Hollywood legends Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin were seen on a rare public outing in Los Angeles recently. The acclaimed actress, now 88, memorably starred with her real-life husband, 87, in the CBS sitcom He & She from 1967 to 1968. The couple looked inseparable as they headed out together, just months before their 65th wedding anniversary this October.
Golden Globe Winner Dotes on Wife
Benjamin, who won a Golden Globe in 1976 for The Sunshine Boys, doted on his beloved wife as she was pushed in a wheelchair by an aide. Prentiss, who was nominated for an Emmy for her work in He & She, was seen smiling and chatting with her husband and a friend during the outing.
The devoted couple, who share two children, have one of Hollywood's longest-standing marriages. This sighting marks the first time in 11 months the pair have been seen publicly, after exclusive photos captured them attending a Pilates class in June 2025.
A Love Story That Began at Northwestern
The couple's career and relationship date back to an era when actors were signed to studios. They met while studying at Northwestern University's drama school before auditioning for an MGM talent scout, who ended up signing only Prentiss, according to People. The actress signed a seven-year contract with the studio in 1960, embarking on a journey she described as 'terrifying.'
'It was a life I hadn't picked,' she told People during a joint 1976 interview with her husband. 'It was terrifying. I just allowed myself to be driven along.' 'I was such an idiot,' her husband groaned. 'I accepted it all to be with the girl I wanted to be with.'
Marriage Arranged by MGM
The couple even wed to comply with the wishes of the studio, with People describing their marriage as 'arranged' by MGM. At the time, eyebrows were raised at the prospect of Prentiss traveling with her boyfriend (as they were unmarried), prompting them to say 'I do.'
While under contract with the studio, she appeared in several films with Jim Hutton and even starred opposite Hollywood legend Rock Hudson in the 1964 film Man's Favorite Sport?, playing his girlfriend. Other notable works include 1975's The Stepford Wives and a role opposite Peter O'Toole in What's New Pussycat.
Overcoming a Mental Breakdown
However, Prentiss suffered a mental breakdown on the Paris set of What's New Pussycat, which she told People was what 'woke' them up. 'One day during shooting,' she said, 'I just climbed up the ropes to the catwalk and started walking the beams. Very loudly and clearly I called down to everyone on the set, "I'm going to jump." A French technician grabbed me, and there I was, hanging by one arm.' During treatment, her husband said she was under so much medication that she wasn't herself.
The couple overcame the ordeal and several years later welcomed children who also pursued acting: son Ross Benjamin, 52, and daughter Prentiss Benjamin, 47, who is also a dancer.
'When Paula was sick, people wondered why I didn't leave her,' her husband said elsewhere in the interview. 'And when I wasn't working they wondered why she didn't leave me. People all along have tried to come between us. It took a long time to figure out that it was their problem, not ours.'
Benjamin's Illustrious Career
As for her spouse, he also worked with Peter O'Toole in the 1984 film Racing with the Moon. His resume includes The Last of Sheila, Mermaids, The Money Pit, and the 1973 film Westworld, which later inspired the HBO show of the same name. His illustrious career has also received critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination in 1971 before winning one in 1976.
