Didi became a household name when she starred in the iconic 1978 film “Grease,” co-starring Stockard Channing and Susan Buckner. She delivered a memorable portrayal of the sweet and bubbly beauty school dropout, Frenchy. A few years later, the actress went on to marry David Shire, a renowned composer. Born in Buffalo in 1937, David began his career as a composer for television in the 1960s, working on shows like “The Virginian.” Over the years, he expanded into film and Broadway, earning accolades for his work.
Meet composer David Shire, Didi Conn’s loving husband of over four decades. The couple has been through many ups and downs over the years, including health scares and separating while raising their autistic son. Didi Conn, a well-known actress, has lived much of her life in the spotlight. But behind the scenes, her marriage to composer David Shire has had its share of challenges.
Raising their autistic son, Danny, put pressure on their relationship, leading to a brief separation. However, the couple eventually reconciled and have been together for over 40 years, closer than ever. Take a look at their story.
He won an Oscar for his song “It Goes Like It Goes” from the 1979 film “Norma Rae” and received a Grammy for his score to “Saturday Night Fever.” Throughout his career, David was also nominated for prestigious awards like the Emmys, Tonys, and BAFTAs. Outside of their professional successes, Didi and David are devoted to their son, Danny, who was diagnosed with autism at three. However, having a child who was on the spectrum was very challenging. The “Grease” star recalled the early years, describing the struggles they faced when Danny couldn’t communicate, “He’d have terrible tantrums… horrible, horrible, dramatic fits of frustration ’cause he wasn’t speaking.”
Danny remained nonverbal for much of his life, and it wasn’t until he was 26 that he finally told Didi he loved her for the first time. She said of the emotional moment in 2019, “The first time Danny said, ‘I love you’ was this year. I was leaving to fly to the UK, and he said it on the phone. I kept saying, ‘Say it again, baby.’ And he did.” The actress added, “Then he said, ‘Why are you crying?’ So I told him they were happy tears. And oh my God, did I cry? It was the biggest milestone, it really was. Because I couldn’t really hold him as a baby, as he was so sensitive and didn’t like to be held, so that was tricky. It really was something special to hear.”
For years, Didi put her acting career on hold to care for Danny, who required round-the-clock support due to his extreme sensitivity to sound and inability to be left alone. However, in 2018, Danny moved to a farm to live and work, a transition that gave him more independence.