Table of Contents
Marguerite Whitley Biography
Many people recognize OJ Simpson for his infamous murder trial in 1995 after allegedly killing his former wife together with her friend. The concerned public got hurled into a whirlwind of confusing evidence, media frenzy, and cultural issues.
Who is OJ Simpsons wife?
But the spotlight on OJ Simpson, a celebrated actor and athlete at that time, left significant people in the dark background into obscurity. One of them is his first wife, Marguerite Whitley.
Marguerite Whitley’s early years
Marguerite Whitley was born on March 20, 1949, in California. She grew up in a Christian African-American household. Since she was not as famous as his celebrity husband, almost nobody else about her family and childhood. But sources show that Marguerite Whitley studied and graduated from USC. His future husband, OJ Simpson, went there too. (In that school, he began to ascend in his football career.)
Meeting and marrying her first husband
Marguerite Whitley and OJ Simpson met by chance through his best friend, Al Cowlings. At first, Marguerite Whitley had a romantic relationship with Al Cowlings. But she ended up with OJ Simpson later on. During the time they started dating, Marguerite Whitley worked at Walmart. They finally got married on June 24, 1967. This private wedding ceremony was attended only by their loved ones and friends. OJ Simpson was just 19 then, and she was 18.
The married couple has had three children since then: Arnell Simpson (born on December 4, 1968), Jason Simpson (born on April 21, 1970), and Aaren Simpson (born on September 24, 1977). Unfortunately, their last daughter drowned in their swimming pool. After suffering from a coma, her lungs failed before her second birthday.
Marguerite Whitley and OJ Simpson’s divorce
Disasters and tragedies in their family caused the couple to end their marriage. First of these was the death of their one-year-old daughter, Aaren Simpson. Then, Marguerite Whitley discovered that his spouse was dating Nicole Brown, a worker at a nightclub named Daisy.
But, during interviews at the time, OJ Simpson said that his popularity was the primary cause of their divorce. Marguerite Whitley hated public life, yet the media and OJ Simpson’s fans rushed towards them whenever they were outside.
Marguerite Whitley’s life after her marriage
Marguerite Whitley’s second spouse was Rudolph Lewis, a transit worker, whom she married in 1986. But it failed. So, over a decade after her failed marriage with OJ Simpson, Marguerite Whitley got wed to Anthony Tomas, a furniture salesman, on April 3, 1992.
When OJ Simpson faced his murder trials in 1995, Marguerite Whitley supported him. She even wanted to speak in court to defend his ex-husband, but the attorneys did not need her statement. Marguerite Whitley also denied the stories reported by The New York Times, saying that OJ Simpson did not abuse her during their marriage. (In reality, she got rushed to the hospital because of injuries.)
Marguerite Whitley today
While writing this, she is past 75 years, enjoying her retirement from entrepreneurship. She is five feet and five inches tall, upholding a healthy lifestyle that makes her strong even at her old age. Because of her ethnicity, she has dark brown hair, skin, and eyes.
Marguerite Whitley is a private person, avoiding social media and fame. For this reason, no one knows about her family and love life. She was so secretive that even the leading media outlets do not know how she has been already!
Marguerite Whitley Net Worth
The Internet also does not know her assets and net worth. The last update we have is that she used to gain $26,000 annually from OJ Simpson as her divorce settlement. Furthermore, since Marguerite Whitley had custody of their children, she regularly received $1,500 to support them.
The life of OJ Simpson
We cannot talk about Marguerite Whitley without talking about his infamous ex-husband, OJ Simpson.
Orenthal James Simpson was born on July 9, 1947. His mother was Eunice Durden Simpson, a hospital chief. Meanwhile, his father was a chef and a bank worker. His relatives came from Lousiana. Hence, OJ Simpson’s name got derived from the name of a French actor they admired. He has three siblings: Melvin Leon, Shirley, and Carmelita. His parents split up when he was just five years old. Decades later, his father Jimmy became a homosexual drag queen. He passed away because of acute immunodeficiency syndrome in 1986.
His childhood. OJ Simpson grew up in Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California. As he entered puberty, he got involved in gangs. OJ Simpson got jailed at the San Francisco Youth Guidance Center because he participated in street fights and gang wars. Fortunately, he met a baseball athlete named Willie Mays. He urged OJ Simpson to reform and change his ways. Inspired by this encouragement, OJ Simpson entered high school and joined its football team.
His rise to fame. OJ Simpson had an impressive career as a student football player in high school. But his grades could not meet the requirements of many colleges and universities. Nonetheless, instead of joining the military, OJ Simpson entered San Francisco’s city college. Many universities got impressed with his speed and strength as an American Football player. They invited him to transfer because of this. But OJ Simpson chose his dream school, the University of Southern California.
OJ Simpson broke many records and brought high scores to their games for his university. He also received so many awards, recognitions, and media coverage. In 1967, he led what would become recognized as one of the greatest American Football games in that century.
OJ Simpson became a household name in college sports, American Football, and Black communities. As he established himself here, OJ Simpson also tried becoming a track athlete. He excelled in this sport, setting a new record in track championships in 1967.
OJ Simpson’s acting. At the high of his fame, OJ Simpson explored entering Hollywood. He had a minor role as a recruit on Dragnet, a television series about detectives and police officers. He also appeared on the following shows:
- Roots is a 1977 television series dealing with the family history of an African family brought to the United States as slaves. This show, which received nine Emmy awards, shows the history of the African-American community and the intense struggles they faced under oppression. Here, OJ Simpson was Kadi Touray.
