don almost 15 years until he decided to get married again after that.
A Troubled Family
Despite his easy-going and entertaining nature, Don Knotts experienced a great deal of tragedy and loss during his youth. He was born in Morgantown, West Virginia to a family with only brothers. Unfortunately, his parents weren't quite ready for him being added to the family tree. Knott’s father couldn’t deal with the pressure of another male child and eventually found himself having a mental breakdown, which resulted in a full loss of his mental function due to becoming a paranoid schizophrenic and an alcoholic. These two likely fueled each other, as mental illness is often both the cause and the result of alcoholism and vice-versa.
It was not just his father that suffered a tragic break-down though, as Knott’s older brother Earl, who was often called “Shadow” due to being very thin and fragile, died from asthma in 1942 when Knotts was just a teenager. The grieving brother was sent into military service just a year later, where his job was to entertain other soldiers. It’s unclear whether Knott’s sense of humor came despite his life’s tragedies or as a result of them. Actors like Jim Carrey often describe how their family’s troubles actually caused them to become entertainers. This might have been the case with Knotts as-well.
His First Marriage
Don Knotts has been married several times throughout his life, his first marriage however was his longest-running one, as the others were definitely less successful. Knotts married Kathryn Metz in 1947 and the two were together for almost two decades until 1966. They had two children together, Thomas Knotts and Karen Knotts, with the latter eventually pursuing an acting career herself. Despite not being a well known actress, there’s no doubt that her last name must have given her a boost when the time came for casting.
His daughter, Karen, went to school at the USC School of Cinematic Art and also went on to work as a standup comic and a SAG/AFTRA actress. Don and his wife Katheryn got divorced in 1966, with Don subsequently marrying a second wife, divorcing her, and then marrying a third.
His Third and Final Marriage
You could say that Don Knotts had his “third time’s the charm” moment with his third and final marriage. The two were married in 2002 and stayed together until his eventual passing, but that statement would definitely carry a lot more weight if they had been married for more than a measly 4 years before his death. Don’s final marriage was to Frances Yarborough, an actress who was moderately known for starring in a 1976 film called The Electric Chair. The film received poor critical success and was quickly gone from the minds of critics and consumers. Needless to say, she didn’t gain much attention after that.
The one-shot actress never rose in prominence after the film and is now mostly known for being the wife (now widow) of Don Knotts. After his death, she went on air and eulogized him by saying: “He saw poignancy in people’s pride and pain and he turned it into something endearing and hilarious.” It’s unclear what the nature of Don and Frances’ relationship was or why the two decided to get married at such a late stage in their lives, but at least it’s comforting to know that Don spent his final years in good company.
His First Serious Job
When Don Knotts first tried his luck at acting he was told by various talent hunters that he didn’t have what it takes for a future in acting. Despite their discouragement, he remained motivated and vigilant, never stopping until he eventually achieved his goal of becoming a successful actor. During the time he spent trying out and auditioning for various roles, Knotts was working as a chicken plucker to support himself. He eventually went on to become one of America’s most beloved celebrities and was loved by audiences and film crews alike — the former for his enthusiasm and highly-entertaining personality, the later for his work ethic, reliability, and always being ready to perform when needed.
One possible reason why Don was such a hard worker and prided himself on always being ready is because of his difficult childhood and a feeling that he had to be self-sufficient in order to survive. Most boys who have highly dysfunctional fathers, must either teach themselves how to become men or risk becoming dysfunctional themselves. It’s a good thing Don went for the first choice.