Sally Struthers recently shared a touching story of her past relationship with Elvis Presley. The 77-year-old actress described the late King of Rock and Roll as one of the kindest and most genuine people she had ever met.
Speaking on the January 13 episode of the Let’s Talk About That! podcast, Struthers reflected fondly on her time with Presley, calling it “fun” and memorable. The All in the Family star admired how down-to-earth Elvis Presley remained, which was rare for someone of his status and prestige.
Sally Struthers and Elvis Presley’s relationship
Elvis Presley passed away in 1977 at age 42 but had a storied personal life before that time. He had romantic relationships with some Hollywood stars such as Ann-Margret, Linda Thompson, and Ginger Alden. However, he only married Priscilla Presley and it ended in 1973.
Although Sally Struthers did not share specifics about when they dated, she married psychiatrist William C. Rader the same year Presley died. Struthers and Rader had a daughter, Samantha, before divorcing in 1983.
Behind the scenes of ‘All in the Family’
During the podcast, Sally Struthers also opened up about less pleasant memories from her career. She shared her experiences with All in the Family creator Norman Lear and The Golden Girls star Betty White. Sally Struthers claimed that Betty White once fat-shamed her during a TV game show pilot, embarrassing her in front of others. “She said, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, dear. You don’t need a cookie,’” the actress recalled. “It was hurtful, and I thought, ‘That’s not nice.’”
Her relationship with Norman Lear also felt strained. Sally Struthers revealed that while her co-stars Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, and Rob Reiner were frequently invited to Lear’s dinner parties, she was excluded for all eight years the show was on the air. The actress admitted feeling bad about it. She even attempted to leave the show after five seasons, but a lengthy arbitration process ended with her losing the case despite $40,000 in legal fees.