Mary Lee Harvey is best known for her former marriage to comedian, television host, and author Steve Harvey. Their relationship attracted public attention because it took place during an important period in Steve’s rise from stand-up comedy to television success. The couple later divorced, and their separation became the subject of years of public discussion and legal disputes.
Unlike Steve Harvey, who has remained a major entertainment figure, Mary Lee Harvey has largely stayed away from the spotlight. Much of the information available about her comes from her marriage, divorce, family life, and court-related events rather than from a long public career.
Mary Lee Harvey at a Glance
| Quick Bio | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mary Lee Harvey |
| Also known as | Mary Shackelford |
| Known for | Former wife of Steve Harvey |
| Former husband | Steve Harvey |
| Marriage year | 1996 |
| Divorce | 2005 |
| Child with Steve | Wynton Harvey |
| Son’s birth year | 1997 |
| Connection to entertainment | Through her marriage to Steve Harvey |
| Public profile | Mostly private |
| Former family connection | Harvey family |
| Known public issues | Divorce and custody dispute |
| Current public role | Limited public presence |
| Nationality | American |
| Best known connection | Steve Harvey |
Who Is Mary Lee Harvey?
Mary Lee Harvey became publicly known after marrying Steve Harvey in 1996. At the time, Steve was already building a reputation as a comedian and entertainer, although his career had not yet reached the level of fame he would later achieve through television.
Reliable public information about Mary’s early life is limited. Several websites describe her as having worked as a makeup artist, but details about her education, childhood, and professional history are not consistently documented by strong sources. For that reason, it is better to focus on the parts of her life that are publicly established.
Her name became much more recognizable because of her relationship with Steve. After their marriage ended, her personal story became connected to divorce proceedings, family matters, and several public legal disputes.
When Did Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey Get Married?
Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey married in 1996. Their marriage came after Steve’s first marriage to Marcia Harvey, which ended in divorce in 1994. Steve and Mary later became parents to their son, Wynton Harvey.
The timing was significant for Steve’s career. In 1993, he had become the host of Showtime at the Apollo, and in 1996, The Steve Harvey Show began its television run. His professional profile was growing quickly during the years of his second marriage.
Their marriage therefore overlapped with a major transition in his professional life. Steve was moving from the comedy circuit into television, creating a public career that would eventually include hosting, acting, radio, writing, and producing.
Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey’s Son, Wynton
Mary and Steve share one biological child, Wynton Harvey. He was born in 1997, about a year after the couple married. Wynton later became known for his interest in creative work, particularly photography.
Wynton was still young when his parents’ marriage ended. The question of his custody became an important part of the legal conflict that followed the divorce.
Today, Wynton is an adult and has developed an identity separate from his parents’ highly publicized history. He is also part of Steve Harvey’s larger blended family, which includes Steve’s children from his other relationships.
What Happened to Mary Lee Harvey’s Marriage?
The marriage eventually broke down, and the couple divorced in 2005. Public accounts of what happened differ, particularly regarding the reasons for the breakup and events surrounding the divorce.
Mary made several allegations about the marriage and its ending in later public statements. Steve Harvey’s side disputed important parts of her account. Because the claims came from opposing sides, they should not automatically be treated as proven facts.
Court proceedings later became an important part of the story. A Texas judge expressed concern about statements Mary made publicly about the divorce, while court records and later reporting provided a different picture from some claims circulating online.
Why Did Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey Divorce?
The exact personal reasons behind a marriage ending are often more complicated than a single public explanation. In this case, the divorce became controversial because both personal allegations and legal disagreements entered the public conversation.
Mary later accused Steve of infidelity and discussed his relationship with Marjorie Harvey. Steve’s public history confirms that he eventually married Marjorie in 2007, but allegations about the precise timeline and circumstances should be separated from established facts.
The safest conclusion is that the marriage ended after serious relationship problems and that the aftermath became highly public. Many dramatic details repeated online come from personal claims rather than independently established records.
The Custody Dispute Involving Wynton
The divorce was not simply about the end of a marriage. It also involved their young son, Wynton. Custody became one of the most difficult parts of the dispute between Mary and Steve.
Reports about the case indicate that Steve received primary custody of Wynton. Later court proceedings also addressed Mary’s public comments about the divorce and her relationship with her former husband.
This part of the story is important because it explains why Mary continued to appear in public discussions long after the marriage ended. Her connection to Steve was no longer only about being his former wife; it also involved the upbringing and custody of their son.
Mary Lee Harvey’s Public Legal Disputes
Mary’s post-divorce history included several legal disputes connected to her former marriage. One of the most widely reported episodes occurred after a court order restricted certain public statements about the divorce.
In 2013, Mary was jailed for contempt after violating that order. Reports differ on some details of the punishment, but the underlying issue was her continued public discussion of matters the court had restricted.
The episode shows why her story should be approached carefully. Online articles sometimes combine allegations, opinions, and court findings as though they are the same thing. They are not. A court ruling is different from a personal accusation or an unverified internet claim.
Did Mary Lee Harvey File a Lawsuit Against Steve Harvey?
Mary later filed a major lawsuit involving Steve Harvey and other parties. Reports described the claim as seeking $60 million and involving allegations related to her treatment after the marriage and other personal matters.
