Anthony Denison Net Worth

What Is Anthony Denison's Net Worth?

Anthony Denison is an American actor who has a net worth of $6 million.

Anthony Denison, who has frequently been credited professionally as Tony Denison, is best known for two very different television roles separated by nearly two decades. He first became widely recognized as ruthless mobster Ray Luca on Michael Mann's NBC crime drama "Crime Story," which ran from 1986 to 1988. Later, Denison found his longest-running role as LAPD Detective Lieutenant Andy Flynn on TNT's "The Closer." He played Flynn throughout the show's seven-season run and then continued in the role for all six seasons of the spinoff "Major Crimes," giving him more than 200 episodes across the two series. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Denison has also appeared in "Wiseguy," "Melrose Place," "Playmakers," "Prison Break," "Sons of Anarchy," "Criminal Minds," and "All Rise." His film and television-movie credits include "City of Hope," "The Amy Fisher Story," "Getting Gotti," "Men of War," and "Deep Woods."

Early Life

Anthony John Sarrero was born on September 20, 1949, in Harlem, New York City. The eldest of three children in a Sicilian-American family, he was raised in New York and later attended the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he earned a bachelor's degree.

Acting was not his first profession. Before establishing himself in Hollywood, Denison worked a long list of jobs that included construction, chauffeuring, promoting chess and backgammon tournaments, selling life insurance, and working as a newspaper editor. He used money earned through construction work to help pay for college.

Denison began seriously pursuing acting after taking a continuing-education acting class while he was between jobs. He subsequently performed in theater and worked as both an actor and director for a nonprofit theatrical company. He adopted the surname Denison from Jan Denison, a friend and supporter of his early acting ambitions.

"Crime Story"

After years of stage work and odd jobs, Denison received his breakthrough when he was cast as Ray Luca in "Crime Story." Created by Chuck Adamson and Gustave Reininger and executive-produced by Michael Mann, the series followed organized crime and law enforcement from Chicago to Las Vegas during the early 1960s.

Denison's Ray Luca was the show's principal antagonist, a charismatic but vicious mobster whose criminal empire expanded as the series progressed. The role immediately established Denison as a compelling screen villain, and "Time" magazine famously singled out Luca as television's best villain of the 1980s.

"Crime Story" lasted only two seasons, but it developed a strong cult following and became an important early example of the serialized crime dramas that later became common on American television. Denison has repeatedly described the role as the opportunity that changed his life.

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"Wiseguy," Movies, and 1990s Television

After "Crime Story," Denison joined the CBS crime drama "Wiseguy" as undercover federal agent John Henry Raglin. His character was introduced after series star Ken Wahl suffered an injury that temporarily prevented him from working. Denison ultimately appeared in a multi-episode storyline and became one of the show's more memorable replacement leads.

Throughout the 1990s, Denison worked steadily in both television and film. He appeared in director John Sayles' "City of Hope" and starred opposite Catherine O'Hara in "Little Vegas." He played Joey Buttafuoco opposite Drew Barrymore in the 1993 television movie "The Amy Fisher Story" and portrayed mob boss John Gotti in the 1994 television film "Getting Gotti."

Denison also appeared alongside Dolph Lundgren in the action film "Men of War" and Mario Van Peebles in "Full Eclipse." His television work during the decade included recurring roles on "Love and Marriage" and "Melrose Place," as well as guest appearances on shows such as "Charmed" and "Walker, Texas Ranger."

"Playmakers" and "Prison Break"

In 2003, Denison joined ESPN's controversial original drama "Playmakers" as head coach Mike George. The series followed the players, coaches, and management of a fictional professional football franchise and attracted considerable attention for storylines involving drugs, domestic violence, sexuality, and other problems surrounding professional sports.

Despite strong ratings, "Playmakers" lasted only one season. The NFL was publicly unhappy with the show's depiction of professional football, and ESPN declined to continue it.

Denison later had a recurring role on Fox's "Prison Break" as Aldo Burrows, the estranged father of Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows. His other television appearances during this period included "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Cold Case," "Boston Legal," "The O.C.," "JAG," "ER," and "Criminal Minds."

"The Closer"

Denison began playing Detective Lieutenant Andy Flynn on "The Closer" in 2005. The TNT police drama starred Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, an Atlanta-trained interrogator brought in to run an LAPD homicide unit.

Flynn initially opposed Brenda's leadership and methods, but the character gradually became one of her most dependable detectives. Denison's pairing with G.W. Bailey's Lieutenant Louie Provenza also became a significant source of humor within the otherwise serious procedural.

"The Closer" became one of cable television's biggest dramatic hits. Its ensemble also included J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, Raymond Cruz, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, and Michael Paul Chan. Denison and the cast received five Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Denison also won a PRISM Award for his individual performance.

"Major Crimes"

When Sedgwick left "The Closer" in 2012, TNT launched the direct spinoff "Major Crimes." Denison was among the core cast members who carried their characters into the new series, once again playing Andy Flynn.

"Major Crimes" shifted leadership of the LAPD unit to Captain Sharon Raydor, played by Mary McDonnell. Flynn's relationship with Raydor developed into an important personal storyline during the show's later seasons, while his friendship with Provenza remained a central part of the ensemble.

The series ran for six seasons and 105 episodes, ending in 2018. Combined with his work on "The Closer," Denison spent 13 consecutive years playing Andy Flynn, making the character by far the longest-running role of his career.

Later Career

While appearing on "Major Crimes," Denison continued taking outside projects. He guest-starred on "Castle" and appeared in the final season of "Sons of Anarchy." His films included "Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?," "Dementia," "Dirty," and "Frank and Ava."

After "Major Crimes," Denison took a recurring role as Vic Callan on the legal drama "All Rise," appearing periodically from 2019 through 2023. He also returned to "Criminal Minds" in 2020, reprising a character he had first played 15 years earlier.

His more recent film credits include the 2022 thriller "Deep Woods" and the 2024 comedy-drama "Don't Say It." Denison also joined the poker-themed comedy series "Un$uited" as Scott Mucha. He signed with Wright Entertainment for management in 2024 while continuing his longstanding representation by Artists & Representatives.

Salary and Career Earnings

Denison's salary for "The Closer" and "Major Crimes" has never been publicly disclosed. Those two programs, however, almost certainly account for the largest portion of his lifetime acting income.

Denison appeared in more than 200 episodes across the two TNT series during a continuous 13-year period. In addition to his regular television salary, a long-running role of that kind can generate residual income from reruns, international distribution, streaming, and other secondary uses, depending on the performer's individual contracts and union agreements.

His overall career has also included dozens of guest appearances, recurring television roles, television movies, independent films, and stage work. A $6 million net worth is consistent with a veteran character actor who enjoyed more than a decade of steady series-regular television employment but was not commanding the lead-star salaries earned by performers such as Sedgwick.

Personal Life

Denison married actress Jennifer Evans in 1986. Evans appeared with him professionally in "Crime Story," "Wiseguy," and the 1990 film "Little Vegas." The couple later divorced in 2008.

Away from acting, Denison has been an enthusiastic poker player and has participated in celebrity tournaments benefiting charitable organizations. He has also supported the Sunshine Kids Foundation, an organization that provides activities and programs for children undergoing cancer treatment.

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