What was Philip K. Dick's net worth?
Philip K. Dick was an American writer who had a net worth of $250 thousand at the time of his death in 1982. That's the same as around $600 thousand in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation. Despite a level of cult-readership, Philip lived most of his adult life bordering on poverty. Furthermore, he donated much of the wealth he received during his lifetime to children's charities.
During his life, Philip authored more than 40 published novels and more than 120 short stories which mainly appeared in science fiction magazines. He won a Hugo Award for Best Novel for the 1962 book "The Man in the High Castle". In 1968 he wrote "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and in 1969 he wrote "Ubik". In 1977 he wrote "A Scanner Darkly". In 1981 he wrote "VALIS".
Dick is known for writing several books that have been turned into Hollywood movies and television shows including, notably 1982's "Blade Runner", 1990's "Total Recall" and 2002's "Minority Report". He died four months before "Blade Runner" was released in theaters.
Several of his works have also been adapted into television series, including Amazon's version of "The Man in the High Castle".
After "Total Recall" became one of the biggest box-office hits of 1990, earning $120 million worldwide, Philip's short stories and novels became extremely hot licensing commodities around Hollywood.
Philip K. Dick passed away on March 2, 1982 at 53 years old after a stroke.
Estate
Soon after his death, Philip's three children Leslie, Isa and Chris created the "Philip K. Dick Testamentary Trust" to hold the intellectual property rights to their father's works and other assets. They eventually also launched "Electric Shepherd Productions LLC" as a production company to adapt and promote their father's work into films and TV series. The three children each own 1/3 of the two companies. Over the ensuing decades after Philips death, his estate generated tens of millions of dollars from book royalties, rights and licensing fees. For example, in 2003 his estate licensed the rights to one of Philips short stories for $2 million. The resulting movie was the 2003 Ben Affleck movie "Paycheck".
In January 2019, Philip's daughter Isa Dick Hackett – who serves as CEO of Electric Shepherd – led the family in striking a long term overall deal with Amazon Studios. Two years earlier Isa accused Amazon Studios' top executive Roy Price of sexual harassment. The allegations led to his ouster. Price reportedly told Isa "You will love my Dick" in a taxi cab at Comic-Con 2015 in San Diego.
Early Life
Born on December 16, 1928, Philip K. Dick was born alongside a twin sister, Jane, who sadly died shortly after birth, a tragedy that profoundly impacted Dick throughout his life. He was raised in Berkeley, California, where he encountered a wide variety of cultural influences that later played a role in shaping his writings. His early love for science fiction literature drove him to start writing at a young age, with his first story, "Roog", being published in 1953.
Professional Career and Prolific Writing
In the 1950s and 1960s, Dick was incredibly prolific, writing and publishing dozens of novels and short stories. His works from this period, like "The Man in the High Castle", which won the Hugo Award in 1963, and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" later adapted into the film "Blade Runner", delved into themes of reality, human identity, and authoritarianism. His work during these years was characterized by his prodigious output, often driven by financial necessity.
Personal Struggles and Exploration of Human Psyche
Dick's personal life was marked by a series of tumultuous marriages and struggles with mental health and drug addiction. These experiences deeply influenced his work, prompting explorations of the human psyche, identity, and the nature of reality. His 1977 novel "A Scanner Darkly", which portrays a dystopian world of drug use and surveillance, reflected his own experiences with drug culture and paranoia.
Exegesis and Religious Experiences
In 1974, Dick experienced a series of visions or hallucinations, a period he referred to as "2-3-74", shorthand for February-March 1974. He spent the rest of his life attempting to understand these experiences, which he believed were of a religious or mystical nature. His exploration of these experiences resulted in the "Exegesis", an 8,000-page, unpublished work that delved into philosophy, theology, and metaphysics. This period also inspired novels like "VALIS", which incorporated Gnostic Christianity and ancient religious concepts.
Death and Posthumous Recognition
Dick died on March 2, 1982, following a series of strokes. At the time of his death, he was recognized within science fiction circles but was relatively unknown to the broader literary world. However, his work gained significant attention posthumously. Several of his stories were adapted into blockbuster films, introducing his complex and speculative visions to a broader audience. His recognition in the literary community also grew, and in 2005, he became the first science fiction writer to be included in The Library of America series.
