What was Natalie Schafer's net worth?
Natalie Schafer was an American actress who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of her death.
Natalie Schafer was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 1900 and passed away in April 1991. She was best known for starring as Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell on the CBS television series Gilligan's Island.
Schafer starred on Broadway from 1927 to 1959. She finished her career with almost 100 acting credits. Her best known role came starring as Mrs. Lovey Howell on the series Gilligan's Island from 1964 to 1992. She starred in many films including The Body Disappears, Keep Your Powder Dry, The Snake Pit, Take Care of My Little Girl, The Law and the Lady, Callaway Went Thataway, The Girl Next Door, Casanova's Big Night, Forever, Darling, Anastasia, Back Street, 40 Carats, and The Day of the Locust.
Natalie was married to actor Louis Calhern from 1934 to 1942.
Gilligan's Island Salary & Royalties
Natalie and her cast-mates were paid a salary of $750 per week while working on the show. That's the same as making around $7,300 per week in today's dollars. Assuming each season required 40 weeks (there were 36 episodes in season one, 32 in season two and 30 in season three), that worked out to an annual income of $30,000. That's the same as making around $300,000 in today's dollars.
Contrary to popular belief, the cast members did not receive any significant income in the form of residuals. As Dawn Wells explained to a reporter in 2014:
"A misconception is that we must be wealthy, rolling in the dough, because we got residuals. We didn't really get a dime… Sherwood Schwartz, our producer, reportedly made $90 million on the reruns alone."
Real Estate Investments
Natalie Schafer passed away on April 10, 1991 at age 90 from cancer at her primary home in Beverly Hills.
Natalie famously invested her television income into real estate. The investments made her a multi-millionaire. It was reported that she left part of her fortune to her Gilligan's Island co-star Dawn Wells and her dogs.
She bequeathed several million dollars to the Lillian Booth Actors Home in New York. A wing in the home was named in her honor.
