Sally Struthers Reveals She Once Dated Elvis Presley: “Probably The Nicest Man I Ever Met”
Sally Struthers recently opened up about her brush with one of music’s greatest icons and her complicated experiences in Hollywood. At 77, Sally revealed a little-known chapter of her life: she once dated Elvis Presley, and she remembers him as “the nicest man” she ever met.
Speaking on the Let’s Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti podcast, Sally described her time with The King as unforgettable. “That was fun,” she said.
“He was probably the nicest man I ever met. He was so polite and so kind and soft-hearted that you just couldn’t believe anybody that was that beautiful had never caught on that they were beautiful and gotten obsessed with themselves,” she added.
Sally was full of praise for Elvis, marveling at his humility and thoughtfulness. “He was just all about kindness to everyone,” she shared. “which is pretty great.”
The All in the Family actress didn’t specify when their romance took place, but her warm words painted a vivid picture of Elvis as more than just a global superstar — he was a genuinely good person.
Sally’s own love story saw her marry psychiatrist William C. Rader in 1977, the same year Elvis tragically died at 42. Her marriage ended in 1983, but she and William welcomed a daughter, Samantha, during their time together. Meanwhile, Elvis had a series of high-profile romances, including Priscilla Presley, Ann-Margret, Linda Thompson, and Ginger Alden, to whom he was engaged when he passed away.
While reminiscing about her past, Sally also spoke candidly about some darker moments in her career. She alleged that Betty White, beloved for her role on The Golden Girls, once fat-shamed her during a TV game show pilot.
“She said, in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, dear. You don’t need a cookie.’ Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room. And I thought, ‘Gosh, that’s not nice,’” Sally recalled.
Sally also opened up about her strained relationship with All in the Family showrunner Norman Lear, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 101. Despite her starring role on the show, Sally claimed she was excluded from Norman’s social circle.
“All those years on the show, Norman and his wife would have dinner parties…I wasn’t, in eight years, invited to his home. It didn’t feel good,” she said, noting that Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, and their spouses were always invited.
Her dissatisfaction with her treatment on the show led her to seek legal counsel in an effort to leave after five seasons. However, arbitration cost her $40,000 in legal fees, and she ultimately lost her case.
