Elly Castle is the second wife of Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider. Her name is back in court news right now. While reading court reports and old interviews for this profile, one thing stood out. Her story is told mostly through legal filings, not interviews. As a result, many online profiles repeat guesses as fact. This article sticks to what reliable outlets have reported.
Castle married Schneider on July 11, 1993. The couple raised a blended family of four children. However, her divorce filing in 2014 started a court fight that ran for years. In fact, a support dispute is still alive today. Below is the timeline and the latest court filings. This guide also flags which online claims remain unconfirmed.
Who Is Elly Castle?
Elly Castle is an American actress and the second wife of actor John Schneider. Her full name is Elvira Castle. They married on July 11, 1993. She filed for divorce in late 2014 after about 21 years together. The marriage legally ended in 2019, and a support dispute continues today.
Castle is best known for her marriage to the actor who played Bo Duke. However, she did not build a public career like her husband’s. According to IMDb, her credits include Collier & Co. and an Entertainment Tonight appearance. The John Schneider Wikipedia page lists her as his second wife. It gives 2019 as the year the marriage ended. As a result, most coverage of her centers on the marriage and the divorce.
Elly Castle married John Schneider in 1993 and filed for divorce in 2014. The case ended in 2019 with a settlement that included spousal support. Castle now claims he owes more than $2.3 million, which he disputes.
Key Takeaways
- Elly Castle married John Schneider on July 11, 1993.
- She filed for divorce in late 2014 and cited irreconcilable differences.
- Schneider adopted Leah and Chasen, and Karis is the couple’s daughter.
- Reports put monthly support at $20,000 or $25,000, depending on the outlet.
- No reliable outlet has confirmed a net worth for Castle.
| Detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elvira Castle, known as Elly |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Marriage to John Schneider and the film Collier & Co. |
| Spouse | John Schneider, married July 11, 1993 |
| Divorce | Filed late 2014, ended 2019 |
| Children | Mandy, Leah, Chasen and Karis |
| Birth date | Not confirmed by a major outlet |
| Net worth | No verified figure |
Elly Castle’s Early Life and Children
Very little is confirmed about Elly Castle’s childhood. Major outlets have not published her parents, schooling or birth date. According to IMDb trivia, she became pregnant at 15. She gave birth to a daughter named Mandy and placed her for adoption. The two reunited 21 years later, according to the same IMDb biography.
Castle also had Leah and Chasen from earlier relationships. According to HollywoodLife, Chasen was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1991. Schneider adopted both children after the wedding. In addition, the couple had a daughter together named Karis. Reports disagree on Karis’s birth year. However, Hello magazine calls her Schneider’s only biological child.
Schneider has spoken about the family in public. First, he told Fathers.com in 2012 that he is father to all four, per Meaww. Still, he added that he is the biological father of Karis only. Later, Meaww reports, Schneider felt hurt when his children stopped talking to him. That report ties the silence to the time he began dating Alicia Allain.
How Elly Castle Met and Married John Schneider
Elly Castle married John Schneider on July 11, 1993. Both Wikipedia and IMDb list that date. Wikipedia lists his first marriage, to Tawny Little, as ending in 1986. According to AmoMama, he then spent about seven years unmarried. As a result, the 1993 wedding came after a long gap.
To understand the headlines, it helps to know who Schneider is. According to Wikipedia, he was born on April 8, 1960. He became famous as Bo Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard. Later, he added country music to his career. His publicist says he has four number one singles on the Billboard country chart. In addition, publicist releases say he co-founded the Children’s Miracle Network.
Some profiles say the couple met at a church picnic. However, only Meaww carries that detail, and it names no source. Therefore, this article treats the story as unconfirmed. What sources do agree on is the wedding date and the family that followed.
Several facts match across every source reviewed.
- The wedding took place on July 11, 1993.
- Schneider adopted Leah and Chasen.
- Karis is the couple’s daughter.
- Castle filed for divorce in 2014.
Acting Credits and Life in Louisiana
Castle has a small acting record that links to her husband’s projects. According to IMDb, she is known for the film Collier & Co. from 2006. The same page lists an Entertainment Tonight credit from 1981. Hello magazine says the family feature starred Schneider and Castle. In addition, daughter Karis joined the project.
