Celebrities

Andy Kaufman Net Worth

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Daniel Wanburg

Andy Kaufman's Net Worth as of 2024
$3 Million

Born Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman on the 17th January 1949 in New York City, USA, and was a comedian and actor, probably best recognized for starring as Foreign Man in the TV show “Saturday Night Live” (1975-1982), and appearing in the role of Latka Gravas in the TV series “Taxi” (1978-1983). Andy passed away in 1984.

Have you ever wondered how rich Andy Kaufman was? According to authoritative sources, it was estimated that the total size of Andy’s net worth was as high as $3 million, an amount accumulated through his successful career in the entertainment industry, which was active from 1971 to 1984.

Andy Kaufman Net Worth $3 Million

Andy Kaufman grew up in Great Neck, Long Island, raised with two younger siblings in a Jewish family by his father, Stanley Kaufman, a jewelry salesman, and his mother, Janice Bernstein, who was a former fashion model, and housewife. When he was only nine years old, he started with performances at friend’s birthday parties as a stand-up comedian. During that period, he wrote not only stories, but also poetry, and later became known as an author of the unpublished novel “The Hollering Mangoo”. He attended Saddle Rock Elementary, and later Baker Hill Elementary school, and then Great Neck North High School. Upon matriculation in 1967, he enrolled at Grahm Junior College Kaufman in Boston to study television and radio production. Subsequently, he started performing in local clubs, and soon founded his own college TV show, entitled “Uncle Andy’s Fun House”, and his professional career began. After graduation, Andy began performing stand-up comedy at nightclubs on the East Coast.

Slowly he became more popular, and after appearing as a guest in such variety shows as “The Dean Martin Comedy World” (1974), and “The Joe Franklin Show” the same year, he was called up by Lorne Michaels to appear in the first episode of “Saturday Night Live”. His character, the Foreign Man, was a smashing success, Kaufman having previously honed the act during his nightclub performing days. He continued to appear as a cast member until 1982 when the SNL viewers booted him off the show via a call-in poll. Parallel with his stint on “Saturday Night Live”, Kaufman appeared with another iteration of the Foreign Man character in the ABC sitcom “Taxi” (1977-1983), going on to portray Latka Gravas over the course of five seasons. While Kaufman wasn’t much of a sitcom fan, he was persuaded by his agent to stick with the show in order to gain fame, and later start his own act. The role of Latka also brought him two nominations for Golden Globe Awards.

During his time on “Taxi”, he premiered another character, his alter-ego Tony Clifton, who was actually signed on as a separate actor, to play the role of Louie’s brother on the show. However, due to Clifton’s trademark rudeness and obnoxious behavior, he was finally replaced, however, Tony Clifton may be Kaufman’s best-known character, even though he wasn’t played exclusively by him, but also by his writer, Bob Zmuda. In many ways, Clifton was the opposite of Foreign Man – vulgar, loud and abusive towards his audience. He continued to appear on shows long after Kaufman’s death, portrayed by Zmuda.

Apart from “Taxi” and “Saturday Night Live”, Kaufman is mostly known for his guest starring roles, appeared playing his various characters in shows such as “Last Night with David Letterman”, “Good Morning America”, and “The Merv Griffin Show”. Additionally, he released an ABC special entitled “Andy’s Funhouse” (1979), as well as “The Andy Kaufman Show” (1983). He ventured briefly onto the big screen, starring as Armageddon T. Thunderbird in the comedy film “In God We Tru$t” (1980), alongside Marty Feldman, Louise Lasser and Peter Boyle, and played the main role in the romantic science fiction comedy film “Heartbeeps” (1981), opposite Bernadette Peters.

Kaufman also tried his hand at wrestling, which first started as a parody of the over-the-top wrestling personas presented by professional wrestlers. He first started to wrestle women and invented his own Inter-Gender Championship. Later, he appeared on “CWE Wrestling” (1983), squaring off against Jerry “The King” Lawler. It wasn’t until almost ten years after Kaufman’s death, that it was revealed that their feud and the matches were staged and that Kaufman and Lawler were actually good friends.

Regarding his personal life, Andy Kaufman never married, however, he was in a relationship with actress Lynne Margulies. He had a daughter from an early relationship, who was put up for adoption. During his life, Andy enjoyed practicing Transcendental Meditation. He passed away on the 16th May 1984 in Los Angeles, California, USA from lung cancer at the age of 35. However, due to his showmanship and pranks, there are rumors about him faking his own death as a part of a grand hoax. Also, his alter-ego Tony Clifton continued to appear in comedy clubs, after Andy’s death.

Daniel Wanburg

As the Managing Editor at Net Worth Post, I lead a talented team in delivering compelling content on the lives and achievements of influential figures. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I oversee the production of insightful biographies that resonate with our audience. My role involves not only managing the editorial process but also conducting research, crafting engaging narratives, and ensuring the accuracy and quality of our publications. At NetWorthPost, we strive to provide our readers with in-depth profiles that offer valuable insights into the worlds of business, entertainment, and beyond. Through meticulous research and captivating storytelling, we bring to light the remarkable journeys and successes of individuals who inspire and captivate us.

