The Tragic Death Of Gary Cole's First Wife

Talented thespian Gary Cole first got his start in showbiz starring in theater productions. "That was the beginning of my career," he proudly declared in an interview with WTTW. Still, it wasn't until 1984 when Cole landed his first big break: a highly coveted role as Jack "Nighthawk" Killian in "Midnight Caller." After that, the rest was simply history for the aspiring actor. 

To date, Cole has racked up many acting credits including roles in "Office Space," "Arrested Development," "The West Wing," "Desperate Housewives," "VEEP," and the procedural television series "NCIS," per IMDb. But make no mistake about it — Cole very much prefers working under the bright lights as opposed to in front of a camera. "It's a vacation, in a way, compared to what I do," Cole told the Chicago Tribune in 1991 when asked about the differences between the two art forms."In the theater, you get repeated cracks at something; you can have a bad night and come back the next and change it. In television, you do a bad scene, and that's it. You walk away and hope the editor fixes it.”

Unfortunately, even with an illustrious career such as Cole's, it hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine for the actor. In 2018, tragedy would strike Cole's life in an unbelievable way...

Actor Gary Cole and his longtime wife of 25 years, Thedora "Teddi" Siddall stunned the masses in June 2017 when it was confirmed they were divorcing. As reported by TMZ, it was Siddall who did the filing, listing the couple's official date of separation as February 8, 2015 — a whopping two years earlier. It's reported that in addition to spousal support, Siddall also requested child support for their 24-year-old daughter, Mary, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age.

Alas, the details of the divorce were never ironed out as Siddall was found dead in her Studio City home in February 2018 due to unknown causes, per Married Biography. Later, her body was laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Cemetary in Los Angeles. Prior to Siddall's death, she was a successful actor in her own right, starring in many projects including, "Happy Days," "L.A. Law," and "Grey's Anatomy," per IMDb. 

Fortunately, Gary Cole was given a second chance at love. 

In August 2021, interior designer and artist Michelle Knapp, took to Instagram to announce that she and Cole had tied the knot. "Married my best friend #garycole and it was Nothing but Family, Friends, Love, Joy, Laughter and Fun," she penned in the celebratory post along with three wedding photos of the newlyweds. "thank you @stepnickdesigns for the gorgeous floral decor and @kelleelaser for capturing our special day and beautiful memories," she carefully added. But that's not all. As reported by Dirt, shortly after getting hitched Cole and his new bride plunked down $2.5 million for a luxury Bel-Air home in September 2021. 

Following their outdoor wedding, the couple is relishing in their newly wedded bliss as evidenced by Knapp's many social media posts. "Late Nite," Knapp wrote in an Instagram post on October 10, 2021, along with a photo of the couple enjoying a night out at a Doobie Brothers concert. As the saying goes, a couple that plays together stays together. Congrats, Cole!