John Paul Sarkisian was the biological father of Cher, one of the world’s most famous singers and cultural icons. Unlike his daughter’s glamorous life, John Paul’s story is marked by many struggles, including addiction, legal troubles, and a difficult relationship with Cher. His life shows that behind every star, there is often a complicated family story filled with pain and challenges. This article will explore his early life, career, personal problems, and the complicated bond he shared with Cher, revealing a side of his life that few people know.
Profile Summary John Paul Sarkisian
| Full Name | John Paul Sarkisian |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 23, 1926 |
| Place of Birth | Oakland / Berkeley, California, USA |
| Date of Death | January 28, 1985 |
| Place of Death | Fresno, California, USA |
| Age at Death | 58 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Armenian-American |
| Occupation(s) | Truck driver, bartender, mechanic, hairstylist, horse breeder |
| Spouse | Georgia Holt (m. 1945–1947, 1965–1966) |
| Children | Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian) |
| Parents | Ghiragos “George” Sarkisian & Siranousch “Blanche” Dilkian |
| Siblings | 2 full sisters, several half-siblings |
| Legal Issues | Arrested for drug offenses and fraud; sued Cher for $4 million |
Early Life and Family Background
John Paul Sarkisian was born on March 23, 1926, in the Oakland/Berkeley area of California to Armenian immigrant parents, Ghiragos “George” Sarkisian and Siranousch “Blanche” Dilkian. His parents had moved to the United States seeking a better life after facing hardships in Armenia. Growing up during the difficult years of the Great Depression, John Paul experienced many challenges that shaped his early life. He was part of a close-knit family with siblings and several half-siblings, where Armenian traditions, language, and values were important and helped maintain their cultural identity despite living far from their homeland.
Age, Physical Attributes, and Ethnicity
John Paul Sarkisian’s Career and Work Life
John Paul Sarkisian had a very varied working life, taking on many different blue-collar jobs to support himself. He worked as a truck driver, bartender, auto mechanic, hairstylist, and even tried horse breeding at one point. His father even helped him start a trucking business by buying five trucks, but the business did not succeed as hoped. Throughout his life, John Paul struggled to keep steady work and faced financial difficulties. This simple, working-class lifestyle was very different from the glamorous world his daughter Cher would later become famous for.
Meeting And Relationship with Georgia Holt
John Paul Sarkisian met Jackie Jean Crouch, who later became known as Georgia Holt, when she was just 18 years old, working at a donut shop. He was charming and had a strong personality that caught her attention. They quickly fell in love and got married in 1945. However, their relationship faced many challenges, including John Paul’s changing moods and difficult behavior. Despite these problems, they had a daughter together—Cher—but their marriage was short-lived, ending in divorce just a couple of years later.
Who is Georgia Holt?
Georgia Holt, born Jackie Jean Crouch, was an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress. She became known not only for her own career in entertainment but also as the mother of the famous singer and actress Cher. Georgia had a brief but notable career in music and television during the 1950s and 1960s. She married John Paul Sarkisian twice, and their daughter Cher was born during their first marriage. Georgia lived a long life, passing away in 2022 at the age of 96, and is remembered both for her own talents and her role as Cher’s mother.
Marriage to Georgia Holt and the Birth of Cher
John Paul Sarkisian and Georgia Holt first got married in 1945 when Georgia was just 18 years old. Their marriage was short and filled with challenges, as John Paul’s mood swings and personal struggles put a strain on their relationship. In 1946, Georgia gave birth to their daughter, Cher, but the couple divorced the next year in 1947. Nearly two decades later, they tried to give their marriage another chance by remarrying in 1965, but this reunion was brief and ended in divorce again in 1966. Despite their troubled relationship, their time together shaped the early life of their famous daughter.
About the Famous Daughter Of John Paul Sarkisian, Cher
Cherilyn Sarkisian, known simply as Cher, is the famous daughter of John Paul Sarkisian and Georgia Holt. Born in 1946, she grew up to become a world-renowned singer, actress, and entertainer with a career spanning over six decades. Cher is known for her powerful voice, unique style, and ability to reinvent herself through different music genres and film roles. She has won many awards, including an Academy Award and multiple Grammys, and is considered a true pop culture icon. Beyond her talent, Cher is also admired for her activism, especially for LGBTQ rights and humanitarian causes.
Divorce and Its Impact on the Family
John Paul Sarkisian and Georgia Holt’s first marriage ended in divorce in 1947, just a year after Cher was born. The separation was largely due to John Paul’s unstable behavior, mood swings, and struggles with addiction and gambling, which made their relationship difficult. This divorce affected the family deeply, leaving Georgia to raise Cher mostly on her own. Almost two decades later, John Paul and Georgia tried to reunite and remarried in 1965, but this second marriage lasted only about a year before they divorced again in 1966. Meanwhile, Georgia Holt built her own career as a singer, songwriter, and actress, leaving a lasting legacy beyond her connection to John Paul and Cher.
