Terence Stamp's passing has left a hole in Hollywood, most notably British cinema, with the late actor making his mark from the 1960s all the way to the present day as one of the most memorable villains from the Superman franchise.
The English actor died at the age of 87 on August 17, receiving scores of tributes. However, in his passing also illuminated his more quieter private life, specifically his brief marriage.
For six years, Stamp was married to Elizabeth O'Rourke. However, their short-lived union proved to highlight the star's famed deference for a more conventional "home life," which he'd opened up about since his divorce.
Read on to learn more about Stamp's relationship with Elizabeth, their marriage, subsequent divorce, as well as the other leading ladies he'd been linked with over the years…
© Getty ImagesStamp with his wife Elizabeth O'Rourke
Meeting Elizabeth
Not much is known about Elizabeth O'Rourke, a private figure who'd never been involved with the entertainment world save for her marriage to Stamp.
The late actor had mentioned that his wife was a pharmacist. The pair met in mid-1990s at a chemist's shop in Bondi, New South Wales. Elizabeth had moved to Australia to study pharmacology, having been raised in Singapore.
© Getty ImagesThe couple were married from 2002-08
Their marriage and divorce
The pair tied the knot on New Year's Eve in 2002. Stamp was 64 while Elizabeth was 29. They remained private throughout their marriage before divorcing in 2008, citing his "unreasonable behavior" as the cause.
In a conversation with the Daily Mail in 2013, he revealed that he wasn't friends with Elizabeth after their break-up. "One of the things I've learned in life is that it's very easy to make a lover from a friend but it's very hard to make a friend from a lover."
"We had an incredible amount of fun," he continued. "She went back to Australia and that's why I don't see her, but if I do go there, I'm sure I will. There's a lot that can happen with the passing of time."
© Getty ImagesStamp during his early heyday in the 1960s, dubbed one of the most attractive faces in Hollywood
Doing it solo
In subsequent interviews, Stamp alluded to the reason for his split being differences over minute things with his wife, plus his lack of interest in building a stable family life.
Speaking of his fondness for alternative medicine, he told The Times: "When I was married, my wife was very scornful of it. Being a pharmacist, she thought it was a load of [expletive]. But if we both got a cold, mine was over in a day, whereas hers lasted for weeks. That pissed her off."
He also added: "I haven't had a permanent home for 15 years. I flit from friends' houses to hotels. I don't work for money so I learn to live only with what I need," saying a "house and stability have never been for me."
© Getty ImagesStamp with one of his first romances and eventual co-star Julie Christie
Other romances
As one of the most attractive stars of the '60s, Stamp was often linked to other leading ladies, notably briefly attached to Brigitte Bardot during his time in Paris.
His two most significantly documented romances, however, came with two of the eras defining beauties, the first being Julie Christie. The pair dated for a year after meeting in 1962, when he was inspired by seeing her on the cover of a magazine holding a machine gun.
Stamp had just made Billy Budd, with Julie set to star in Billy Liar just a year later, the projects that made them stars. Despite breaking up, they reunited on screen in 1967's Far from the Madding Crowd.
© Getty ImagesStamp with his years-long girlfriend, supermodel Jean Shrimpton
He was then dating supermodel Jean Shrimpton, who'd ended her relationship with photographer David Bailey to be with him. They were together until the late 1960s, with their break-up and a decline in his career leading him to move to India for a few years.
