What Was Harry Anderson's Net Worth and Salary?
Harry Anderson was an American actor, writer, director, producer, and magician who had a net worth of $5 million at the time of his death in 2018. Anderson is best known for starring as Judge Harry Stone on NBC's "Night Court" (1984–1992), and he also portrayed columnist Dave Barry on the CBS sitcom "Dave's World" (1993–1997) and Richie Tozier in the 1990 Stephen King miniseries "It." Harry appeared in the films "The Escape Artist" (1982), "She's Having a Baby" (1988), and "A Matter of Faith" (2014) and television series such as "Saturday Night Live" (1981–1985), "Cheers" (1982–1993), "Tales from the Crypt" (1990), and "30 Rock" (2008).
Anderson wrote for "Night Court" and "Dave's World," and he directed the "Caught Red Handed" (1987) and "A Closer Look" (1990) episodes of "Night Court." He produced the 1987 TV movie "Harry Anderson's Sideshow," and in 1989, he published the book "Harry Anderson's Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for Suckers." He also starred in the TV specials "Harry Anderson's Hello Sucker" (1986) and "Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His Trade" (1996). Sadly, Harry passed away in April 2018 at the age of 65.
Early Life
Harry Anderson was born Harry Laverne Anderson on October 14, 1952, in Newport, Rhode Island. He was the son of Suzanne Johnson and Harry Anderson, and after his parents divorced, he moved to Chicago with his mother and siblings. Harry became interested in magic at a young age and performed on the streets of Chicago, St. Louis, New York, and New Orleans before moving to California to live with his father at the age of 16. Anderson joined the Dante Magic Club in Los Angeles, and as a 17-year-old, he worked in San Francisco as a street magician. Harry attended Buena Park High School, and he was the valedictorian of his class at North Hollywood High School when he graduated in 1970. He lived in Ashland, Oregon, from 1971 to 1976, and he was involved with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Career
Anderson made his television debut on "The Big Laff Off" in 1978, then he appeared on "The Mike Douglas Show" (1980), "An Evening at the Improv" (1981), and "The Toni Tennille Show" (1981). Between 1981 and 1985, he made eight appearances on "Saturday Night Live," including a hosting gig in 1985. Harry's first film was 1982's "The Escape Artist," and that year he also began a six-episode stint as Harry "The Hat" Gittes on the popular NBC sitcom "Cheers." From 1984 to 1992, he starred as Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone on "Night Court" alongside John Larroquette, Richard Moll, Markie Post, and Marsha Warfield. The series aired 193 episodes over nine seasons and earned Anderson three Primetime Emmy nominations. In 2008, he guest-starred as himself on a "30 Rock" episode entitled "The One with the Cast of Night Court." During his time on "Night Court," Harry guest-starred on "Tales from the Darkside" (1985), "Tanner '88" (1988), "D.C. Follies" (1988), "Tales from the Crypt" (1990), and "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" (1992), appeared in the TV movies "Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs" (1988) and "Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme" (1990), and had an uncredited role in the film "She's Having a Baby" (1988). He played the lead role of Professor Henry Crawford in the 1988 TV movie "The Absent-Minded Professor," and he starred as Richie Tozier in the 1990 Stephen King miniseries "It," which received a People's Choice Award nomination for Favorite TV Mini-Series.
(Photo by Derek Storm/FilmMagic)
From 1993 to 1997, Anderson starred as real-life columnist Dave Barry on "Dave's World," which aired 98 episodes over four seasons, and he reprised the role in a 1994 episode of Markie Post's show "Hearts Afire." He guest-starred on "Night Stand with Dick Dietrick" (1996), "The John Larroquette Show" (1996), "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1997), "Noddy" (1998), and "Son of the Beach" (2002), and he played Elwood P. Dowd in a 1996 remake of the 1950 film "Harvey." In 2002, Harry and his wife, Elizabeth, opened the shop Spade & Archer Curiosities by Appointment in New Orleans, and three years later, Anderson opened Oswald's Speakeasy and performed his one-man show "Wise Guy" there. In 2006, he was featured in the Hurricane Katrina documentary "Hexing a Hurricane," then he guest-starred on "Comedy Bang! Bang!" (2013), had his own episode of "Gotham Comedy Live" (2014), and appeared in the film "A Matter of Faith" (2014).
Personal Life
Harry married Leslie Pollack in 1977, and they welcomed daughter Eva (born 1981) and son Dashiell (born 1985) before divorcing in 1999. Eva is an actress, writer, and producer known for television series such as "Comedy Bang! Bang!" and "You're the Worst." Anderson wed Elizabeth Morgan in 2000, and they remained married until his death in 2018. Both Harry and his "Night Court" character were big fans of singer Mel Tormé, and the show's creator, Reinhold Weege, has said that it was coincidental. Tormé made several appearances on the series, and Harry gave a eulogy at Mel's funeral.
Death
In January 2018, Anderson came down with the flu and later suffered "a series of strokes," according to his wife. On April 16, 2018, he died in his sleep at his Asheville home at the age of 65. The death certificate lists Harry's immediate cause of death as a cardioembolic cerebrovascular accident, which is a type of stroke. The underlying causes were listed as influenza and heart disease.
Award Nominations
Anderson earned Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for "Night Court" in 1985, 1986, and 1987.
Real Estate
In 2001, Harry and Elizabeth paid $950,000 for a home in New Orleans, and they sold it for $895,000 in 2006. Around that time, they purchased a 3,297 square foot home in Asheville, North Carolina, for $570,000.
