Personal life
Maxwell married three times; each ended in divorce. In September 1944, she married actor John Conte; the relationship was dissolved in June 1946. Her second marriage to restaurateur Anders McIntyre lasted just over a year from January 1, 1950 until March 23, 1951. Maxwell's six-year marriage to writer and producer Jerry Davis ended in 1960. Her only child, Matthew, was born to Maxwell and Davis in 1956.
Maxwell met and became friends with actor and singer Frank Sinatra when they crossed paths, both of them in separate nationally renowned big bands in the late 1930s. Their friendship continued after Maxwell gave up singing for acting and moved to Hollywood and Sinatra had moved from New Jersey to Beverly Hills in the early 1940s. By 1945, the friendship had progressed into an extra-marital affair. Sinatra's wife, Nancy, saw Maxwell wearing a diamond bracelet she had earlier seen in Sinatra's car which she assumed was for her. Taking this as evidence of Sinatra's infidelity, Nancy ordered Maxwell and her husband Conte to immediately leave the Sinatra family Christmas gala of 1945. Confronted after the party, Sinatra admitted the affair to his wife, but claimed it was only casual. Soon after, Maxwell and Sinatra ended their sexual liaison.
From 1950 to 1954, Maxwell had an affair with actor and comedian Bob Hope who was married to singer Dolores (Reade) Hope. Hope and Maxwell's relationship was so open that many in Hollywood referred to her as Mrs. Bob Hope.
During the 1950s, Maxwell became good friends with actor Rock Hudson. After her marriage to Davis ended in 1960, Hudson's agent Henry Willson arranged for Maxwell to become one of several women Hudson publicly "dated" to counter rumors of the actor's homosexuality.
