While Mike Connors had experience acting on film when he began “Mannix” between 1967 and 1975, the role of Joe Mannix became his signature one, elevating him to popularity never before experienced and earning him a Golden Globe Award in 1970.

But in addition to having a flourishing film career, the celebrity also had a remarkable marriage—one of the very few in Hollywood to have endured 67 years of temptation.

At UCLA, where Connors studied law on an athletic scholarship while Lou studied teaching, Connors first met Mary Lou Willey, the woman who would become his wife.

Connors wanted to marry her after they had been dating for some time, but she continued delaying. She was living at home in Laguna Beach at the time, where Connors was selling brushes and vacuum cleaners door to door to be near her. She had left college at the time.

Connors handed her an ultimatum when she refused to comply. Either they would get married or they would break up. He then departed Laguna Beach and went back to school. Lou announced that she will marry him a few weeks later. On September 10, 1949 they get married.

Despite difficulties and his son’s illness, Mike was loyal to his family.

Keep in mind that the actor wanted to become a lawyer and studied law at the university. But he eventually changed to theater arts. Even though, Lou remained by his side despite the disapproval of his mother and her friends, reassuring him that he would finally come to his senses.

But temptations were present in his marriage as well. He recounts how, in spite of temptations, he decided to stick by his wife out of love for her. He described again how he and Lou had a small apartment off Sunset Boulevard. With Joan Crawford and Jack Palance, he had just made his acting debut in the movie ‘Sudden Fear.’

Being new to the business, he frequently visited actor pals at MGM before networking with anyone who had time for him on various sets. He once went to MGM to see work being done on a movie starring Lana Turner and Ricardo Montalban.

He met hairstylist who had previously worked with him, and Lana dispatched a girl to ask him for his name as they stood there talking. After learning his name, Lana again sent the girl to ask if Connors would enjoy having a drink with her in her dressing room. Lana was clearly interested in him.

She was rejected by Connors, who said that while he would have loved to, he had an appointment and could not remain any longer. When he asked him how people got forward in the industry, the hairdresser called him an idiot and  a stupid.

But Connors pointed out that he had only recently wed and that he still loved his wife. After that, he exited his car and drove his wife home. He was astonished to find out that his wife was already informed of what had happened between him and Lana when he returned home.

Despite his son’s condition, Connors was dedicated to his wife and children since he knew what he wanted when he started a family. The Lucy Book author Geoffrey Mark would say: ‘He placed a high value on his family. It was never uncomfortable to enter their beautiful Encino home; it always seemed like a home.’

He frequently praised his wife and never once used disrespectful language to describe her. The most important thing to him was his family. He only ever mentioned this about his wife: ‘I am the luckiest man on earth. I had a great marriage.’

The couple had a daughter named Dana Lee Connors in 1960 after welcoming a boy named Matthew Gunner Ohanian in 1958. Sadly, Matthew was given a schizophrenia diagnosis at age 15 and ‘ultimately had to be institutionalized.’

Sadly, he went away in 2007 from heart failure. Connors became quite involved in mental-disorder charities between Mattews’ diagnosis and his passing.

UNTIL THE END, AS A UNION

Hollywood seldom sees marriages continue for close to seven decades, but Connor and Lou’s managed to make theirs work. The way they were together revealed the type of relationship they had.

The pair would talk openly about their union, claiming that comedy was their best coping strategy and that it held them together like superglue. According to Connor: ‘The majority of our dinner companions are all quite funny people. They run a very successful business, and the nights are filled with laughter.

The ‘Good Neighbor Sam’ actor always viewed Lou and himself as fortunate to have led such lives. He mentioned how lucky they were to have achieved success, traveled the world, dined with royalty and powerful politicians, and met some of the funniest and wittiest people. Added him: ‘Our marriage has been together for around 60 years, and we have loved every minute of it. We’ve lived a wonderful life.

The loss of their son, according to the Connors, was the sole unfortunate event that had occurred to them. ‘You then wonder, ‘What is the greater scheme to take such a great young man away,” he thought. Who knows, perhaps there is a formula or plan in place that you must follow, no matter how painful or difficult it is.

The couple had a happy life together and remained devoted to one another till the end. Even after spending over 70 years together, they did not want to be separated when their time came. They both passed away in the same year, 2017, with Lou passing away soon after Connors.