Jaclyn Smith’s fourth husband is Dr. Brad Allen, a surgeon she met in 1991 when he helped perform heart surgery on her father. They married on October 11, 1997, and have been together for nearly three decades. The couple famously lived apart for 17 years—she in Los Angeles, he in Chicago—before finally moving in together in 2009.
Who Is Dr. Brad Allen?
Dr. Brad Allen is a physician and surgeon who first entered Jaclyn Smith’s life under the most unexpected of circumstances: he was part of the medical team that operated on her father’s heart in 1991.
Smith has described that first meeting as something out of a storybook. “He operated on my dad. I remember he walked into the room, and he looked like the guys I grew up with, clean cut and just collegiate. He looked like just the guy down the street. And he was so good to my parents”.
At the time, Smith was still recovering from three failed marriages and raising two young children. She wasn’t looking for romance—but something about Allen felt different. “It’s true, the greatest love comes when you’re least looking for it,” she told Fox News.
How Did They Meet?
The timing of their meeting was significant. Smith had already been through three high-profile divorces—from actor Roger Davis, actor Dennis Cole, and director Anthony Richmond. She had two children, Gaston and Spencer, from her marriage to Richmond, and she was determined not to rush into another relationship.
Allen was working at the University of Illinois-Chicago at the time, and about two years after they met, he took a permanent position there. Rather than force a move or a hurried marriage, the couple made a deliberate choice: they would date long-distance, and they would take their time.
The 17-Year Long-Distance Marriage
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Smith and Allen’s relationship is that they spent 17 years living in different cities—even after they were married.
After they wed in 1997, Allen remained in Chicago for his career, while Smith stayed in Los Angeles to raise her children and continue her work. They commuted between the two cities for years, only finally closing the distance in 2009 when Allen moved permanently to Los Angeles.
Smith credits this unconventional arrangement for the strength of their marriage. “Ultimately, we commuted for 17 years,” she explained. “We married after seven years. And when we got married, we really knew one another. We knew each other’s families. We knew our priorities. We knew what we expected in life. And that is important in any relationship”.
She has said the time apart gave their marriage something other couples don’t have—a foundation built on genuine knowledge of each other rather than infatuation.
A Wedding Focused on Family
When Smith and Allen finally married on October 11, 1997, in Los Angeles, the ceremony reflected the life they were building together. Smith’s daughter, Spencer, then 11, served as her maid of honor. Her son, Gaston, then 15, walked her down the aisle.
It was a family affair in the truest sense—and Allen embraced the role of stepfather wholeheartedly. “I got a great husband, great marriage, and the most fantastic stepfather I could ever dream of,” Smith told PEOPLE. “He loves my kids like they’re his. There’s no better gift. For a girl that just believed in marriage and kids, I finally got that”.
Standing Together Through Hard Times
Allen has been by Smith’s side through some of her most difficult moments. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, he was there to support her through a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. Smith is now cancer-free.
The couple also built a business together. They co-created a skincare line that Smith has promoted over the years—a venture that reflects their shared interests and partnership.
Why This Marriage Worked When the Others Didn’t
Smith has been candid about what she learned from her first three marriages. Her first husband, Roger Davis, was unfaithful—she discovered his affair on their fourth wedding anniversary. Her marriage to Dennis Cole ended partly due to competition in the partnership. And her marriage to Anthony Richmond buckled under the strain of media scrutiny and personal differences.
By the time she met Allen, she knew she needed something different. “It was no longer me going, ‘OK, my heart’s beating out of my chest, and I’m going to get married right away.’ It had to be a three-way decision,” she said.
That three-way decision involved her, Allen, and her children. She wasn’t going to bring someone into their lives unless she was certain. And Allen proved himself over seven years of dating and 17 years of long-distance partnership before they fully merged their lives.
Smith has described their marriage as “bliss” and says she “finally got it right”. After decades of searching, she found the stability and partnership she had always believed in—just not in the way she expected.
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