Susan Deixler may not be a household name in popular culture, but her story is rich in love, heartbreak, and the lasting effects of romance. Susan Deixler gained fame in 1964, when she wed legendary singer, songwriter, and performer Barry Manilow — and then quickly divorced him. Though she enjoyed only a brief moment in the spotlight, Susan’s story provides a bittersweet view into the personal life of the man who would ultimately become a world-renowned star, as well as the ups and downs of young love and where the winding roads of life can lead.
Early Life & Meeting Barry Manilow
Susan Deixler was in her 40s when she grew up in a world with different societal expectations than the ones we work under today. She was a smart and ambitious young woman and attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York. There she met Barry Manilow, then going by his birth name, Barry Alan Pincus. They were classmates and hit it off right away. Barry, by then already exhibiting musical talent, was attracted to Susan’s warmth and intelligence, and Susan admired Barry’s creativity and love of music.
In high school, their relationship flourished as both of them dealt with the challenges and uncertainties of adolescence. This was the same Barry that Susan had shared a love story with, one that was founded on naïveté in youth and love with intent. They were, by all accounts, a normal high school couple, taking pleasure in the simple joys of hanging out together and planning for the future.
A Young Marriage and the Difficulties It Comes With
In 1964, when he was 19 years old, Barry Manilow married Susan Deixler. It was a small, intimate affair, much like the lives they led at that time. For Barry, new to music, marriage felt like a big deal. Susan was a new chapter and balancing her personal aspirations with the grind of married life.
But the realities of their young marriage soon started to break through. Barry’s obsession with music was all-consuming, and he intended to make it his career. It involved long hours, late nights and a single-mindedness that often allowed for little else. On the other hand, Susan had her own dreams and ambitions, and as the couple tried to reconcile their separate goals with their life as a couple, they found they had drifted apart.
The pressures of their circumstances eventually strained their relationship. Susan and Barry made the tough choice to separate after only a year of being married. They divorced in 1966, ending their short-lived but significant marriage. For Susan, it was definitely a time of pain and contemplation, as she grappled with the struggles of starting over and remaking her life.
Life After Barry Manilow
After her divorce from Barry Manilow, Susan Deixler decided to leave the public eye. She lived quietly, working on herself and her own projects. As Barry became an international success, Susan’s story diverged — onto an orbit that was quieter and less visible but no less impactful.
She remarried later and went on to find her own life, happiness and fulfillment. She never tried to milk her connection to Barry Manilow and never sought to inject herself into the story of his meteoric rise to superstardom. She had a choice to make: She could put her family through the ringer by airing all of the dirty laundry that had been spilled while they were in the spotlight, or she could slide into the shadows and set the tone for the kind of life she was going to live.
On Susan Deixler, Barry Manilow’s Reflections
Throughout the years, singer Barry Manilow has rarely spoken of his first marriage to Susan Deixler, but he has given HIS fans some insights about their exprience and desire and how it shaped his future years. Barry has called Susan “a kind and loving person” in interviews, someone who was influential in his development through his early years. Their marriage was a product of its time, a reflection of the innocence and idealism of youth — so no surprise that their lives eventually diverged.
He too has regretted how their relationship ended, admitting they were both too young and ill equipped to be married. While their rupture has been painful for both, Barry has not spoken poorly of Susan, and has instead focused on the positives of the relationship, including what he learned from it.
The Legacy of Susan Deixler
Although Susan Deixler’s name may not carry quite the cachet as Barry Manilow’s, her story is a significant chapter in his narrative. Their relationship is a reminder of the nuances of love and how much our childhoods inform our sense of self. Susan was an inspiration and support to Barry during a crucial moment in his life, and their short marriage contributed to shaping the man and artist he would eventually be.
Susan had a legacy of quiet strength and resilience. She had opted to practice dignity and grace instead of letting herself become what she wore in the label of a famous ex-husband. And her story proves the power of pushing through — even after heartbreak — and how to create your own happiness.
A Tale of Two Paths
The story of Susan Deixler and Barry Manilow is ultimately about two people who shared a moment in time, but went their separate ways in life. Years later, while Barry went on to find international fame and a decadeslong career, Susan sought a path of privacy and personal growth. But their fleeting time together had an indelible impression in both of their lives, marking a testament to the lasting power of love — and how our loved ones define who we are.
For Barry Manilow fans, Susan Deixler’s story sheds light on the man behind the music. It makes a global icon relatable, a reminder of what even the most famous among us have personal stories of love and loss and growth. And for those who aren’t familiar with Barry’s music, Susan’s story itself is simply a powerful tale of love, resilience and the pursuit of happiness.
Shots of a Quiet but Legendary Presence
Susan Deixler’s life might have been mostly lived outside public view, but her story is one rife with universal themes of love, heartbreak and moving on. Her marriage to Barry Manilow was relatively short but serves as a reminder of the complexities of relationships and our experiences growing up. And perhaps Susan’s legacy will be less about the specifics of her marriage to Barry than about her own personality: she’s been described as strong and dignified, and Barry’s fame has made him a household name — with all the power and glamor and sacrifice and cost that entails.
Susan Deixler’s story, ultimately, is not only one defined by a lifelong connection to Barry Manilow but also a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the lasting power of love. It is a tale that resounds with us, a reminder to be grateful for the time we are given in the company of friends, however short but also to persist even as the narrative carries us to the ends of the earth.