- Alyce Mayo was the first wife of American actor Peter Falk and was married for 9 years from 1960 until they divorced in 1976
- The former piano teacher, painter, fashion designer, and interior designer attended the same school, Syracuse University as Falk and it was there that they met.
- The mother of 2 lived for 85 years from 1931 to her death in 2016
Alyce Mayo was a woman who comfortably juggled different careers in music, as a painter, fabric designer, and interior design. She recorded a good success in her different endeavors but her marriage to Peter Falk – a man most famous for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in Columbo equally added to her name.
Her Early Life and How She Met Falk
She was born Alyce Caroline Mayo on January 7, 1931, in Long Island City to Edward and Alice Mayo. She had a sister, Jacquelyn Mayo.
The former celebrity wife was raised on the East Coast. After her high school education, she headed to Syracuse University in New York.
It was while she was in college in Syracuse that she met her ex, Peter Falk, and later became married in 1960.
Looking through the early life of her ex, Peter Falk, he was born in The Bronx, New York City in 1898 making him 4 years older than Mayo.
At the time that her ex was 3, he went through eye surgery for a type of cancer called retinoblastoma. The surgery would lead to his wearing glass and making him quint.
By the time he was 12, he had already developed an interest in acting and appeared in a summer camp drama.
His career as a professional actor did not start until after he had worked on a railroad and headed for college.
How Alyce Mayo was Married to Falk for 16 Years and Had 2 Children
It was in 1960, about 2 years after Falk made his film debut as a writer in Wind Across the Everglades (1958) that Alyce Mayo became his wife.
In the union, they adopted 2 daughters, Jacqueline Falk and Christine Falk, a now-private investigator, and owner of Catherine Falk
From the children, the former couple became the grandparents of Logan and Liam Rothchild.
As regards other details about the marriage, there is barely any information. However, in 1976, their marriage of 9 years reached the end of the road.
Both Alyce Mayo and Her Ex Had 2 Marriages
After the failure of their marriage, the former couple headed to marry again. Mayo went away from Hollywood and married Harry Derleth while Peter married Shera Danese, a 1949-born American actress.
Since Alyce kept her distance from the spotlight, her love life also kept a huge distance.
On the other hand, her ex headed in the direction of Hollywood to marry an actress that was also a guest in Columbo – one of the actor’s most acclaimed works.
The marriage came in 1977, only a year after Mayo of “Lt. Columbo” divorced.
The union lasted almost 34 years until 2011, following the death of the multiple Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor, Falk.
She Had a Succesful Career in Different Sectors
The artist had a career as a painter, fabric designer, interior designer, a piano teacher. She was also a member of SAGES, the senior group for the arts at All Saints’ Church in Beverly Hills.
On the part of Flaks, he was an established actor, comedian, and writer whose professional career traces to the late 1950s. He would go out to appear in multiple movies and TV series, including Bloody Brood (1959), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Columbo (1968), Three Days in Vegas (2007), and his last American Cowslip (2009).
His career fetched him 2 Academy Awards nominations (1961 and 1962), 5 Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Awards (1973).
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She Died 5 Years After Falk, 40 Years After Their Divorce, and a Law was Made with Respect to Her Ex
On March 7, 2016, the painter died at the age of 85. Her transition came about 5 years after her ex died and about 40 years after their divorce.
Her 1927-born ex, Peter died in 2011 in Beverly Hills California at the age of 83. The death came primarily as a result of pneumonia while the secondary was due to the complications that accompanied Alzheimer’s disease – a neurodegenerative disease.
The death of the Murder Inc. actor led to the passing into law The Peter Falk’s Law.
The law started with a case brought by the former couple’s daughter Catherine against Shera, his second wife. Shera was the former comedian’s only conservator.
She was said to have stopped the other family members from visiting Catherine’s father and left them out of the progression of his health as well as his death and funeral arrangements.
Prior to that, Catherin, a private investigator had sued Shera who was said to have prevented her from seeing her father even though she wanted to give him the care he needed. She wanted to become his conservator but was declined.
The Peter Falk’s Law would protect children from being cut off from having the knowledge of the serious medical conditions and those that may lead to loss of life. The law includes visitation rights and notice of death among others.
