Archive · 3 Sep 2026
Larry Ellison Stayed Close to Ex-Wife After Divorce
Larry Ellison and Barbara Boothe met at the company that later became Oracle.
They married in 1983 and had two children, David and Megan.
Megan was born on January 31, 1986.
Barbara filed for divorce in April of that year.
After the divorce, Barbara was the children’s main caregiver.
Larry said he wanted to stay friendly with Barbara so their children would be cared for emotionally.
Barbara helped both children develop a strong interest in movies.
David and Megan later built careers in the film industry.
Barbara Boothe filed for divorce from Larry Ellison in April 1986, three months after their daughter Megan was born.
Ellison and Boothe met at Relational Software, married in 1983, and also had a son, David.
Ellison said he wanted to maintain a friendly relationship with Boothe for their children’s wellbeing.
Boothe largely raised David and Megan and encouraged their early interest in movies.
David Ellison later founded Skydance Media, while Megan Ellison founded Annapurna Pictures.
- Who
- Larry Ellison and his first wife, Barbara Boothe, along with their children David and Megan.
- What
- Ellison and Boothe divorced shortly after Megan’s birth, while Ellison chose to remain on friendly terms with Boothe.
- When
- They married in 1983; Megan was born on January 31, 1986, and Barbara filed for divorce that April.
- Where
- They met at Relational Software, the company that later became Oracle; the article does not specify where the marriage or divorce took place.
- Why
- Ellison said he wanted to preserve a friendly relationship with Boothe for their children’s wellbeing.
- Marriage
- Larry Ellison and Barbara Boothe married in 1983.
- Children
- They had a son, David, and a daughter, Megan.
- Megan’s birth
- Megan was born on January 31, 1986.
- Divorce filing
- Barbara Boothe filed for divorce in April 1986.
- Post-divorce care
- Boothe became the children’s primary caregiver.
- Film influence
- Boothe reportedly collected more than 3,000 VHS tapes that the children watched.
- Later careers
- David Ellison founded Skydance Media, and Megan Ellison founded Annapurna Pictures.