Gary David Goldberg Net Worth

What Was Gary David Goldberg's Net Worth?

Gary David Goldberg was an American television and film writer, producer, and director who had a net worth of $100 million at the time of his death.

Gary David Goldberg was best known for creating "Family Ties," the influential NBC sitcom about liberal former hippies raising a proudly conservative son during the Reagan era. The series ran from 1982 to 1989, became one of the decade's defining comedies, and helped make Michael J. Fox a major star.

Goldberg later created the critically acclaimed "Brooklyn Bridge" and co-created "Spin City," which reunited him with Fox. Through Ubu Productions, the company he named after his Labrador retriever, Goldberg created or produced numerous television series, including "The Last Resort," "Making the Grade," "Sara," "Day by Day," "The Bronx Zoo," and "Battery Park." The company's closing logo, featuring Ubu holding a Frisbee near the Louvre as Goldberg said, "Sit, Ubu, sit! Good dog," became one of television's most recognizable production tags.

Goldberg also worked in film, writing and directing "Dad" and "Must Love Dogs" and producing "Bye Bye Love." He received seven Primetime Emmy nominations and won twice for his work on "Lou Grant" and "Family Ties."

Early Life

Gary David Goldberg was born on June 25, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York. His father worked as a postal employee, and Goldberg grew up in a working-class Jewish family.

In 1962, he entered Brandeis University on a basketball scholarship but left before graduating. What followed was a lengthy and unconventional path through higher education. Goldberg attended several colleges and spent approximately 13 years working toward his bachelor's degree.

During the late 1960s, Goldberg worked as a waiter at the Village Gate jazz club in New York City, where he met flight attendant Diana Meehan. The couple traveled through Europe by hitchhiking, accompanied by their Labrador retriever, Ubu Roi. At one point, Goldberg reportedly sold blood in Paris to help cover their expenses.

After returning to the United States, Goldberg and Meehan settled in Berkeley, California, where they opened the Organic Day Care Center. Its motto promised that, regardless of the weather, the children would be taken on a trip every day.

Becoming a Television Writer

Goldberg moved to San Diego when Meehan began pursuing a master's degree. He enrolled in a writing class at San Diego State University taught by screenwriter Nate Monaster. After reading Goldberg's work, Monaster told him that he had a distinctive voice and encouraged him to seek professional representation.

Despite having no television credits and rarely watching television at the time, Goldberg hitchhiked from San Diego to Los Angeles to meet with an agent. He then bought a used black-and-white television, studied the sitcoms being broadcast, and began writing sample scripts.

During an interview for a position on "The Bob Newhart Show," Goldberg reportedly presented 31 potential episode ideas. He joined the series as a writer and went on to work on "The Dumplings," "The Tony Randall Show," "Lou Grant," and "M*A*S*H."

Goldberg received a Writers Guild Award for his work on "M*A*S*H." While accepting the honor, he fulfilled a promise made to the biology professor who had helped him earn the final credit needed for his degree by concluding his speech with a scientific explanation of photosynthesis.

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Ubu Productions and "Family Ties"

Goldberg founded Ubu Productions in the early 1980s. In 1982, he created "Family Ties," drawing inspiration from his own experience as a former counterculture traveler raising children in a more politically conservative era.

The series starred Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross as Elyse and Steven Keaton, liberal parents whose oldest son, Alex P. Keaton, was an ambitious young Republican. Michael J. Fox's performance as Alex became the show's breakout element, and the role transformed him into one of television's biggest stars. Justine Bateman, Tina Yothers, and Brian Bonsall played the other Keaton children.

"Family Ties" ran for seven seasons and 176 episodes. Goldberg served as creator, writer, and executive producer. The series earned multiple Emmy Awards, and Goldberg won the 1987 Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.

Goldberg and Fox formed a close personal and professional relationship. Fox later described Goldberg as a mentor, benefactor, partner, second father, and beloved friend.

"Brooklyn Bridge" and "Spin City"

Goldberg continued creating television shows after "Family Ties." His projects included the school drama "The Bronx Zoo," starring Ed Asner, and the family comedies "Day by Day" and "Sara."

In 1991, he created "Brooklyn Bridge," a nostalgic series inspired by his childhood. Set in Brooklyn during the 1950s, the show centered on a Jewish family and the relationship between a teenage boy and an Irish Catholic girl. Although it received strong reviews, a Golden Globe, and a Humanitas Prize, it struggled in the ratings and was canceled after two seasons.

Goldberg returned to commercial success in 1996 when he co-created "Spin City" with Bill Lawrence. The ABC sitcom starred Michael J. Fox as Mike Flaherty, the deputy mayor responsible for managing New York City's chaotic municipal government.

"Spin City" ran for six seasons and 145 episodes. Fox departed as a regular cast member in 2000 after publicly discussing his Parkinson's disease, and Charlie Sheen became the show's new lead. Goldberg largely retired from television after the series ended in 2002.

Film Career and Memoir

Goldberg wrote and directed the 1989 film "Dad," starring Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, Olympia Dukakis, Kevin Spacey, and Ethan Hawke. He later produced the 1995 comedy "Bye Bye Love."

In 2005, Goldberg wrote, produced, and directed the romantic comedy "Must Love Dogs," starring Diane Lane and John Cusack.

Goldberg published his memoir, "Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I Went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair," in 2008. The book chronicled his unconventional route from Brooklyn and the counterculture movement to becoming one of television's most successful comedy producers.

Personal Life and Death

Gary and Diana Meehan remained together for more than four decades and had two daughters, Shana Silveri and Cailin Goldberg-Meehan. Shana also became a television writer and producer.

In 2009, Goldberg sold his eight-bedroom estate in Brentwood, California, for $15.15 million. The three-acre property featured a nearly 7,000-square-foot residence designed by architect Paul R. Williams.

Gary David Goldberg died from brain cancer at his home in Montecito, California, on June 22, 2013. He was 68 years old.

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