Mary Ellen Sullivan: What happened to Max Baer's wife?

Mary Ellen Sullivan was the wife of Max Baer. Mary Ellen Sullivan’s husband has a reputation as an American professional boxer and the world heavyweight champion from June 14, 1934, to June 13, 1935. Fans had various names for the boxer including the Livermore Larupper and Madcap Maxie. Two of his fights were rated Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine.

Mary Ellen Sullivan: Bio Summary

Who was Max Baer’s wife?

Mary Ellen Sullivan was born on 30 September 1903 in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, United States of America. She was the daughter of James Patrick Sullivan and Margaret O’Connor Sullivan. Mary Ellen was not the only child of her parents, she had siblings- Frank Joseph Sullivan, Cornelius William Sullivan, and James P. Sullivan.

Mary Ellen Sullivan and Max Baer’s marriage

Before Max Baer and his wife met and walked down the aisle, he was married to actress Dorothy Dunbar from 1931 to divorced on October 3, 1933. Two years later, the celebrated boxer took another shot at love again and walked down the aisle with Mary Ellen on June 29, 1935.

The couple’s marriage was blessed with 3 children: actor and comedian Max Baer Jr. (born 1937), best known for playing Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies; James Manny Baer (1941–2009); and Maudie Marian Baer (born 1944). Mary Ellen and her husband stayed married until his death.

ALSO, READ; Maudie Marian Baer: Facts About Max Baer’s daughter

Mary Ellen Sullivan was a nurse

While her husband was a celebrated boxer, a boxing referee, and had occasional roles on film or television, Mary was a nurse. Mary Ellen’s husband is rated #22 on The Ring magazine’s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Baer turned professional in 1929, progressing steadily through the Pacific Coast ranks. A ring tragedy a little more than a year later almost caused Baer to drop out of boxing for good.

The boxer boxed in 84 professional fights from 1929 to 1941. In all, his record was 71–13. Fifty-three of those wins were knockouts, making him a member of the exclusive group of boxers to have won 50 or more bouts by knockout. He was Heavyweight Champion of the World from June 14, 1934, to June 13, 1935.

What happened to Max Baer’s wife?

Mary Ellen Sullivan passed away on 30 April 1978 in Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA. She was 74 years old at the time of her death. The cause of her death has not been revealed by the family. She was laid to rest at Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum in Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA according to her Findagrave profile.

Mary Ellen Sullivan was preceded in death by her husband Max Baer. Her husband died of a massive heart attack on November 21, 1959, in a Hollywood hotel. He was 50 years old at the time of his sad passing. While he lay dying in his room, the hotel operator asked him if he needed the “house doctor.” “No,” he replied. “I need a people doctor!”.

ALSO, READ; James Manny Baer: What happened to Max Baer Jr.’s brother?

A doctor gave Baer medicine, and a fire department rescue squad administered oxygen. After the first aid, his chest pains subsided and he was showing signs of recovery when the boxer was stricken with a second heart attack. Just a moment before, he was joking with the doctor, declaring he had come through two similar but lighter attacks earlier in Sacramento, California.

Then he slumped on his left side, turned blue, and died within a matter of minutes. His last words reportedly were, “Oh God, here I go.” At the time of Max Baer’s death, he was scheduled to appear in some TV commercials in Los Angeles. His funeral was in Sacramento and was attended by more than 1,500 mourners. 

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