Swoosie Kurtz has graced big screens and theater stages for over 50 years, and the actress never prioritized romance. She dated a few men in her life but, unapologetically and by choice, never married or had children.
Nebraska native Swoosie Kurtz was an only child born on September 6, 1944, in Omaha. Her parents were esteemed author Margo Rogers and the late highly decorated Colonel Frank Kurtz. Because of her father's work as a WWII pilot, the actress frequently moved around with her parents, settling in eight different states.
One of her first appearances on TV was in her late teens when she appeared with her dad on a 1956 episode of the game show "To Tell The Truth." However, Kurtz's first love of entertainment and acting blossomed on the theatre stage.
Swoosie Kurtz poses at the 16th Annual Monte Cristo Award ceremony honoring George C. Wolfe presented by The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center at Edison Ballroom on May 9, 2016, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
She's chiefly known for securing the Broadway "triple crown" for her performance as Gwen on the stage production "The Fifth of July." It earned her a Drama Desk award, a Tony, and an Outer Critics Circle award.
Kurtz later joined film and television and received many prestigious nods over the years, including Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, and Golden Globes nominations. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in "Carol & Company" and starred alongside Melissa McCarthy in the comedy series "Mike and Molly."
Swoosie Kurtz poses at The Paley Center For Media Presents: "A Conversation With Bryan Cranston" at The Paley Center for Media on March 29, 2018, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Kurtz also maintained a loving relationship with her parents, whom she spoke endearingly of in her 2014 memoir "Part Swan, Part Goose: An Uncommon Memoir of Womanhood, Work, and Family."
Although she mainly focused on work, Kurtz gave love a try and had a few public relationships. Still, she found that acting was her strongest anchor, as she explained:
"I try to tell myself I'm not schizophrenic. But when I'm not acting, I'm not alive. Everyday is just not heightened enough for me. I'm more focused, more interesting when I'm working."
Swoosie Kurtz is pictured in the "Call Me Your Biggest Fan" episode of Fox's "Call Me Kat" that aired on Thursday, February 3, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
Swoosie Kurtz Dated an Artist Who Created Light Shows for Jimi Hendrix
Kurtz dated the famous visionary graphic artist Joshua White for about four years, from 1964. He once used a picture of Kurtz's eyeball and incorporated it into the Jimi Hendrix artwork displayed at a Filmore East concert.
White did weekly shows, on Fridays and Saturdays, at the Fillmore East and Kurtz regularly accompanied the artist. They separated in 1970, and both their careers continued flourishing. White continued his work as a projectionist and later transitioned to TV and film direction and production.
He worked on well-known shows, including "Seinfeld," "The Max Headroom Show," and "Club MTV." His former beau later dated her "A History of the American Film" co-star Brent Spiner in 1978. However, it's unknown when the former lovers split.
Swoosie Kurtz visits Build Series to discuss her movie "The Dangerous Book of Boys" at Build Studio on March 29, 2018, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Swoosie Kurtz "Sort of Forgot to Get Married"
Although Kurtz didn't shy away from romance, she focused mainly on honing her craft as an actress. Marriage and motherhood were simply not a priority. During her interview on "Off the Cuff," she joked and posed the question:
"I just sort of forgot to get married. Why is it that people are so uncomfortable with the thought of a woman who is, by choice or not, alone?"
Swoosie Kurtz poses at the premiere of USA Pictures' "The Boss" at the Regency Village Theatre on March 28, 2016, in Westwood, California | Source: Getty Images
Kurtz still had a love for children, which began around ages 9 and 10. Yet, unlike her co-star McCarthy, who married Ben Falcone and is a mother of two, she never wanted any children of her own.
She firmly believed that deciding against motherhood didn't make her, or anybody, "an evil person." Still, despite the world making her feel apologetic, at one point, for choosing not to settle down, she remarked:
"I never had that marriage radar out very well."
Swoosie Kurtz poses at the New York Premiere of Broad Green Pictures' "The Infiltrator" at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on July 11, 2016, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Swoosie Kurtz Terminated a Pregnancy in Her Youth, and It Was a Difficult Experience
She inadvertently revealed the ordeal in 2014 during an episode of "HuffPost Live" when she spoke about the abortion-based movie, "Citizen Ruth," where she starred in 1996. Kurtz said the film held much significance for her as it reflected a real-life experience.
When she went through with her abortion, it marked an "impossibly difficult" time of her life "on all levels." She never even found the courage to tell her mother about the termination. By the time she spoke about it publicly, Rogers had had dementia for seven years and was under Kurtz's care in Los Angeles.
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