Jacqueline Ray Biography – Facts About Tom Selleck’s First Wife

Jacqueline Ray is the first wife of Tom Selleck, a legendary American actor. They got married on the 15th of May, 1971, and spent 11 years together before divorcing in August 1982. The former couple had no kids together, but Tom adopted Jacqueline’s son, Kevin, from a previous relationship.

Tom Selleck’s first wife was born on July 17, 1952. The 71 year-old American former actress and model is known for her roles in Beyond the Universe, In Like Flint, and the TV show Magnum, P.I.

Summary of Jacqueline Ray’s Biography

  • Full name: Jacqueline Mary Ray
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of birth: July 17 1952
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Age: 71 Years Old
  • Ethnicity: Caucasian
  • Nationality: American
  • Zodiac Sign: Cancer
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Divorced
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Ex-Husbands: Shepard, Tom Selleck, and Clarence Barry Witmer
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Children: Kevin Selleck and Umeko Ray
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 7 inches
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Height in Centimetres: 170 cm
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Weight: 121 lbs.
  • Body measurements in inches: 36-24-26 (bust, waist, hips)
  • Eye Colour: Blue
  • Hair Colour: Dark brown
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Net worth: $500,000
  • Famous for: 
  • Jacqueline Ray’s Instagram: jaxray_

Who Is Jacqueline Ray?

Jacqueline was born to parents who gave her the full name Jacqueline Mart Ray at birth on the 17th day of July 1952 in Burbank, California, where she was equally raised. The specific details of her birth are unknown because Jacqueline is notable for being close-mouthed especially about her personal life and upbringing. Moreso, details about her educational background, the names of her parents and siblings have remained a mystery to the media and to her fans in general.

The bulk of information available about the actress began from when the media took note of her as a rising actress. Jacqueline got her first hit in acting in the ’60s when she starred in the 1967 movie In the Flint. Just as one step could open a million doors, her work in the movie soon had other opportunities coming her way.

In 1980, she starred in The Killings at Outpost Zeta which was quickly followed by her next role in Beyond the Universe (1981). With these two movies, Jacqueline made an indelible impression in the hearts of movie lovers and improved her status in Hollywood. Suffice it to say that her performance caught both the eyes of the producers and those of the targeted audience.

Jacqueline went ahead to feature in the American Crime Drama television series Magnum P.I. Through the 80’s down to the 2000s, she maintained her status with appearances in series like the American Teen sitcom Unfabulous and its spinoff Unfabulous: The Best Trip Ever (2007).

Jacqueline Ray’s First Marriage Was Not to Kevin Selleck

Jacqueline Ray’s first marital experience was with a certain Shepard. As much as she tried to make herself a formidable actor and face to reckon with in the entertainment industry, Jacqueline also tried to have things working in her personal life. However, her marriage to Mr Shepard failed and did not last. The couple divorced after having just one child they named Kevin Shepard in 1966.

Jacqueline Ray Became Tom Selleck’s Wife after Her First Marriage Failed

Five years later in 1971, Jacqueline was ready to give marriage a second try, and so she tied the knot with popular actor Tom Selleck, who she had met and fallen in love with on the set of Magnum PI. The union between the two wasn’t as popular as other celebrity marriages because, at the point of their union, they were not popular faces in the entertainment world. Tom Selleck was still trying to get his footing.

Jacqueline Ray
Jacqueline Ray and Tom Selleck

Theirs was the longest of Jacqueline Ray’s three marital attempts. They got married on the 15th of May, 1971 and spent 11 years together until their divorce in August 1982. Speaking about the cause for the divorce, it was reported that Jacqueline couldn’t handle the attention Tom was getting from his female fans after his role as Thomas in Magnum, P.I. shot him to immense fame.

After their marriage in 1971, Selleck adopted Jacqueline’s son and had his last name changed to Selleck. With Tom Selleck being an actor and producer and Jacqueline an actor and one-time model, it was easy for Kevin Selleck to find his way and footing in both worlds. He was notably recognized as a part of the cast in the 1997 American slasher film, Scream.

On her third go, the actress found love in the arms of Clarence Barry Witmer who she married. But being that she has learned from her past mistakes of having the media know all about your personal affairs, she has kept all details about the said union to herself.

Jacqueline Ray’s Net Worth

Having had a robust career as a model and an actress, Jacqueline has kept a low status in this present generation as she has not featured in any movie recently. As she is said to have gained much popularity in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, her net worth has been pegged at 5 million dollars.

Jacqueline Ray’s Height and Weight

Jacqueline Ray is said to be one of the prettiest ladies in her days. This is evident by the fact that she was a successful model back then. She stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall with her weight undisclosed.

Is Jacqueline Ray Still Alive?

Jacqueline Ray is still alive but no longer working in showbiz. This is not because she decided to retire from acting and modeling but because she lost her freedom owing to a crime she committed.

For context, Jacqueline has two children, a son named Kevin Selleck and a daughter named Umeko Ray. However, it was largely unknown to the media that she had a daughter until the events that unfolded in 2014 to the shock of many.

As the story goes, Umeko was married to a certain Leon who abused her constantly to the dismay of her mother who took the pains of often nursing her daughter back to good health after such incidences.

Deciding to take matters into her own hands, the actress took the bold decision of hiring someone to kill Leon for what he had done to Umeko. She paid the man named Luis Barker the sum of $12,000 to torture and kill Leon, which he did. Unfortunately, investigations into his death pointed right back Jacqueline who confessed her guilt in court.

Where is Jacqueline Ray Today?

Jacqueline is currently in prison. After the court hearing in 2014, she was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison. During her sentencing, the actress claimed that her major reason for killing her daughter’s husband was to protect Umeko and her grandchildren.

The numerous pleas from Umeko and Jacqueline’s reverend notwithstanding, the judge refused to agree to a lenient penalty and slapped the actress with an 18-year jail term. As of 2023, she has been in prison for about 9 years and still has a little less than a decade to go.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Jacqueline Mary Ray is an American actress and model, known for her marriage to actor Tom Selleck.
  2. Born on July 17, 1952, in Burbank, California, she began her career as a model.
  3. Ray made her acting debut in 1967 in the action-comedy ‘In Like Flint’.
  4. She appeared in various films, including ‘Beyond the Universe’ and ‘Frasier the Sensuous Lion’.
  5. Ray guest-starred in two episodes of Tom Selleck’s mystery drama series ‘Magnum, P.I.’.
  6. Her last acting job was in a 2007 episode of the family-drama series ‘Unfabulous’.
  7. Ray married Tom Selleck in 1971, and the couple divorced in 1982.
  8. She has a son named Kevin S. Shepard with her first husband, whose surname is Shepard.
  9. Tom Selleck adopted her son Kevin, and he took the surname Selleck.
  10. Kevin Selleck is a musician and actor, who appeared in an episode of ‘Magnum, P.I’ in 1987 and was the drummer of the American rock group Tonic.
  11. After her divorce from Selleck, Ray married Clarence Barry Witmer on March 21, 1992.
  12. It’s important to note that there is a different woman named “Jacqueline Rea” who was sentenced to 18 years in jail for murdering her son-in-law in 2012, and this is not Jacqueline Mary Ray.

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