Sally Field Relationships: More Complex Than You Think
- 01. Sally Field Love Life: The Story Feels Unexpected
- 02. Early relationships and first marriage
- 03. Burt Reynolds: the most famous romance
- 04. Second marriage: Alan Greisman
- 05. Other notable relationships
- 06. Single years and reflections on love
- 07. Key relationships at a glance
- 08. Timeline of Sally Field's romantic milestones
- 09. How childhood shaped her love life
- 10. Frequently asked questions about Sally Field's love life
- 11. Present outlook and legacy of love
Sally Field Love Life: The Story Feels Unexpected
Sally Field's love life history spans more than five decades of Hollywood and includes two marriages, a headline-driven romance with Burt Reynolds, a handful of high-profile relationships, and a long stretch of selective singledom since the 1990s. Sally Field has been open about how her youth, family dynamics, and professional rise shaped both her emotional patterns and her approach to relationships. Her memoir *In Pieces* and later interviews frame her romantic arc as neither a fairy tale nor a tragedy, but a complex series of choices made by a woman learning to balance fame, motherhood, and self-worth.Early relationships and first marriage
Sally Field's first serious relationship was with Steven Craig, a fellow student she met while still a teenager at Birmingham High School in Los Angeles. They dated for about two years before marrying in a small ceremony in September 1968, when she was only 21 and Craig was 23. Their wedding was described in later tell-all coverage as low-key and rushed, more of a response to family pressure and youthful uncertainty than a grand romantic declaration. Over the course of their seven-year marriage, Sally and Steven welcomed two sons, Peter Craig and Eli Craig, both of whom went on to careers in the entertainment industry. Insiders interviewed by pop-culture outlets noted that Field later reflected on this period as a time when she "married for security rather than passion," and she has said she realized she got married too young. The couple separated in 1973 and finalized their divorce in December 1975, ushering Field into single-parent life just as her dramatic film career began to ignite. Before Steven Craig, Field's early dating life included brief flings with several young men, including Davy Jones of The Monkees (1965-1966) and actor Pete Duel (1967-1968). These relationships were largely confined to the early TV years of her career, around the time she was playing Gidget on network television and struggling to be taken seriously as an actress.Burt Reynolds: the most famous romance
Sally Field's most widely discussed romance is with actor Burt Reynolds, whom she met on the set of the 1977 car-chase comedy *Smokey and the Bandit*. Their relationship reportedly began in 1976 and continued on-and-off until about 1982, overlapping both of her marriages and at least one other major relationship. By the late 1970s, Reynolds was America's top box-office draw, while Field was earning critical acclaim, including the 1979 Best Actress Oscar for *Norma Rae*. This imbalance in public perception-"macho star" versus "serious actress"-became a recurring theme in profiles of their romance. Reynolds later wrote in his memoir that Field was "the love of his life," a claim she challenged in later interviews, saying he "invented" the narrative that she was more significant to him than she actually was. In conversations with trade publications such as Variety, Field described Reynolds as "not someone I could be around" and "not beneficial for me in any way," characterizing their romance as intense, ego-driven, and ultimately hurtful. She has also said the relationship was "confusing and complicated," with his celebrity acting as a kind of smokescreen that made it hard for her to see the emotional toll until after they broke up.Second marriage: Alan Greisman
