Lorne Michaels is one of the most prominent and prolific television producers in American comedy history, best known for inventing and producing Saturday Night Live, among many other series and films.
But how much is he worth in 2024, and where does his money come from? This article will look at his career, accomplishments, and predicted net worth in 2024.
Lorne Michaels Net Worth 2024
Lorne Michaels’ net worth is expected to be $500 million as of 2024, according to public resources. This financial achievement reflects his outstanding career in television and film production.
Michaels makes a good living as the creator and producer of the renowned Saturday Night Live (SNL) and other successful shows and films. His annual income is said to be about $30 million, with large upfront payments and further revenues tied to project achievements.
Lorne Michaels Career and Achievements
Lorne Michaels was born in Palestine in 1944 and relocated to Toronto, Canada, as a child with his family. He earned an English degree from the University of Toronto and began his career as a writer and broadcaster for CBC Radio.
In 1968, he relocated to Los Angeles and began working as a writer for shows such as Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show. He also co-starred in a series of CBC comedy specials called The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour with his friend Hart Pomerantz.
In 1975, he launched Saturday Night Live, a sketch comedy show that became a worldwide sensation and a launching pad for some of comedy’s biggest performers, including Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and many more.
Except for a brief interruption from 1980 to 1985, he has been the executive producer of SNL for the majority of its run. Other successful series he has produced or executive produced include Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and The Other Two.
Michaels has produced or co-produced over 40 films, many of which are based on SNL characters or sketches, including Wayne’s World, Coneheads, The Blues Brothers, and Mean Girls. He has also directed and produced his films, including Three Amigos, Baby Mama, and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
He founded Broadway Video, a production business that also owns the rights to the Rankin-Bass library of famous animated specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Lorne Michaels’ work has earned him 19 Emmy Awards, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Peabody Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He is also a recipient of the Order of Canada, a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has also participated in humanitarian and political causes such as supporting Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, donating to the Museum of the Moving Image, and hosting Democratic Party fundraisers.
| Real Name | Lorne David Lipowitz |
| Popular Name | Lorne Michaels |
| Gender | Male |
| Birth Date | November 17, 1944 |
| Age | 79 years old |
| Parents | Henry Abraham Lipowitz, Florence Lipowitz |
| Siblings | Mark Lipowitz, Barbara Lipowitz |
| Birth Place | Mandate Palestine |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Ethnicity | Ethnicity |
| Education | Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, University College |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Wife/Spouse | Alice Barry (m. 1991), Susan Forristal (m. 1981–1987), Rosie Shuster (m. 1971–1980)) |
| Children | Sophie Michaels, Edward Michaels, Henry Michaels |
| Dating | N/A |
| Net Worth | $500 million (2024) |
| Source of Wealth | Television production, Film production |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) |
| Weight | Approx. 159 Ibs (72 kg) |
Lorne Michaels Personal Life
Michaels gained US citizenship in 1987 and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2002. He has had three marriages. From 1971 to 1980, he was married to Rosie Shuster.
She was the daughter of his comic mentor, Frank Shuster, and worked as a writer on Saturday Night Live with him. From 1981 to 1987, he was married to model Susan Forristal. In 1991, he married his former assistant, Alice Barry, with whom he had three children.
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