The Troubled Father-Daughter Relationship
Cher did not meet her father, John Paul Sarkisian, until she was 11 years old, which made their relationship difficult from the start. When they first met, she found him charming but soon saw the problems he faced, including serious struggles with heroin and painkiller addiction and compulsive gambling. These issues created many conflicts and led to a permanent break between them. Over time, Cher publicly spoke about her father’s problems and even said she had disowned him because of the pain he caused. This broken relationship had a deep emotional and psychological impact on Cher, shaping much of her life and drive for success.
Legal Issues and Public Disputes
John Paul Sarkisian faced several legal problems during his life, including arrests for drug-related crimes and fraud. In the 1970s, he shocked many by suing his daughter Cher for $4 million, claiming that her interviews where she talked about his addiction and behavior had damaged his reputation. The lawsuit attracted a lot of media attention and brought their family struggles into the public eye. Instead of healing their relationship, this legal battle only made the divide between father and daughter even wider and more painful.
Addiction, Personal Struggles, and Attempts at Recovery
John Paul Sarkisian struggled deeply with heroin addiction and compulsive gambling, which affected nearly every part of his life. These addictions led to serious consequences, including legal troubles and broken relationships with family members, especially with his daughter Cher. Although there were some attempts to recover and change his life, his struggles often repeated in cycles, making it hard for him to maintain stability. His addiction shaped how people saw him publicly and caused lasting damage to his personal and family life.
John Paul Sarkisian Later Life and Death
In his final years, John Paul Sarkisian lived a quiet and private life, staying away from the public spotlight and media attention. He passed away on January 28, 1985, in Fresno, California, at the age of 58. The exact cause of his death was never publicly revealed, adding to the privacy surrounding his later life. Cher chose not to attend his funeral and maintained her distance, reflecting the lasting estrangement between them. John Paul was laid to rest at Fresno Memorial Gardens, leaving behind a complex legacy shaped by both his struggles and his connection to his famous daughter.
Family and Siblings’ Later Lives
John Paul Sarkisian had two full sisters and several half-siblings from his mother’s second marriage. Unlike John Paul’s troubled life, many of his siblings lived longer and quieter lives, mostly away from the public eye. Their family relationships remained private, and very little is known about them publicly, keeping the personal side of the Sarkisian family largely unknown beyond their connection to Cher.
Legacy and Influence
Today, John Paul Sarkisian is mostly remembered as Cher’s troubled father, a man marked by addiction and difficult family ties. Despite his struggles, his Armenian heritage remains an important part of his legacy and is proudly embraced by Cher. His life reflects the complex immigrant experience and the challenges many families face behind the scenes of fame, offering lessons about addiction, broken relationships, and resilience. The sharp contrast between his difficult life and Cher’s remarkable success highlights the strength and determination she developed over time.
Conclusion: John Paul Sarkisian
John Paul Sarkisian’s life was filled with hardship, addiction, and fractured family bonds, but it also tells a story of perseverance amid struggle. Understanding his story adds important context to Cher’s background and the strength she showed in rising above her past. His life reminds us that behind every famous person, there is often a human story with pain and complexity, and acknowledging these difficult histories helps us see the full picture beyond the spotlight. John Paul’s story remains a lasting mystery and a source of lessons about family, struggle, and hope.
(FAQs)
Did John Paul Sarkisian really sue his daughter Cher?
Yes, in the 1970s, John Paul Sarkisian filed a $4 million lawsuit against Cher. He claimed that her public statements about his drug addiction and gambling damaged his reputation. The case highlighted the deep rift between them but was eventually dismissed.
Why did Cher cut ties with her father?
Cher distanced herself from John Paul Sarkisian because of his struggles with heroin addiction, compulsive gambling, and his erratic behavior. Their relationship was unstable and troubled, leading Cher to disown him for her own well-being.
Was John Paul Sarkisian ever in jail?
Yes, John Paul Sarkisian served time in prison related to drug offenses and fraud. His legal troubles were part of a pattern of struggles with addiction and financial instability throughout his life.
What kinds of jobs did John Paul Sarkisian have?
Throughout his life, he worked various blue-collar jobs including truck driver, bartender, auto mechanic, hairstylist, and even attempted horse breeding. Despite many efforts, he struggled to maintain steady employment.
How old was John Paul Sarkisian when he died?
John Paul Sarkisian passed away at the age of 58 on January 28, 1985, in Fresno, California. The exact cause of his death was never publicly disclosed.
Did Cher attend her father’s funeral?
No, Cher did not attend John Paul Sarkisian’s funeral. By that time, their relationship was estranged, and Cher had largely moved on from their difficult past.
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