Tony Bennett’s Twisted Double Life: Bitter Ex-Wife Tells All—Drugs, Cheating and How He Left Our Family Homeless
Years before Tony Bennett's death, his ex-wife blasted the crooner as a drug-dazed "old fool" — who married a woman young enough to be his daughter just days after their divorce was final, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"The Tony I knew is not the same smiley Mr. Nice Guy the world knows," his scored ex, Sandra Grant Bennett, said just four years before his passing at 96.
"He's been a star to three generations, but this wonderful singer has another side to him."
Tony Bennett with his ex-wife Sandra
Sandra charged the I Left My Heart in San Francisco legend spurned her while she raised their two daughters — even though she saved him from dying of a drug overdose.
"Once we had the children, I couldn't travel with him much, which irritated him," said Sandra. "And I became very concerned about his drug taking, which seemed to make him paranoid."
Tony Bennett with his ex-wife Sandra and daughters
Devastated by the death of his beloved mom in 1977 and with barely any work outside Las Vegas, Bennett OD'd on cocaine and passed out in a bathtub. Luckily, Sandra came home and rushed him to a hospital.
"Tony will be outraged over Sandra's accusations," warned a pal at the time. "He's admitted he used drugs in the '70s and stopped cold."
Bennett began seeing Sandra while still married to his first wife, Patricia Beech, the mother of his two sons. He and Patricia divorced in 1971 — after Sandra had given birth to Bennett's daughter Joanna in 1970.
Bennett and Sandra eventually wed and had a second daughter, Antonia, in 1974.
Tony Bennett performing
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But Sandra claimed Bennett ruined her financially because he owed back taxes and he "allowed our family home to be sold out from under us, even though his daughters and I had nowhere else to live."
They separated in 1979 but didn't officially divorce until 2007 — and Bennett quickly tied the knot with four-decades-younger Susan Crow.
At the time, Sandra snapped: "I am very happy to be free at last, and good luck to his current wife. But maybe it's the opposite and I should wish him luck. There's no fool like an old fool."
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Tony Bennett with third wife Susan Crow
Bennett was still married to 56-year-old Crow when he passed away. As RadarOnline.com reported, the legendary singer's longtime publicist, Sylvia Weiner, confirmed his death on Friday morning.
Bennett suffered from Alzheimer's disease up until the end. He kept his battle with the degenerative brain disease a secret until 2021.
The news of his diagnosis was revealed in AARP The Magazine. It was later confirmed on Bennett's official Twitter.
"Life is a gift - even with Alzheimer's. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and AARP The Magazine for telling my story," the post read.
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