Georg Stanford Brown & Tyne Daly Raised Three Kids Despite Their Once-Illegal Marriage — See Their Daughters

Georg, a Cuban-born Black actor, made history with his powerful performances, most notably as Tom Harvey in “Roots,” the groundbreaking 1977 miniseries that exposed the brutal realities of slavery in America.

His career spanned decades and standout roles in “The Rookies,” “Cagney & Lacey,” and “L.A. Law” established him as one of television's most respected actors.

Tyne, on the other hand, was born into Hollywood royalty. The daughter of Academy Award-winning actor James Daly, she carved out a successful acting career in her own right.

Best known for her iconic role as Detective Mary Beth Lacey in “Cagney & Lacey,” she became a trailblazer for women in television, portraying a strong, complex female lead at a time when such roles were rare.

Over the years, she continued to impress with her performances on stage and screen, earning multiple Emmy Awards and a Tony Award for her work in “Gypsy.”

Despite their different backgrounds, Georg and Tyne found something in each other that transcended race, fame, and societal expectations. Their love story began in the early 1960s when they met as young, ambitious actors.

For Tyne, the attraction was immediate. “I looked at this guy and said, ‘There's the father of my children. I'd better go introduce myself.’ That was clear as crystal,” she recalled.

But their relationship was far from easy. At the time, interracial marriage was still illegal in 17 states. Although they lived in California, where such unions were allowed, they were well aware that their love defied social norms.

When they married in 1966, just a year before the Supreme Court's landmark Loving v. Virginia decision struck down interracial marriage bans nationwide, their relationship was still considered taboo by many.

Interracial marriage remained illegal in many states until June 12, 1967, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down these laws. The justices cited the 14th Amendment, affirming that the right to marry could not be restricted based on race.

Chief Justice Earl Warren made it clear that no state had the power to violate this fundamental freedom. With this landmark ruling, interracial marriage became legal across the country.

Yet, long before the decision, many celebrities — both in and outside of Hollywood — had already defied societal norms by choosing love over prejudice. They crossed racial boundaries at a time when such relationships were still widely condemned.

Remarkably, despite the Supreme Court's ruling, Alabama did not officially remove its ban on interracial marriage from its state constitution until 2000, even though such unions had long been recognized nationwide.

However, before the Loving v. Virginia ruling, Georg felt the weight of that prejudice daily. “There's a great deal of prejudice in the world, and there's hardly a day that goes by that I'm not made aware of the fact that I'm married to a white woman,” he admitted.

“I just try to ignore it, that's all. I even felt a little edge from the Black community about our marriage,” the actor added. Tyne, too, faced skepticism and criticism, but she refused to let it shake her.

“When I got married, my marriage was illegal in 17 states because my husband had a different skin color than I did. And we saw those laws go down one at a time,” she said.

She pushed back against the notion that their relationship would somehow doom their children to hardship. “‘What about the children?' people said. Obviously, our children were fated for tragic lives, just like gay people were fated to be desperately sad. Their worried parents saying, ‘But you won't be happy,'” the actress shared.

Their marriage wasn't meant to make a political statement. However, for some, it did. “We were mad for each other,” Tyne explained. “It became a political statement in the eyes of other people. But we were protected by our two families that loved us. And by the artistic community, which at least pretends a level of tolerance.”

Their relationship wasn't just scrutinized in their personal lives — it also became a flashpoint in Hollywood. In the 1970s, Georg starred in “The Rookies,” a police drama where he played Officer Terry Webster.

In one episode, he and Tyne shared what would become the first interracial kiss on network television. However, the moment was met with backlash from executives.

“I remember a memo coming down from the network censors saying, ‘Interracial romance is still taboo. Please delete the kiss.' But we refused to go along with the demand,” he shared.

Through the years, they built a family and a life together, raising children while navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood. But even strong love stories face challenges.

Midway through their marriage, Tyne decided that her wedding vow to love, honor, and obey was outdated and briefly stopped wearing her wedding band.

She also admitted that professional jealousy sometimes crept into their relationship, though she never regretted the life they built together. “I love being different,” she said.

However, after 24 years together, their marriage came to an end. Reports surfaced in 1990 that the couple was divorcing. Tyne spoke openly about how things changed when Georg hit a milestone age.

