Quickie Divorce Costs Spillane’s Ex ‘Hammer’ Profits

LAS VEGAS —  Mickey Spillane’s ex-wife forfeited any right to money from the “Mike Hammer” television series when she ended the marriage in a quickie divorce, a judge ruled today.

State District Judge Myron Leavitt ruled that Sherri Spillane was entitled to no more than the $20,000 Spillane paid her following their April, 1983, divorce.

Leavitt said testimony in the weeklong trial indicated that she was living with another man at the time Spillane was paying her $1,500 a month in support payments. She married actor Michael Standing the same day her divorce was granted.

Spillane, 68, testified that his ex-wife agreed on two different occasions not to seek property connected to his novels.

Sherri Spillane, 45, described the writer as “an alcoholic, a sexual pervert and a liar” during their 19-year marriage and said that she had sexual relations with other men, including Sammy Davis Jr., and that some of the relations were encouraged by Spillane.