What is Eric Braeden's Net Worth and Salary?
Eric Braeden is an actor and former athlete who has a net worth of $20 million. Eric Braeden is best known for his various roles on television and film since the 1960s. Among his notable credits are the television series "The Young and the Restless" and "The Rat Patrol," and the films "Colossus: The Forbin Project," "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," and "Titanic." For his role as Victor Newman on "The Young and the Restless," he won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998.
Early Life and Education
Eric Braeden was born as Hans-Jörg Gudegast on April 3, 1941 in Bredenbek in what was then the Free State of Prussia in Germany. As a child, he survived the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff, a German transport ship evacuating civilians and personnel during Operation Hannibal. When he was a young adult, Braeden immigrated to the United States and attended the University of Montana.
Television Career
In his first two decades in the US, Braeden racked up over 100 guest roles on television. Among his most notable early credits were the series "Combat!," "12 O'Clock High," and "Mission: Impossible." Braeden had his first major role from 1966 to 1968, playing Captain Hans Dietrich on the ABC action-adventure series "The Rat Patrol." After that, he appeared in three episodes of the CBS police procedural series "Hawaii Five-O," and had further guest roles on such shows as "The Young Rebels," "Mannix," "Gunsmoke," and "Barnaby Jones." Braeden also acted in a number of television films during the 1970s, including "The Mask of Sheba," "The Judge and Jake Wyler," "Death Race," and "Death Scream." In the latter half of the decade, he made appearances on "Wonder Woman," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Kojak," and "CHiPs."
Braeden began playing his longest-running role in 1980: villainous business magnate Victor Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera "The Young and the Restless." Although the character was initially supposed to last for only 26 weeks, he became so popular with audiences that Braeden had his contract extended to keep playing him. Braeden went on to earn multiple Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, winning one in 1998. He has made guest appearances on several other shows since joining "The Young and the Restless," including "Airwolf," "Murder, She Wrote," "The Nanny," "The Bold and the Beautiful," and "How I Met Your Mother." Braeden also acted in the 1990 miniseries "Lucky Chances."
Mark Davis/Getty Images
Film Career
Braeden made his feature film debut with a bit part in the 1961 crime film "Operation Eichmann," a highly fictionalized account of the life of the titular war criminal. He had another tiny role in the 1965 war film "Morituri." Braeden closed out the decade with much bigger roles in the crime film "Dayton's Devils" and the Western "100 Rifles." In 1970, he starred as the titular scientist Dr. Charles Forbin in the science-fiction thriller "Colossus: The Forbin Project." Braeden played another scientist the following year in the science-fiction sequel film "Escape from the Planet of the Apes." He subsequently had a supporting role in the crime film "Lady Ice" and a starring role opposite Tyne Daly and Gregory Morton in the drama "The Adulteress." After those, Braeden starred alongside Barry Brown and Britt Ekland in "The Ultimate Thrill." Later in the decade, he played Bruno Von Stickle in the automobile adventure comedy sequel "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo."
After mostly focusing on television in the 1980s, Braeden returned to the big screen in 1990 with a crucial supporting role in the comedy thriller "The Ambulance," starring Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, and Megan Gallagher. Seven years later, he portrayed John Jacob Astor IV in James Cameron's epic blockbuster "Titanic." Braeden reported that filming the scene in which his character drowned was one of the scariest moments he had experienced in show business. The year after "Titanic," he played Elton Deedle in the comedy "Meet the Deedles." A decade passed before Braeden starred in the Western "The Man Who Came Back," costarring his fellow "Titanic" cast mate Billy Zane. After another decade, he appeared in the heist film "Den of Thieves," written and directed by his son Christian and starring Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O'Shea Jackson Jr., and 50 Cent.
(Photo by Pool Barson/FilmMagic)
Athletic Career
Before he became a professional actor, Braeden was an athlete in track and field. In 1958, under his birth name, he won the German National Team Championship with the Rendsburger TSV. He went on to play soccer in the US in the 1970s, and won the 1973 National Challenge Cup with the club Maccabee Los Angeles. Braeden has also boxed and played tennis.
Personal Life
In 1966, Braeden married his college sweetheart Dale Russell. Their son Christian is a writer and filmmaker.
In the spring of 2023, Braeden announced he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. He was diagnosed while recovering from knee-replacement surgery and while undergoing prostate-related treatment.