“He quit me like a fool when he was 50. But something happens to men when they're 50. They get horribly scared. Even my brother [actor Tim Daly] turns out to be a man. It's so disappointing,” the actress shared.

Though their romantic relationship ended, their legacy as a couple who defied societal norms and broke barriers remained.

They had proven the doubters wrong — not only did their love survive for over two decades, but they also raised three daughters who grew up in a home built on love, resilience, and the strength of two trailblazing parents.

Even after her divorce, Tyne remained outspoken on social issues. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide, she reflected on how interracial marriage had once been viewed in the same way.

On June 26, 2015 — the same date she had married Georg in 1966 — the actress addressed the historic ruling during a speech to her Broadway audience after the cast's final bows. Holding up a newspaper from that day, she shared a powerful message, “Hate is very strong, but love is stronger.”

Though visibly emotional, she expressed pride in the Supreme Court, acknowledging that while they had made missteps in the past, they had made the right decision that day. More than anything, she felt pride in her country for striking down a law that had denied people the right to marry the ones they loved.

Meet The Former Couple's Three Daughters

While Georg and Tyne built impressive careers in Hollywood, their proudest accomplishments were their three daughters. Tyne, who has always been outspoken about her love for motherhood, once reflected on the importance of family in her life.

“Mothers take a lot of heat, and maybe they should because nobody has to get born, but I am the mother of three grownup children — daughters — and the grandmother of four grandchildren, one of whom is a boy, my one grandson, and that job is a beautiful and noble job,” she said.

“And I wouldn't trade that for any of the jobs I've done. My favorite ‘productions' are Alisabeth, Kathryne, Alyxandra, Hannah, Finn, Poppy and Posey. Those are my favorite productions of all time!” the actress added.

She continued, “I know people who have put their life aside in order to do their work. We used to have [a T-shirt in L.A. that read], ‘My work is my life.' My T-shirt said, ‘My work is my job.' My work is my job — that's a different thing than my life.”

In May 2018, Tyne took to Instagram to celebrate her daughters, sharing a rare family photo of all three of them. She captioned the post, “All my women are mothers now! Wow.” Each of their daughters has taken a unique path, finding success in creative and artistic fields.

Their eldest daughter, Alisabeth Brown, has spent most of her life working with ceramics and has recently branched out into glasswork. While she has remained largely out of the public eye, her passion for art and craftsmanship has defined her career.

Their second daughter, Kathryne, who had over 2,000 followers on Instagram at the time of writing, followed in her parents' footsteps and pursued a career in acting.

She also described herself as “a single mom who lives in Hollywoodland. I've been a somewhat successful actor, a baker, a preschool teacher, a cancer survivor, and a lifelong contrarian.”

Kathryne grew up surrounded by actors and knew from a young age that she wanted to be one. “I've wanted to act since I was five, and then I saw this biography on Hayley Mills, who was one of the first young people I saw acting, and I thought, ‘Hey, I could do that,'” she shared.

However, her famous father had reservations about her entering the industry. “It was through nothing on my part,” he said of her career choice. Although Kathryne disagreed, countering, “That's not true,” Georg replied, “I disavow all responsibility.”

She admitted that she hesitated to pursue acting at first, worried that she would be judged because of her famous parents. When she finally decided to go to New York to study, she was met with resistance.

“I remember you were like, ‘No. Stay in college.' Later you changed. But you did give me a bit of a lecture. ‘You're a woman, you're Black. Black women don't have a lot of possibilities in this industry. It's going to be hard. Why not stay in college?'” Kathryne recalled.

“‘Get a degree. Get training in something else,'” Georg added. However, in the end, Kathryne acknowledged that her father's advice had merit, admitting, “I probably should have. But I couldn't take it anymore. I had to go.”

The youngest of the three, Alyxandra, has built a career as a baker, creating “homemade treats with professional charm,” according to her business's Instagram page. Despite her parents' fame, Alyxandra has stayed out of the limelight.

Though Georg and Tyne's marriage ended, their greatest legacy remains their daughters, who continue to forge their own paths while carrying forward the resilience, creativity, and determination of their parents.