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Celebrities

Ben Stein Net Worth

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Daniel Wanburg

Benjamin Jeremy Stein is an American lawyer, speechwriter, actor, writer and commentator on economic and political issues, but he is also known for participating in many other activities. For example, Ben Stein has even tried himself as a game show host. This famous person in American economics and politics was born on November 25 in 1944 in Washington, D.C., United States during World War II. He attended Columbia College and later Yale Law School. After graduation Ben Stein started to write columns and articles for different US magazines such as Newsmax, Los Angeles Magazine, Penthouse, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s Magazine, The American Spectator and even for The New York Times.

Ben Stein Net Worth $20 Million

In his writings Stein usually speaks about the economic situation and political issues, and even gives financial advices to individual investors. However, in the mid-60s he also got the job of a poverty lawyer and later continued as a lawyer for the Federal Trade Comission. After few years of hard work, Ben Stein decided to try himself in acting too, but before starting to get roles he became a Hollywood consultant. Stein got his first comedy role and had to play a boring and monotonous economics teacher in the movie called Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which was released in 1986. As an actor Ben Stein has since appeared in many other movies, such as The Mask, No Intelligence Allowed, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, The Emperor’s New School, Full House, Casper: A Spirited Beginning, The O’Reilly Factor, Maried… with Children, Duckman, The Emperor’s New Schol, Earthworm Jim, Casper Meets Wendy, Family Guy and Richie Rich.

The famous actor and commentator is also recognized thanks to the Comedy Central channel where he was the main face of the show called “Win Ben Stein’s Money” for which he has even received an Emmy award. Ben Stein was earning $5,000 per episode, but money that contestants won was subtracted from actor’s salary. However, these earnings are just nothing if we compare them with Stein’s net worth, which reached $20 million in 2012.

Ben Stein is well known thanks to his ability to harmonize all his activities and show himself as a talented person in every job he does. But maybe one of his most successful, but not so well-known activities is writing speeches for American presidents. Ben Stein was a speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Until now Ben Stein has published 15 books, the first written together with Herbert Stein and released in 1978. In 2012 his last book appeared in stores – “How To Really Ruin Your Financial Life and Portfolio”.

Nowadays Ben Stein lives with his wife Alexandra Denman in Beverly Hills and Malibu, California. The couple married in 1968 and divorced after 6 years, but in 1977 they got back together again. With his wife Ben Stein adopted their son Tom in 1987. As well as his property in Beverly Hills, Ben Stein also owns a summer home in Sandpoint, Idaho and an apartment in the Watergate complex in Washingtton, D.C., which was inherited from his parents.

Businesspersons

Mikey Teutul Net Worth

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Daniel Wanburg

Michael Joseph was born 26 November 1978, in Montgomery, New York State USA, and widely known as Mikey Teutul, is a reality television personality, the youngest son of Orange County Choppers founder Paul Teutul, Sr. Mikey began his working life at 14, in the family business.

So just how rich is Mikey Teutul, as of late 2017? Authoritative sources estimate that Mikey has a net worth of over $3 million dollars, largely earned by working at his father’s and older brother Paul Jr,’s company Orange County Choppers (OCC), and Orange County Iron Works, and through his TV appearances.

Mikey Teutul Net Worth $3 Million

Little is known of Mikey’s early life or education – it seems to have always revolved around the family business. Helping out his family in his teens, theoretically he worked as Assistant General Manager. but his main duties were to answer ‘phones, and clear-up and take out the trash. He was on rare occasions given the chance to build bikes, until he was competent to build his own. He also attended events for promoting OCC.

In 2002, the family was invited to take part in a reality show, Discovery Channel’s “American Chopper”, and subsequently “American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior”, in the course of which the youngest son was thrown out of the business – the middle son is Daniel, and younger sister Cristin. The reason for Mikey’s exclusion was that Mikey tried to be a mediator between his father and his brother, but his father seemed to be offended that his younger son did not take his side, and so threw him out of the business. During the filming of the show, Mikey was somethoing of a comedy relief to his father’s workers, and that comedy streak helped gain him popularity in TV shows. Mikey then joined his brother’s post-OCC venture, -Paul Jr Designs – along with most of their father’s employees; obviously the work atmosphere with Paul Teutul, Sr. was not a particularly happy one. Mikey’s eldest brother Paul Jr. was the former chief fabricator of OCC.

So actually the main source of Mikey Teutul’s wealth is not his father’s business, but the shows he eventually took part in. These have included ‘The Late Show with David Letterman”, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, and also “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. The shows became very popular and Mikey’s appearances earned him a significant amount of money. To say the least, the family drama did not go without consequences – according to rumours, Mikey Teutul was suffering from an addiction problem, and consequently admitted himself to rehab, and managed to overcome the bad habits which were apparently hindering his progress in life, obviously including business.

In his life away from the businesses already referred to and the limelight of TV, Michael loves to paint, and is apparently respected for his productions, as he opened “The Wolfgang Gallery” gallery in Montgomery, New York, where he has sold or auctioned his paintings, adding somewhat to is net worth, although rumours suggest that the gallery may now be closed. Most recently, Mikey is now trying to enter the market under the moniker LLC FarQueue Products with his line of gourmet pasta sauces. Good luck, Mikey!

In his less-than-private personal life, Mikey is apparently still single – there aren’t even any rumours of romantic liaisons.