David Letterman Net Worth 2024

What is David Letterman’s net worth and wage?

David Letterman is an American comedian and former late-night speak present host who has a net worth of $400 million. In years previous, David Letterman might simply earn $50 million a yr in licensing and syndication charges, however that quantity has come down barely lately.

Early Life

David Micheal Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 12, 1947. He has one older and one youthful sister. His mother and father had been Harry, a florist, and Dorothy Letterman, a church secretary. His father died on the age of 57 of a coronary heart assault. Letterman went to Broad Ripple High School and labored at an area grocery store as a inventory boy. He graduated from Ball State University in 1969 from the Department of Television and Radio.

Early Career

Letterman labored as an announcer and newscaster at Ball State’s student-run radio, WBST. He was fired for talking sarcastically and humorously on the subject of classical music. After he graduated, he started working as a weatherman on an Indianapolis TV station. He was recognized for his unpredictable conduct and informal humor on-air, similar to typically reporting the climate for made-up cities. In 1975 he was inspired by his family and pals to maneuver to Los Angeles to grow to be a comedy author. There he started to carry out stand-up at The Comedy Store. He made many connections via stand-up and was writing and making small visitor appearances for varied small acts, TV exhibits, and recreation exhibits by 1978. He was screen-tested for the lead function of 1980’s Airplane!, however the function ended up going to Robert Hays. Eventually, his model of sarcasm and dry humor caught the eye of expertise scouts for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and he shortly grew to become a favourite comedian of Carson and an everyday visitor on the present. Letterman has at all times credited Carson as his largest profession affect.

Late Night Career

Dave was given his personal morning comedy present on NBC on June 23, 1980. It was a rankings disappointment regardless of being critically profitable, and it was canceled after simply 4 months. However, NBC tried transferring him to a special time slot. Late Night with David Letterman premiered in February 1982. The first visitor was Bill Murray. The present aired at 12:30 A.M. EST Monday via Thursday, following after The Tonight Show. It gained a cult following amongst college college students and younger folks for Dave’s irreverent, brash, cynicism, self-deprecating humor, and quirky bits. Dave shortly grew to become recognized for his repute of being a pointy and forthright interviewer, with many followers discovering his honesty refreshing. The present additionally gained notoriety for its off-the-wall sketches like “Stupid Pet Tricks” and Top 10 List segments.

Johnny Carson retired in 1992, and followers fervently believed that Letterman would take over The Tonight Show. However, in a shock transfer, NBC gave the job to Jay Leno. Letterman left NBC to host his personal present, The Late Show With David Letterman, on CBS reverse The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, making a without end duel over their shared 11:30 p.m slot. The present debuted August thirtieth, 1993 on the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. CBS signed Letterman to a three-year, $14 million per yr contract, which doubled his earlier wage at NBC. Letterman toned down his wacky and fiercely distinctive humorousness considerably in anticipation of an even bigger, extra conventional and conservative viewers. He added Paul Shaffer and his band as a sidekick to the present and lengthened the opening monologue. He was capable of maintain lots of his signature bits from his earlier present by re-branding them barely (i.e., The Top Ten List grew to become The Late Show Top Ten). Letterman and Leno had been infamous rivals over time they each ran, every one taking turns dominating the highest spot relying on the yr. Letterman’s exhibits loved immense recognition and important reward, with 67 Emmy Award nominations and 12 wins in his first 20 years in late-night.

Letterman introduced his retirement in April 2014, and his final episode, a grand and star-studded affair, aired on May 20, 2015. It was watched by 13.76 million viewers. It was introduced that Stephen Colbert would succeed Letterman. Letterman hosted, in whole, 6,080 episodes of Late Night and Late Show. He surpassed his mentor and buddy Carson because the longest-serving late-night speak present host in American TV historical past.

Post-Late Show

Letterman has largely laid low throughout retirement, giving his consideration and cash to varied pursuits and charities which can be near his coronary heart. His personal basis, the Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming, has donated hundreds of thousands to non-profits together with the American Cancer Society, Doctors Without Borders, and Ball State University. He continues to personal Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which he based in 1991. The firm produced his present and has gone on to supply a number of others. In 2018, Letterman began internet hosting a long-form interview program on Netflix known as My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. Barack Obama was his first visitor. The present is at present on its fourth season throughout which Letterman traveled to Ukraine to movie a particular sit-down with Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for episode seven.

In February 2022, Letterman was the visitor on Late Night with Seth Meyers to mark the fortieth anniversary of the franchise.

Personal Life

In January 2000, Dave was rushed to the ER for a quintuple bypass surgical procedure after docs found a serious blockage in one in every of his arteries throughout a routine checkup. During his restoration, he employed using visitor hosts for the present.

Dave married his college girlfriend Michelle Cook in 1968. They divorced in October 1977, simply after their transfer to L.A. He was in a long-term relationship with Late Night producer Merrill Markoe from 1978-1988. She is alleged to have been an enormous affect on the event of his comedy type.

Letterman began courting Regina Lasko in February 1986, and Lasko gave start to their son in 2003. The couple wed in 2009 and the family resides in North Salem, NY.

In 2005, a plot to kidnap his son and demand a ransom of $5 million was uncovered by police. A home painter who had labored for Letterman was charged within the conspiracy.

Letterman was the sufferer of tried blackmail in 2009 by an individual threatening to disclose his affairs with a number of of his feminine staffers. Letterman confirmed these affairs to be true and devoted a phase on his October 5, 2009, present to a public apology to his spouse and workers.

Letterman has admitted to battling alcohol dependancy and anxiousness, and he now not drinks.

Real Estate and different Ventures

Dave has used his bundle to grow to be one thing of an actual property mogul. He owns a 108-acre property in Westchester County, New York (buy value: $5 million for 88 acres in 1994 and $5 million for the remainder in 2007); a 2,700-acre ranch close to Chateau, Montana; a spot on Martha’s Vineyard; and a home in St. Barth’s.

Letterman additionally co-owns Rahal Letterman Racing, an Indy Racing League staff, and is a automotive fanatic with an intensive assortment. It’s been reported that he has 10 Ferraris, eight Porsches, two Honda bikes, a Mercedes-Benz, a Jaguar, and a Chevy pickup.