Castle also appeared at public events with her husband. Fox News photo captions place them at the Elizabeth The Golden Age premiere in 2007. Then, Hello shows the family at the 2007 World Magic Awards. Likewise, Hello shows the couple at The Help Group’s Teddy Bear Ball. These photos suggest she joined him at industry events during the marriage.
Schneider’s career also kept moving during these years. According to Wikipedia, he played Jonathan Kent in 100 episodes of Smallville. Meanwhile, he ran John Schneider Studios in Holden, Louisiana. Wikipedia says he owns and runs the studio, where he writes and produces independent films.
The Studio and the Money Pressure
The studio later became part of the money story. Fox News says Schneider spent heavily on studio repairs after a March 2016 flood. In contrast, Castle’s court papers accused him of spending too much income on low-budget films. Wonderwall reported that claim from documents TMZ obtained.
Schneider also commented on her work history. He told Nash Country Daily that she had not worked since the wedding, per Meaww. That statement is his view, not a court finding. Meanwhile, IMDb still lists her Collier & Co. credit from 2006.
Why Did Elly Castle File for Divorce From John Schneider?
Castle filed for divorce in late 2014 and cited irreconcilable differences. Both Meaww and Sportskeeda report that reason. She also asked for spousal support, according to Meaww. Coverage quotes no public statement from her on the deeper causes.
The Filing Date
Sources do not agree on the exact day. IMDb lists November 14, 2014 as the filing date. However, The Blast gives December 12, 2014. Therefore, late 2014 is the safest description.
Why Sources Say 21 Years and 26 Years
Profiles use two different marriage lengths. Many count 21 years, from the 1993 wedding to the 2014 filing. However, Wonderwall describes a 26-year marriage, which counts through 2019. Both numbers are correct, since they use different end points. Therefore, this article uses 21 years only for the time before the filing.
Money Becomes the Main Fight
In September 2016, a judge ordered Schneider to pay $18,911 a month in temporary support. Wonderwall reported that figure from TMZ. Castle had asked for about $31,000 a month. Later, Schneider fell behind on those payments. In February 2018, a judge told him to pay by mid-March. Meanwhile, The Blast says she moved to garnish his Dancing With the Stars pay.
The 2018 Jail Sentence
On June 11, 2018, a judge sentenced Schneider to three days in jail. The sentence came after he failed to pay spousal support. He also had to complete 240 hours of community service. According to Wonderwall, he owed more than $150,000 at that point. In the end, he served about five hours because of overcrowding.
What Schneider Has Said
Schneider has described the divorce in harsh terms. In 2018, AmoMama reports, he called the divorce awful. Meanwhile, Meaww says he told Nash Country Daily that Castle felt entitled to support. In contrast, Castle’s side appears mostly in court papers. As a result, interviews give one side and filings give the other.
How the Divorce Ended
Sources give two dates for the end of the case. IMDb says the divorce took effect on August 20, 2019. However, The Blast reports that the judge signed the final judgment on December 18, 2019. Meanwhile, Schneider started dating producer Alicia Allain in April 2015, per Sportskeeda. He married her legally on September 25, 2019, according to Meaww. Allain died in February 2023. Later, Blast The Radio called Dee Dee Sorvino his current wife.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 1993 | Castle and Schneider marry | Wikipedia and IMDb |
| Late 2014 | Castle files for divorce | IMDb and The Blast |
| September 2016 | Judge sets temporary support at $18,911 a month | Wonderwall |
| June 11, 2018 | Judge orders three days in jail for unpaid support | Wonderwall |
| August 20, 2019 | Divorce takes effect | IMDb |
| December 18, 2019 | Judge signs final judgment | The Blast |
Divorce Settlement and Spousal Support Terms
The settlement gave Elly Castle monthly support, California property and retirement money. According to The Blast, the judge set support at $20,000 a month. The judge also found Schneider earned $72,777 each month. Therefore, the court based support on that income figure. Reports differ on the exact payment, as the table shows.
| Term | Reported detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly support | $20,000 | The Blast |
| Monthly support in other reports | $25,000 | TMZ, via Wonderwall and Yahoo |
| Schneider’s monthly income found by the court | $72,777 | The Blast |
| Back support owed | $24,925 for September 13, 2017 to August 20, 2019 | The Blast |
| Legal fees | About $280,000 | The Blast |
| Property | Castle keeps a California property and splits retirement accounts | The Blast |
| Pension | A portion of his Screen Actors Guild pension | AmoMama |
| Louisiana property | Judge found he sold it and did not split the proceeds | Wonderwall |
The $20,000 and $25,000 figures both come from reports on court papers. The Blast carried the $20,000 figure in December 2019. Wonderwall carried the $25,000 figure months later. Public coverage does not explain the gap. Therefore, each number is best read with the outlet’s name attached. The full judgment text is not widely published.
