- John Schneider has been married three times.
- He tragically lost his third wife and expressed how he honors her.
- John has a strained relationship with his children.
“The Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider, who starred as Bo Duke in the show from 1975-1985, has been married three times. He took another chance at love when he wed his longtime girlfriend, Alicia Allain.
However, the couple’s marriage was not yet legalized at the time because he was still going through a five-year divorce from his second marriage to his then-estranged wife, Elvira “Elly” Schneider.
Actors John Schneider, Catherine Bach and Tom Wopat pose for a promotional portrait for the TV show “The Dukes of Hazzard” on January 1, 1980 | Source: Getty Images
John and Allain exchanged wedding vows on September 25, 2019, in an intimate ceremony in the barn at John Schneider Studios in Holden, Louisiana. They reportedly said their ‘I dos’ “before God” and had planned on making it official after divorce finalizations.
The delighted bride said at the time, “This has been a wonderful celebration, a sanctuary of love.” While the groom chimed in, saying, “Happy is too small of a word.”
John Schneider (as Bo Duke) in “The Dukes Of Hazzard: Reunion!” on April 25, 1997 in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Sadly, after only three years of marriage, Allain tragically passed away at age 53 in February 2023. She was surrounded by her family when she died. A day after the devastating news broke, her beloved husband posted on Facebook, writing, “My beautiful Smile is pain free, living in her new body alongside Jesus.”
The renowned star had previously talked about Allain’s battle with breast cancer. She also divulged that she was “diagnosed with stage 4 HER2 negative cancer.”
John Schneider stars as Bo Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” on January 1, 1982 in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Six months after Allain’s death, John made his first public appearance since her passing and talked about losing her in a July 2023 video interview. He insisted that her death would lead to “remarkable, great things.”
John tearfully shared that he would now be devoted to helping those struggling with grief while admitting he would never get over his late wife’s death.
John’s Mourning Process
John, who is also a country singer, revealed that a part of his healing process was writing a new album, “We Are Still Us,” in “honor” of his beloved spouse.
The actor was at the Drinks With Dee Dee Sorvino cabaret show in Hollywood when she openly discussed his grieving process. He went there to support Sorvino, who also lost her husband, Paul Sorvino.
John went through a row of emotions while working on his latest album because he and Allain used to compose songs together. However, he vowed that he would produce a tribute to their shared love for music.
The TV star also divulged he and the actress also collaborated on films together, which he deemed “very helpful.” Now that she is no longer there, he is doing his best to honor her artistically.
John excitedly shared that he is done with a new album which he believes is his best work yet and is about Allain. It is titled “We’re Still Us.” The veteran admitted it still hurts that he worked alone on this project without his wife.
Per reports, Allain battled cancer for four years and was given five years to live. The movie star’s husband often posts notes and letters online to her about his loss. John said:
“Every day I write a letter to heaven.”
John’s Strained Relationship with His Adult Children
Before meeting Allain, John was married to his second wife, Elvira, for 21 years. The pair wed in 1993. However, she filed for divorce in November 2014, citing irreconcilable differences.
John and Elvira shared three adult kids, daughters Karis and Leah and son Chasen Schneider. In a November 2018 interview, the dad of three got candid about the split between him and their mother.
“I’ve been going through a divorce now for four years, and it’s awful. The worst part about it is that it’s wedged itself in between my three adult children and myself,” said the concerned parent.
At the time, he was dating Allain and expressed that he hoped that someday things would get better between him and his kids in terms of communication, adding he hoped to make them “proud.”
In a March 2012 interview, John shared that he was Karis’s biological father and found Elvira with three children: Mandy, Leah, and Chasen. “We immediately became a family because I wanted to be a dad…wanted, wanted, wanted to be a dad,” said the doting father whose first wife was TV personality Tawny Little.
