What Is Fabian Forte's Net Worth?
Fabian Forte is an American singer and actor who has a net worth of $5 million. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Fabian Forte was "discovered" when he was fourteen years old. Throughout the late '50s, he released hit single after hit single, but as soon as he turned 18, he bought out his contract with Chancellor Records and shifted his focus to acting. Eleven of Forte's singles charted on the "Billboard" Hot 100, with "Turn Me Loose," "Tiger," and "Hound Dog Man" reaching the top 10. Fabian went on to appear in numerous films while under contract with 20th Century Fox and then American International Pictures, including "Hound-Dog Man" (1959), "North to Alaska" (1960), "Five Weeks in a Balloon" (1962), "The Longest Day" (1962), and "A Bullet for Pretty Boy" (1970). He received his best reviews for his performance in the controversial 1961 "Bus Stop" episode "A Lion Walks Among Us," in which he played a psychotic killer. In recent years, Forte has performed in a musical revue with other 1950s-era teen idols in Branson, Missouri.
Early Life
Fabian Forte was born Fabian Anthony Forte on February 6, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents, Dominic and Josephine, were Italian-American, and his father was a police officer. Fabian grew up with two younger brothers in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of South Philadelphia. The owners of Chancellor Records, Peter DeAngelis and Bob Marcucci, gave Fabian his big break after Marcucci was visiting a friend who happened to live next door to the Fortes. Fabian's father was being loaded into an ambulance after suffering a heart attack, and Marcucci took notice of Forte. As Fabian tells it, "He kept staring at me and looking at me. I had a crew cut, but this was the day of Rick Nelson and Elvis. He comes up and says to me, 'So if you're ever interested in the rock and roll business…' and hands me his card. I looked at the guy like he was out of his mind. I told him, 'Leave me alone. I'm worried about my dad." Dominic was unable to work after he returned from the hospital, so after Marcucci persisted, Forte agreed to record a single.
Music Care
The record company gave Fabian a weekly allowance of $30, and he continued working at a pharmacy part-time and attending South Philadelphia High School. Forte said of that time, "I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew my goal, to try to make extra money. That meant a lot to our family. I rehearsed and rehearsed, and I really felt like a fish out of water." The single "Shivers" was a hit in Chicago, which led to Fabian meeting Dick Clark, who agreed to let Forte perform at one his record hops. According to Clark, when Forte lip-synched to a song, "the little girls at the hop went wild. They started screaming and yelling for this guy who didn't do a thing but stand there. I've never seen anything like it." Fabian later performed the song "I'm in Love" on Clark's show "American Bandstand," and the audience loved him. Forte released albums such as "Hold That Tiger" (1959), "The Good Old Summertime" (1960), "Rockin' Hot " (1961), and "Fabulously Grateful" (1963). Several of his singles made it onto the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, including "Turn Me Loose" (#9), "Tiger" (#3), "Hound Dog Man" (#9), and "This Friendly World" (#12).
Acting Career
Since 20th Century Fox had found success by casting teen pop stars in films, the studio decided to sign Fabian to a long-term contract. He had his first starting role in the 1959 film "Hound-Dog Man," and his recording of the title song was a hit. In 1960, Forte co-starred with Bing Crosby in "High Time" and with John Wayne in "North to Alaska," and the studio subsequently increased his salary. His contract also included TV series, and he earned more respect as an actor after director Robert Altman cast him as a psychotic killer in the "A Lion Walks Among Us" episode of the ABC series "Bus Stop." Many affiliates refused to air the episode due to its violent content, but Fabian has said that he considers it his best performance. Paramount borrowed Forte from 20th Century-Fox so he could star in the 1961 film "Love in a Goldfish Bowl," and he returned to Fox for 1962's "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation."
Next, he appeared in films such as "Five Weeks in a Balloon" (1962), "The Longest Day" (1962), "Ride the Wild Surf" (1964), and "Dear Brigitte" (1965) and guest-starred on "The Virginian" (1963; 1965), "Wagon Train" (1963), and "Daniel Boone" (1964). In November 1965, American International Pictures (AIP) signed Fabian to a seven-picture deal. He then starred in the films "Fireball 500" (1966), "Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs" (1966), "Thunder Alley" (1967), "Maryjane" (1966), "The Wild Racers" (1968), "The Devil's 8" (1968), and "A Bullet for Pretty Boy" (1970). Forte later appeared in films and TV movies such as "Little Laura and Big John" (1973), "Disco Fever" (1978), "Kiss Daddy Goodbye" (1981), and "American Pop" (1981), and "Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story" (1999). He has guest-starred on numerous television series, including "Love, American Style" (1973; 1986), "Laverne & Shirley" (1977), "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" (1978), "Fantasy Island" (1980), "The Love Boat" (1982), "The Facts of Life" (1987), "Amen" (1991), and "Murphy Brown" (1998).
(Photo by Curt Gunther/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Personal Life
During the Vietnam War, Forte was drafted but rejected after reportedly being declared 4F (unfit for service). In 1978, he rolled his car while practicing for a charity racing event at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. Fabian was driving under the instruction of Bill Simpson, a professional driver, and walked away from the accident with minor cuts and bruises. Four years later, a jury found Forte 40% liable for the accident. He testified that Simpson had told him repeatedly to drive faster, but Bill testified that Fabian "suddenly accelerated wildly" despite Simpson telling him to slow down. Forte was awarded more than $30,000 in an out-of-court settlement.
Fabian married model Kathleen Regan on September 24, 1966, and they welcomed son Christian and daughter Julie before divorcing in early 1979. In October 1975, when the couple was estranged, Forte was arrested after Regan and her mother accused him of hitting them. He was subsequently sentenced to two years of probation. Fabian was married to Kate Netter from November 1980 to December 1991, then he wed Andrea Patrick on September 19, 1998. Andrea is a former Miss Pennsylvania USA, and she and Fabian have worked for "Gladys Magazine" together. The couple was sued for unpaid bills by their wedding venue, and after they started building a home in Pennsylvania (which Andrea designed), their builder sued them for unpaid bills. Fabian and Andrea are supporters of the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, and Forte has hosted celebrity golf tournaments in North Carolina to raise money for veterans.
Awards and Nominations
In 1961, Forte was nominated for a Laurel Award for Top Male New Personality. In 1993, he earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Informational Series for "The Wild West," which he co-executive produced. Fabian was inducted into the Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2000, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Live Performance category in 2002.