The Blast also reports that the judge ordered Schneider to pay Castle’s legal fees. Those fees were near $280,000 over five years. AmoMama gives a slightly lower figure of $279,000. In addition, AmoMama says Castle kept a $600,000 California property. It adds that she kept an IRA with $60,000 left in it.
What Is the Latest on the Support Dispute?
Castle now claims Schneider owes her $2,382,548 in unpaid support and interest. This claim is the newest chapter, and it is still open right now.
What Castle Filed
According to a TMZ report, Castle filed that claim in March. Nearly $1 million of the total is interest. She asked the court for part of his Screen Actors Guild pension. She also wants a share of his Social Security checks. Musician Voice says she proposed this if he cannot pay in one lump sum.
How the Claim Grew
This is not the first time Castle has made a large claim. In 2020, TMZ reported she claimed $1,115,824 in unpaid support, per Wonderwall. That claim covered about four years of payments. As a result, the claimed total is now more than double the earlier figure.
How Schneider Responded
Schneider disputes the figure. According to TMZ, his June 19 response says Castle made math errors. His filing also says she gave no evidence for the amount. A judge had not ruled when TMZ published that report. At the time of writing, no major outlet has reported a ruling.
Schneider also spoke about the case on July 9. Then he told Fox News Digital he saw no integrity in the push. Closer Weekly carried his remarks. He added that cooler heads would prevail. Meanwhile, reports quote Castle’s court filings, not her interviews. Readers who want updates should check court records and the outlets named here.
Elly Castle Net Worth and Unconfirmed Claims
No reliable outlet has verified a net worth for Elly Castle. Bents Magazine estimates between $1 million and $2 million. Celebsuburb lists $2 million. Neither estimate shows the records behind its number. Therefore, this article gives no net worth figure.
What court reports do confirm is the settlement. It included monthly support, property and retirement funds. Those items give a clearer picture than any online net worth figure. In addition, the latest support claim is a request, not a payment she has received.
Several other claims also stay unconfirmed.
- A birth date of September 15, 1959 appears on small bio sites. No major outlet confirms it.
- The church picnic meeting comes from a single Meaww report.
- Some profiles say Karis works as a firefighter. Sportskeeda describes her as an actress.
- Claims that Castle runs animal rescue work or gardens have no named source.
- Reports on where Castle lives now disagree, and no major outlet confirms a city.
Final Thoughts
After sorting through court reports and interviews, one pattern stands out. The money figures change from outlet to outlet. Therefore, each number works best with the outlet’s name attached. Elly Castle herself speaks mostly through filings, so her private life stays private. That is worth remembering when bold claims appear online.
Castle has no official page of her own. For the wider story, start with the Wikipedia entry for The Dukes of Hazzard. In the end, the verified record is short and clear. Her marriage lasted more than two decades. Still, her court case has no final word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Elly Castle?
Elly Castle is John Schneider’s second wife. She is an American actress with a small credit in Collier & Co. They married on July 11, 1993.
How long were Elly Castle and John Schneider married?
They were married for about 21 years before she filed in late 2014. The marriage stayed legal until the divorce took effect in 2019. That makes the full legal span about 26 years.
Why did Elly Castle and John Schneider divorce?
Castle filed in late 2014 and cited irreconcilable differences. She also asked for spousal support. No public statement from her gives further reasons.
How many children does Elly Castle have?
Reports name four children, Mandy, Leah, Chasen and Karis. Mandy was placed for adoption and later reunited with Castle. Schneider adopted Leah and Chasen, and Karis is the couple’s daughter.
Did John Schneider go to jail in the Elly Castle divorce case?
A judge sentenced Schneider to three days in jail on June 11, 2018. The reason was unpaid temporary spousal support. According to Wonderwall, he served about five hours because of overcrowding.
How much does Elly Castle say John Schneider owes her as of 2026?
As of 2026, Castle claims he owes $2,382,548 in support and interest, according to TMZ. Schneider disputes the amount and says her math has errors. No court ruling had been reported at the time of writing.
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