After her split from Reynolds, Sally Field began a relationship with film producer Alan Greisman, whom she reportedly dated for about two years before they secretly married in December 1984. The ceremony was small and private, reflecting her growing desire to keep her second marriage out of the spotlight. Greisman was best known for producing films such as *Fletch* and later worked on projects like *Being Charlie* and *The Bucket List*, positioning him firmly within the Hollywood producer class. Field and Greisman had one son together, Sam Greisman, born in 1987. Colleagues described them at the time as a stable, low-drama couple, with less of the media glare that had surrounded her affair with Reynolds. Their marriage lasted about nine to ten years; they divorced in 1993, with some sources noting the separation had been brewing for months before the legal split. In later years, Field has commented more broadly on marriage in general rather than on Greisman specifically, once saying in an interview with AARP The Magazine that she was "not very good at marriage," a remark repeatedly cited in lifestyle profiles about her personal life.Other notable relationships
Beyond her two marriages and the Burt Reynolds era, Sally Field has been linked to a number of other men, some briefly and others more seriously. Public dating-history sites list a relationship with actor Lee Majors in 1967, during the early days of her TV career, though this connection is often described as a short-lived flirtation rather than a long-term romance. In the early 1980s, as she was transitioning out of the Reynolds orbit, Field dated actor Kevin Kline for a period in 1982. Kline, then emerging as a major stage and film presence, was not publicly tied to Field for long before both moved on to other projects and relationships. Later on, she was romantically linked with set designer Rob Howell, with whom she shared a lower-profile relationship in the 2000s. Howell's work in theater and film brought their worlds together intermittently, but the relationship did not result in marriage or public children.Single years and reflections on love
Since her divorce from Alan Greisman in the early 1990s, Sally Field has remained mostly single, with only scattered reports of brief relationships. As of 2023-2024 profiles, she was described as "currently single" and more focused on family, craft, and her own mental health than on pursuing new long-term partnerships. In a 2023 episode of the Wiser Than Me podcast hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Field said she "can't imagine" getting married again and joked that it would depend on meeting someone she wanted to spend more than "37 seconds with," underscoring a wry, self-aware attitude toward romance. She has also emphasized her three sons-Peter, Eli, and Sam-as her central emotional anchor, describing herself as a "mother first" in later interviews.Key relationships at a glance
This table summarizes the main chapters of Sally Field's love life, including marriage dates and approximate spans of significant relationships.| Partner | Role / Occupation | Relationship Type | Years Linked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Craig | High school sweetheart, later producer | First husband | 1968-1975 (married) |
| Burt Reynolds | Actor, major star of 1970s | On-and-off relationship | 1976-1981/82 |
| Alan Greisman | Film producer | Second husband | 1984-1993 (married) |
| Kevin Kline | Actor | Dating | 1982 (brief) |
| Rob Howell | Set designer | Relationship | 2000s (undated, intermittent) |
Timeline of Sally Field's romantic milestones
An ordered list of key romantic milestones helps illustrate how her love life unfolded alongside her career rise.- 1965-1966: Dates Davy Jones of The Monkees, early in her TV career.
- 1967: Brief romance with actor Lee Majors.
- 1967-1968: Relationship with actor Pete Duel during the *Gidget* era.
- 1968 September: Marries Steven Craig at age 21.
- 1970s: Welcomes sons Peter Craig and Eli Craig during her first marriage.
- 1973: Separates from Steven Craig amid rising film success.
- 1975 December: Finalizes divorce from Steven Craig.
- 1976-1981: Carries on a high-profile, on-and-off relationship with Burt Reynolds.
- 1982: Dates actor Kevin Kline briefly.
- 1984 December: Secretly marries film producer Alan Greisman.
- 1987: Gives birth to son Sam Greisman.
- 1993-1994: Divorces Alan Greisman after about nine years of marriage.
- 2000s: Enters a low-key relationship with set designer Rob Howell.
- 2020s: Publicly describes herself as single and suggests she is unlikely to marry again.
