Trivia

Walked out on first wife Pati Behrs and their family in 1955 for a pre-fame Ursula Andress, who had recently immigrated to the U.S. from Italy and spoke almost no English at the time. Behrs threatened to bring a morals charge against Derek for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which could've meant deportation for Andress.

In his 1956 divorce from Pati Behrs, she was granted custody of the couple's two children, 5% of his salary as well as child support.

Appeared in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Since You Went Away (1944), All the King's Men (1949) and The Ten Commandments (1956), with All the King's Men winning in the category.

Daughter Sean Catherine Derek and third wife Linda Evans have been best friends for over 50 years and live near each other in Washington state.

John and his wife Bo Derek were many of the Hollywood celebrities who liked to make regular weekend visits to Ralph Helfer Africa U.S.A. Exotic Animal Ranch in Soledad Canyon, California to pitch in with the chores and play with the animals.

Son Russell was paralyzed from the chest down due to a motorcycle accident in 1969.

Granddaughter, Alyce Derek (Russell's daughter) born 28 June 1969.

In 1973, left third wife Linda Evans for seventeen-year-old Bo Derek (then Cathy Collins) during the shooting of Fantasies (1981) on the island of Mykonos in Greece. The film's backers were from a church organization and there was concern they would have John arrested for statutory rape. To evade charges the couple moved to Munich, Germany, then to Tijuana, Mexico until Bo's eighteenth birthday.

Impressed by his performance in The Ten Commandments (1956), Paramount submitted his name for consideration in the Best Supporting Actor category of the 29th Academy Awards. He failed to receive a nomination, however.

In voting for 1981's RAZZIE Awards for Worst Achievements in Film, Derek's direction of Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) (starring his wife Bo Derek) and Michael Cimino's direction of the legendary debacle Heaven's Gate (1980) ran neck-and-neck. A mere handful of late ballots threw the Worst Director nod to Cimino.

Father of Russell Andre Derek (1950-1999) and Sean Catherine Derek (born 1953) with Pati Behrs.

First, second and fourth marriages all occurred in Las Vegas; third was in Tijuana.

Became a great-grandfather on November 14, 1996.

In 1944, he was drafted into the United States Army and served in the Philippines during the last days of World War II.

Son of Lawson Harris and Dolores Johnson.

Legally changed his name from Derek Harris to John Derek. (September 14, 1950)

Always gave the spelling of his middle name as Dullivan, but his birth certificate says Delevan.

Photographed the last three of his four wives for Playboy magazine.

Ex-father-in-law of Lynette Berry, who was married to Russell from 1968 to 1983.

In order to keep the illusion that all of his wives were blonde and subject to his Svengali-like influence, Derek's first wife and mother of his children, Pati Behrs, a brunette, was omitted from the PR that was spread during fourth wife Bo Derek's peak years of fame, whereas his second and third wives, Ursula Andress and Linda Evans, were constantly mentioned whenever Bo was written about.

He and Bo lived on a 32-acre ranch in Santa Ynez Valley. One of their neighbors was Michael Jackson.

Suffered a mild heart attack. (June 2, 1986)

According to Linda Evans, Derek had "a lot of complications" with the two children he had by first wife Pati Behrs, hence why he didn't want to have children with his three subsequent wives.