Jack LaLanne Net Worth

What is Jack LaLanne's Net Worth?

Jack LaLanne was an American health and fitness guru, television personality, entrepreneur, and author who had a net worth of $5 million. Dubbed the "Godfather of Fitness," Jack LaLanne hosted his own exercise television show from 1951 to 1985, penned several fitness books, and invented various exercise machines and protein supplements. He was also renowned for his myriad feats of endurance and strength, including various long swims while shackled and towing heavy boats.

Early Life and Education

Jack LaLanne was born Francois LaLanne on September 26, 1914 in San Francisco, California to French immigrants Jennie and Jean. He had two older brothers named Ervil and Norman, the former of whom died in childhood. LaLanne was raised in Bakersfield, California before moving with his family to Berkeley as an adolescent. Growing up, he consumed lots of sugar and junk food, had a hot temper, and suffered from bulimia and headaches. When he was 15, after hearing a talk from health food and fitness pioneer Paul Bragg, LaLanne decided to focus on improving his diet and exercise. He started working out daily, eating healthier, swimming avidly, and training with weights. In high school, LaLanne wrestled and played football, and in college he did bodybuilding. He graduated with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Health Clubs and Fitness Products

In 1936, LaLanne opened the first modern health and fitness club in the United States, in Oakland, California. There, he provided supervised weight and exercise training and offered nutritional advice. The club served as the prototype for numerous future gyms bearing LaLanne's name. Meanwhile, LaLanne invented several exercise machines that would become industry standards, including the first leg and pulley extension devices, resistance bands, and the original model of what would become known as the Smith machine. None of his exercise machines were patented, however. LaLanne was also involved in the health food industry, creating protein supplements and popularizing the practice of juicing.

Television and Other Media Appearances

In 1951, LaLanne launched his exercise program "The Jack LaLanne Show" on KGO-TV in San Francisco. The program entered national syndication in 1959 and ran until 1985, making it the longest-running exercise show in television history. LaLanne extended his fitness media empire to various other mediums, including books, albums, and videos. He also appeared as himself in various shows and films, including "Peter Gunn," "Mister Ed," "The Addams Family," "Repossessed," and "The Year Without a Santa Claus." Additionally, LaLanne served as a television spokesperson for various exercise machines, vitamin supplements, and cooking products.

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Feats of Endurance and Strength

Throughout his life, LaLanne took on myriad feats of endurance and strength to demonstrate his fitness. In 1954, he swam the entire length of the Golden Gate in San Francisco underwater, setting a world record. Three years later, LaLanne swam the Golden Gate channel while towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser. At the end of the decade, he did 1,000 push-ups and 1,000 chin-ups in about 82 minutes. In 1975, LaLanne repeated his 1954 stunt of swimming the Golden Gate underwater, but this time while shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat. He continued towing heavy boats over the subsequent years while handcuffed and shackled, including in Long Beach and Japan. At the age of 70 in 1984, LaLanne towed 70 rowboats for over a mile through Long Beach Harbor.

Honors and Awards

LaLanne earned numerous honors for his contributions to health and fitness in the media. In 2002, he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2007 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. LaLanne was an inaugural inductee to the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2005, an inductee to the California Hall of Fame in 2008, and a posthumous inductee to the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, alongside his wife. Among his sundry other honors were the Jack Webb Award, the Freddie Award, and Interglobal's International Infomercial Award.

Personal Life and Death

LaLanne was married to his first wife, Irma Navarre, from 1942 until their divorce in 1948. They had a daughter named Yvonne. LaLanne married his second wife, Elaine Doyle, in 1959; they were married until his passing in 2011. The couple had a son named Jon, as well as a son named Dan and a daughter named Janet from Doyle's first marriage.

On January 23, 2011, at the age of 96, LaLanne died from respiratory failure due to pneumonia in Morro Bay, California. He had reportedly been sick for a week but refused to see a doctor. LaLanne was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.

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