The lawsuit attracted attention because of the size of the claim and the serious allegations involved. However, the existence of a lawsuit does not mean every allegation in it was proven.
The case was ultimately dismissed. This is an important distinction when discussing Mary Lee Harvey because some online articles present allegations from the lawsuit as established events. A responsible account should explain that they were claims made in legal proceedings, not automatically confirmed facts.
Mary Lee Harvey’s Life After Divorce
After the divorce, Mary Lee Harvey did not build the kind of highly visible entertainment career associated with Steve. Her public profile has remained relatively limited.
There is also little dependable information about her current professional activities, daily life, or finances. Numerous websites publish specific claims about her career, income, or personal circumstances, but many of those details are not supported by strong public documentation.
For readers, that means it is better to avoid treating every biography website as an authority. Mary’s public story is already well documented through her connection to Steve and their legal history without adding unsupported personal details.
Steve Harvey’s Life After His Marriage to Mary
Steve Harvey’s career continued to expand after his divorce from Mary. He later married Marjorie Harvey in 2007, and the couple created a blended family involving their children from previous relationships. Steve ultimately became the father of seven children, including Wynton.
His career also moved far beyond stand-up comedy. He became widely known for hosting Family Feud, working in radio, writing books, acting, and producing entertainment projects.
That later success sometimes overshadows the earlier stages of his personal life. Mary Lee Harvey remains part of that earlier chapter, particularly because their marriage overlapped with the beginning of Steve’s major television success.
Mary Lee Harvey and the Harvey Family
Mary’s strongest continuing connection to the Harvey family is through Wynton. Although she is no longer Steve Harvey’s wife, she remains Wynton’s mother.
Steve’s current family is a large blended family. His children include Brandi, Karli, Broderick Jr., Wynton, Morgan, Jason, and Lori. His marriage to Marjorie brought together children from previous relationships and created the family structure for which he is now widely known.
Mary’s place in that history is therefore different from Marjorie’s. She is not part of Steve’s current marriage, but she remains an important figure in the story of his family because of their son.
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Where Is Mary Lee Harvey Today?
Mary Lee Harvey has largely remained outside mainstream entertainment coverage. There is no strong public record showing that she currently maintains a major media career or public-facing celebrity role.
This privacy is worth respecting. Being connected to a famous person does not mean every aspect of a former spouse’s private life is publicly available or appropriate to speculate about.
What can be said with confidence is that Mary is remembered mainly as Steve Harvey’s second wife and Wynton’s mother. Her marriage, divorce, custody dispute, and later legal battles account for most of the public information available about her.
Why Does Mary Lee Harvey Continue to Attract Interest?
Interest in Mary continues largely because of Steve Harvey’s enormous popularity. People who learn about Steve’s three marriages often want to understand the different stages of his family life.
Her story also attracts attention because the divorce was unusually public. Court proceedings, public statements, custody issues, and later litigation gave the relationship a much longer public life than many celebrity divorces.
At the same time, the story demonstrates why celebrity biographies require context. Not every statement repeated online is a verified fact. Understanding the difference between documented events, court findings, and personal allegations gives readers a clearer picture of Mary Lee Harvey’s history.
Final Thoughts on Mary Lee Harvey
Mary Lee Harvey is best understood as an important figure in one chapter of Steve Harvey’s personal and family history. She married him in 1996, became the mother of his son Wynton in 1997, and divorced him in 2005.
The years after the divorce brought significant public and legal conflict. Mary made claims about the relationship, while court proceedings addressed issues surrounding her public statements and custody. Later litigation added another chapter to an already complicated story.
Today, Mary maintains a much lower public profile than her famous former husband. Much of her personal life remains private, and reliable information about her current activities is limited. That makes a fact-based approach especially important when discussing her life.
FAQs
Who is Mary Lee Harvey?
Mary Lee Harvey is the former second wife of comedian and television host Steve Harvey. They married in 1996 and later divorced in 2005. They have one son together, Wynton Harvey.
When did Mary Lee Harvey marry Steve Harvey?
Mary Lee Harvey married Steve Harvey in 1996. Their marriage lasted about nine years and ended in divorce in 2005. Their son Wynton was born during the marriage in 1997.
Does Mary Lee Harvey have children with Steve Harvey?
Yes. Mary and Steve have one son, Wynton Harvey. He was born in 1997 and is one of Steve Harvey’s seven children.
What happened between Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey?
Their marriage ended in divorce after serious relationship problems. The aftermath became highly public because of custody issues, public statements, and later legal disputes.
Did Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey have a custody dispute?
Yes. Custody of their son Wynton became part of the legal conflict following their divorce. Reports indicate that Steve received primary custody.
Why was Mary Lee Harvey jailed?
Mary was jailed for contempt of court after violating an order connected to public statements about her divorce from Steve Harvey. The incident occurred in 2013.
Did Mary Lee Harvey sue Steve Harvey?
Yes. She later filed a lawsuit seeking a large amount of damages and making several serious allegations. The case received substantial media attention but was ultimately dismissed.
Is Mary Lee Harvey still married to Steve Harvey?
No. Mary Lee Harvey and Steve Harvey divorced in 2005. Steve later married Marjorie Harvey in 2007, and they remain associated with a large blended family.
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