- The Medical Center series ran from 1969 to 1976. This show is about the doctors of a university hospital complex. The casts include OJ Simpson, who appeared during its first season.
- The Klansman is a restricted 1974 movie about the local authorities, the Klu Klux Klan, and the persecuted Black community. After the rape of a White woman, the Klansmen began castrating and hunting Black people. This film revolves around the county sheriff and his friend who wants to intercede. Here, OJ Simpson is Garth, the Black man suspected of starting it all.
- The Towering Inferno is about a dangerously built skyscraper that caught fire and a group of firefighters. This movie earned three Oscars, including nine other awards and thirteen nominations. OJ Simpson is a minor character named Jernigan in this movie.
- The Cassandra Crossing is a 1976 thriller film about a European train that caught a fatal disease. Here, OJ Simpson is Haley.
- Capricorn One revolves around the US government’s conspiracy to fake their landing on Mars after a technical error before the launch mission. (Some sources show that NASA helped the production in real life despite being painted as the antagonist in the film!) OJ Simpson is John Walker in Capricorn One.
- Goldie and the Boxer are about a boxer who wants to get recognized in higher titles. OJ Simpson is the lead protagonist here as Joe Gallagher. Goldie and the Boxer received one nomination for the Young Artist Award for Family Entertainment.
- Cocaine and Blue Eyes is about a man involved in a drug syndicate and a political family. Again, OJ Simpson was the protagonist in the film. His name is Michael Brennen in Cocaine and Blue Eyes.
- Back to the Beach portrays a pair of girl teenagers who want to party on California beaches without adult supervision. OJ Simpson was an extra at the airport scene here.
- The Naked Gun is a 1988 comedy film about a detective who must stop a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth II. Here, OJ Simpson is Nordberg, one of the leading characters. The film got nominated for the American Comedy Award.
- OJ Simpson also had appearances on Monday Night Football Saturday Night Live.
OJ Simpson even launched a production company bearing his name: Orenthal Productions. From 1979 to 1981, this studio made family shows and movies for television. He also gained connections with business executives and media empires.
In interviews about his acting career, OJ Simpson said that he got motivated by actors who had private jets and leisure time. The aspiring actor wanted to earn an Oscar or an Emmy someday. Using Lee Marvin and Richard Burton as his inspiration, OJ Simpson accepted commercials and advertisements:
- He represented Hertz, a rental car company, for several years, starting in 1975. In his first advertisement, he ran in airports while people cheered him. Indeed, the campaign he starred in was such a success that Hertz’s brand recognition rose to 90% in some demographics. They also earned over $42 million more.
- MCI Communications hired him and his mother, Eunice Simpson, to promote the company.
- OJ Simpson also advertised Pioneer Chicken (a fried chicken restaurant), the Honey Baked Ham Company (a retailer of pork products), Calistoga Water Company (a beverage producer), and Dingo Boots).
During the 1980s, OJ Simpson reached the height of his career as an athlete superstar. According to People magazine, OJ Simpson was handsome, charismatic, and amiable, making him fit for endorsements. He won 1977’s Star Presenter recognition from the Advertising Age magazine. Furthermore, research in 1984 also records him as the most famous athlete promoter.
But he wanted to break his wholesome reputation at times to make his roles “believable.” His roles in movies and shows made James Cameron consider OJ Simpson to become The Terminator. Unfortunately, Arnold Schwarzenegger got chosen for this culturally iconic character.
OJ Simpson’s wealth. In 1992, he had over $10 million in properties and assets as the owner of restaurants and hotels. His annual income as the head of OJ Simpson Enterprises reached one million dollars. He also received half-a-million salaries from endorsements and promotions.
OJ Simpson’s murder trial. But his fame, wealth, and reputation will all crash after his infamous court case. On June 12, 1994, OJ Simpson’s ex-wife (Nicole Simpson) and her friend (Ron Goldman) got found stabbed and killed. The police considered OJ Simpson as one of the suspects. But instead of showing up to them, OJ Simpson attempted to flee. Television stations stopped streaming the NBA finals; instead, they showed live footage of the police car chase between OJ Simpson and the authorities. Ninety-five million people watched the coverage.
The trial got followed by millions of people around the world. It makes some consider it as the Trial of the Century. The murder case got debated and controversial even after the not-guilty verdict got announced. This issue became more contested because of its racial angle: most Black spectators believe that OJ Simpson was innocent, while most Whites and Latinos do not.
After Simpson received the not-guilty verdict, Ron Goldman’s estate filed another lawsuit against him. All media coverage got barred from this courtroom case. In the end, the jury declared that OJ Simpson committed battery and wrongful death. The verdict mandated him to pay over $33.5 million to the Goldman family. OJ Simpson lost his trophies, homes, and many properties.
In 2006, the Goldman family tried to remove OJ Simpson’s right to publicity. The judge granted this, so Simpson could no longer invest or receive money for book deals and interviews. Hence, in 2007, the Goldman family published the book, If I Did It, that OJ Simpson originally wrote. They added Confessions of the Killer to the title, and they made the word If so small that the book seems to say I Did It. Moreover, they added sections by Dominick Dunne, an investigative journalist.
