What is Suzanne de Passe's Net Worth?
Suzanne de Passe is an American entertainment mogul who has a net worth of $40 million. Suzanne de Passe has produced numerous television series, specials, and films. Her notable producing credits include the television miniseries "Lonesome Dove," "The Jacksons: An American Dream," and "The Temptations"; the television sitcoms "Sister, Sister" and "Smart Guy"; and the films "Class Act" and "Who's the Man?" De Passe also co-wrote the screenplay to the 1972 film "Lady Sings the Blues," for which she earned an Academy Award nomination.
Early Life and Education
Suzanna de Passe was born on July 19 in either 1946, 1947, or 1948, depending on the source. She was born in New York City to a mother of Jamaican descent and a father of Haitian and French descent. Raised in Harlem, de Passe went to the New Lincoln School. For her higher education, she attended Syracuse University, graduating in 1968.
Career Beginnings
De Passe began her career in show business at New York City's Cheetah nightclub. She eventually became a creative assistant to Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of the Motown record label. De Passe was integral in taking the Motown label to television by producing a number of television specials in the 1980s, including the hit special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever." During this time, she was the president of Motown Productions.
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De Passe Entertainment
In 1988, Berry Gordy Jr. sold the Motown record label to MCA and Boston Ventures, and in 1989 he sold Motown Productions to de Passe. Under de Passe, the company produced the milestone 1989 CBS television miniseries "Lonesome Dove," based on the novel by Larry McMurtry and starring Robert Duvall. The epic Western miniseries was a massive hit, drawing a huge viewing audience and winning numerous awards. In 1992, the same year Motown Productions was renamed De Passe Entertainment, de Passe produced another acclaimed miniseries, "The Jacksons: An American Dream." Focused on the history of the Jackson musical family, the five-hour ABC miniseries starred Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, Angela Bassett, and Billy Dee Williams, among others. Vanessa Williams also appeared in the series portraying de Passe. Also in 1992, de Passe produced the comedy film "Class Act," starring the hip hop duo Kid 'n Play. The following year, her company produced the film "Who's the Man?" De Passe Entertainment went on to produce the television miniseries "Return to Lonesome Dove," "Streets of Laredo," and "Dead Man's Walk," all sequels to "Lonesome Dove."
From 1994 to 1999, De Passe Entertainment produced the hit television sitcom "Sister, Sister." Starring real-life twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry, the show ran for six seasons, first on ABC and then on the WB. Less successful was De Passe Entertainment's sitcom "On Our Own," starring Ralph Louis Harris and the six Smollett siblings; it only ran for a single season on ABC from 1994 to 1995. The other sitcom produced by De Passe Entertainment was "Smart Guy," which ran for three seasons on the WB from 1997 to 1999. During that time, in 1998, the company produced the hit NBC miniseries "The Temptations." De Passe Entertainment also produced the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century," based on the children's science-fiction picture book by Marilyn Sadler and Roger Bollen. The company later produced the sequels "Zenon: The Zequel" (2001) and "Zenon: Z3" (2004). Among its other notable media, De Passe Entertainment produced the variety show "Showtime at the Apollo" from 2002 to 2008, and again from 2016 to 2018.
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Screenwriting
Although primarily a producer, de Passe co-wrote the screenplay to the 1972 biographical musical drama film "Lady Sings the Blues," starring Diana Ross and produced by Motown Productions. For her work, she shared an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay with her co-writers Chris Clark and Terence McCloy. In the process, de Passe became the first African-American to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Personal Life & Real Estate
De Passe was previously married to actor Paul Le Mat from 1978 until their divorce in 1994. She has three children.
In June 1989, Suzanne paid $110,000 for a home in Beverly Hills, Ca. Today this home is worth around $5 million.