How childhood shaped her love life
Several biographical profiles and interviews suggest that Sally Field's early family dynamics influenced her choices in relationships. After her parents' divorce in 1 Lazyimeline, she lived with her mother, actress Margaret Field, and stepfather, stuntman and actor Jock Mahoney, whom she later described as controlling and abusive. Psychologists and entertainment writers who have analyzed her memoir note that growing up in a volatile household may have contributed to her marrying young and seeking stability in men who seemed "safe" or "anchoring," even if they did not spark deep passion. By her own admission, Field has said it took her years to recognize manipulative behavior and to set stronger boundaries, which she connects to her later discomfort with how fame and power played out in relationships like the one with Reynolds.Frequently asked questions about Sally Field's love life
Present outlook and legacy of love
Sally Field's love life today is defined less by active courtship and more by reflection, family, and creative work. Profiles from the early 2020s describe her as contentedly single, with a close circle centered on her three sons and four grandchildren. She has spoken about learning to prioritize her own emotional health over the pressure to "find someone" or conform to societal expectations around companionship. In a broader cultural context, Field's romantic history stands out because it runs parallel to her rise as an Academy Award-winning actress and a symbol of 1970s-1980s feminism. Her willingness to discuss difficult relationships, abusive dynamics, and her own missteps bolsters her status not just as a performer, but as a candid commentator on the emotional risks of stardom and love in the public eye.Key concerns and solutions for Sally Field Relationships More Complex Than You Think
How long were Sally Field and Burt Reynolds together?
Sally Field and Burt Reynolds were romantically linked for roughly five years, from about 1976 to 1981 or 1982, though their interactions overlapped with other relationships and periods of dating on both sides. Their story is often compressed into the single phrase "late 1970s romance," but tabloid and biographical timelines show multiple cycles of breakups and reconciliations during that stretch. After the relationship ended, they continued to work together on projects such as *Smokey and the Bandit II* and *The Cannonball Run*, which public-relations narratives sometimes framed as "awkward reunions" even though by that stage their private romance had cooled.
Why did Sally Field say she's not good at marriage?
Field's comment about not being "good at marriage" appears in a number of entertainment and lifestyle pieces, where she frames it as a self-deprecating observation rooted in her own pattern of two marriages ending in divorce. She has not explicitly attacked any of her husbands, but instead ties the statement to her evolving sense of self and to the difficulty of balancing a career with the demands of a long-term partnership. In interviews since the 1990s, she has suggested that she needed more time to "figure herself out" before she could sustain a stable marriage, implying that her early unions were as much about learning as about love.
Has Sally Field ever said she's done with love?
Field has not declared herself "done" with love, but she has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of another marriage. In the Wiser Than Me conversation, she said it would "certainly all depend on meeting somebody," then added playfully that she "can't imagine" that either, signaling ambivalence more than absolute closure. In memoir excerpts and talks about her book *In Pieces*, she frames her romantic history as a series of lessons rather than regrets, suggesting openness to connection in theory, but with a much higher bar for emotional safety and compatibility.
How many times has Sally Field been married?
Sally Field has been married twice, first to Steven Craig from 1968 to 1975 and then to film producer Alan Greisman from 1984 to 1993. No credible sources indicate a third marriage, and she has publicly stated she "can't imagine" tying the knot again.
Who was Sally Field's most famous boyfriend?
Sally Field's most famous boyfriend was Burt Reynolds, the 1970s box-office superstar with whom she was romantically linked from roughly 1976 to 1981. Their pairing generated steady tabloid coverage and remains one of the most talked-about Hollywood romances of that decade.
Does Sally Field have children?
Yes, Sally Field has three sons. From her first marriage to Steven Craig, she has Peter Craig and Eli Craig, both of whom work in entertainment. With her second husband, Alan Greisman, she has Sam Greisman, a writer.
Is Sally Field currently in a relationship?
As of 2023-2024 profiles, Sally Field is described as "currently single," with no confirmed long-term partner. She has been linked in the past to set designer Rob Howell, but that relationship has not been reported as active in recent years.
Did Sally Field really say Burt Reynolds was the love of her life?
No. In fact, Field has pushed back against the idea. In interviews with outlets such as Variety, she said Reynolds "invented" the narrative that she was the love of his life, and she characterized their romance as intense but ultimately not the great, defining love she is sometimes portrayed as having missed.