What happened to Anita Bryant’s first marriage? All about US Army veteran Bob Green

Anita Bryant, a three-time Grammy-nominated singer, ex-Miss Oklahoma, and anti-gay rights activist passed away on 16 December at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma at the age of 84.

Here's a look at Bryant's first marriage to Bob Green which ended on a controversial note. Anita Bryant got married to Bob Green in 1960 and ended their marriage 20 years later in 1980.

Anita Bryant's first marriage to Bob Green unraveled under intense public and professional pressure stemming from her controversial activism. Green, who had been Bryant's manager, was the reason for her rise to stardom as she performed for the troops with Bob Hope, represented Coca-Cola on radio and TV, and became the face of the Florida Citrus Commission, famously singing about Florida’s 'Sunshine Tree' in commercials.

By the mid-1970s, Anita Bryant was a household name, earning millions annually and performing at prestigious events like President Lyndon Johnson's funeral and the Super Bowl halftime show.

However, her career and marriage, both took a sharp downturn in 1977 after she led a successful campaign to repeal Miami-Dade County's gay-rights ordinance. The campaign sparked widespread protests and death threats, and her public appearances were frequently overshadowed by activists. Her advocacy cost her a television series deal, convention bookings, and her standing in the entertainment industry.

Despite launching Anita Bryant Ministries to counsel LGBTQ individuals and planning a Christian radio show, both efforts failed due to backlash. Anita Bryant spearheaded a group called Save Our Children in opposition to the gay rights movement. In 1980, the strain reached a breaking point when Bryant abruptly left Green, a decision he attributed to the overwhelming pressure she faced.

A divorce from her first husband, Bob Green, led to Anita Bryant facing further backlash from conservative and religious communities. Green had mentioned in a 2007 Miami Herald article that many of Bryant's supporters viewed the divorce as contradictory to her message of promoting 'family values.' Green noted:

"There were those who said, `You've written all these books about family togetherness and we're not supporting you anymore. We're not into buying your books and records anymore,"

In the years that followed, Anita Bryant shifted her focus to her faith-based work through Anita Bryant Ministries International, which she had established in the 1960s. In 1990 she married her second husband, Charlie Dry, a former NASA test crew member.

Bryant largely stepped away from public attention in her later years. In a 1996 interview with The Washington Post, she reflected on her infamous anti-gay rights campaign, maintaining that she had no regrets about her actions.

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Who was Anita Bryant's ex-husband Bob Green?

Robert Einar Green, born on June 13, 1931, in the Bronx to Swedish immigrant parents, served in the U.S. Air Force and struggled with heart issues later in life. At the time of his passing in 2012, he was undergoing kidney dialysis, according to his sons. In a 2007 interview with The Miami Herald, Green expressed his resentment toward the LGBTQ+ community, claiming they intentionally derailed Anita Bryant’s career.

Before meeting Bryant, Green was carving out a path in broadcasting. He studied drama, speech, and psychology at Trinity University and completed his education at New York’s School of Radio and Television Technique in 1955. His career began on-air at WJNO, the NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach. Green and Anita Bryant are survived by 4 children— twins Billy and Barbara, a daughter Gloria, and a son Robert Jr.