Casey Coates is a prevalent figure in environmental activism. She’s a former film producer known for being the second ex-wife of the American TV personality and actor Ted Danson.
Ted Danson, who was famous for his work on Cheers (1982), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), and The Good Place (2016), was married to Coates for 16 years.
So, you want to learn more about Ted Danson’s second ex-wife? Let me walk you through Casey Coates’s story, from her early life, education, career, marriage, and tragic divorce.
Casey Coates Profile
Here’s a glance at Casey Coates’s information:
- Full Name: Cassandra Coates
- Age: 85 (As of January 2024)
- Date of Birth: March 13, 1938
- Place of Birth: Long Island, New York City
- Nationality: American
- Religion: Christianity
- Education: Great Neck High School and Lasell College
- Profession: Film producer, environmentalist, interior designer
- Spouse: Ted Danson (Divorced)
- Children: Kate and Alexis
- Parents: Unknown
- Current Address: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Famous For: Environmental Activism, former wife of Ted Danson
Who is Casey Coates?
Aside from being a celebrity’s second ex-wife, Casey Coates is one of the most respected names among environmental activists. Let’s take a look at her life before she took the spotlight:
Early Life
Cassandra “Casey” Coates was born on March 13, 1938, and raised in Long Island, New York State. Her mother was an artist, while her father was a musician, likely influencing her to pursue the arts.
Coates has always been inclined to design since childhood. She would redesign her bedroom non-stop and engage in creative projects by herself.
Education
Coates attended the Great Neck High School in Lake Success, New York. After graduating, she enrolled in Lasell College, a private institution in Boston, Massachusetts.
She later moved to London and resided there for a year.
Coates then returned to New York and enrolled at Parsons School of Design. There, she studied for her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design and graduated with distinction in 1975.
Career
After completing her education, Casey Coates joined the Ben Thomson firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was in this firm that she gained valuable experience in environmental design.
Finishing her job in Cambridge, Coates moved to the West Coast, where she began her climate activism.
Gaining much recognition for her work, several institutions sought to hire Coates. She would work as a board member at the Parsons School of Design, the Environmental Media Association, and the California Institute of Architecture.
She also took part in Jimmy Carter’s projects in LA as an advisor.
Learning about the expanding hole in the ozone layer, Coates decided to focus her work on environmental awareness. To that end, she co-founded an initiative for sustainability, the American Oceans Campaign, in 1987.
In 1996, Coates, still passionate about her architecture work, initiated a non-profit organization, Global Possibilities. With her leadership, they promoted environmental conservation through renewable energies.
Fast forward to 2007, Coates produced an award-winning documentary film, Who’s Got the Power, addressing the issues of fuel-dependent economies.
Marriage With Ted Danson
Casey Coates and Ted Danson met in 1976, shortly after Danson’s separation from his first wife. In an interview with Close Weely, Danson revealed how he fell in love with Coates “at first sight.”
The two dated and eventually tied the knot on July 30, 1977. Two years after their wedding, Coates became pregnant with their first child, Kate.
The couple later went through a horrifying experience, as Coates nearly died of a stroke when giving birth to their daughter. The incident left Coates paralyzed, forcing Danson to take time off his career.
In 1985, on her way to full recovery, Coates and Danson adopted their second daughter, Alexis.
Divorce With Ted Danson
Unfortunately, the traumatic near-death experience left a massive rift between Coates and Danson. Her husband’s career was rising, but their relationship was turning sour.
The two drifted far apart, culminating in Danson’s affair with his Made in America co-star, Whoopi Goldberg.
Learning of her husband’s infidelity, Coates filed a $30 million divorce in 1993. Theirs would become one of the most expensive celebrity separations in the history of Hollywood.
Shortly after, Ted Danson married his third wife, Mary Steenburgen, in 1995 and became the stepfather to Lily McDowell and Charlie McDowell.
FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions about Casey Coates you might find interesting:
What is the net worth of Casey Coates?
Casey Coates earns a living as an interior designer, film producer, and environmental activist. Experts estimate her net worth to be between $1 and $5 million.
What happened to Casey Coates?
Casey Coates suffered a severe stroke while giving birth to her daughter, Kate. This incident would later cause her to separate from Ted Danson.
Final Thoughts
Casey Coates is famous for her contribution to spreading awareness about climate change. Her story proves that taking personal action can lead to significant global changes.
While her relationship with her ex-husband ended poorly, Casey Coates kept her environmentalist heart and continued the good fight.
