Pat Priest Net Worth

What is Pat Priest's Net Worth?

Pat Priest is an American retired actress who has a net worth of $1 million.

Pat Priest is best known for playing Marilyn Munster on the classic CBS sitcom "The Munsters." She joined the series during its first season, replacing original Marilyn actress Beverley Owen, and remained with the show until it ended in 1966. Although "The Munsters" ran for only two seasons, it became a long-running favorite in syndication and made Priest a familiar face to generations of television fans.

Pat Priest also appeared in shows such as "Perry Mason," "My Favorite Martian," "The Lucy Show," "Bewitched," "Mannix," "Mission: Impossible," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Her film work included the Elvis Presley movie "Easy Come, Easy Go" and the cult horror film "The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant." After leaving Hollywood, Priest built a quieter life in Idaho, where she restored and sold homes, operated an antiques business, and occasionally appeared at fan conventions.

Early Life

Pat Priest was born Patricia Ann Priest on August 15, 1936, in Bountiful, Utah. Her mother, Ivy Baker Priest, was a prominent Republican political figure who served as Treasurer of the United States under President Dwight D. Eisenhower and later as California State Treasurer. Because of her mother's public career, Pat spent part of her youth in Washington, D.C.

Before becoming known as an actress, Priest grew up around politics, public events, and civic life. She later moved into entertainment and began booking television work during the early 1960s.

The Munsters

Priest's most famous role came in 1964 when she joined "The Munsters" as Marilyn Munster. The character was the conventionally attractive niece in a family of friendly monsters, which made her the show's running joke: the Munsters viewed Marilyn as the unfortunate-looking outsider.

Priest replaced Beverley Owen after Owen left the series early in its first season. She quickly settled into the role and appeared alongside Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster, Al Lewis as Grandpa, and Butch Patrick as Eddie Munster.

"The Munsters" aired from 1964 to 1966. The show was canceled after two seasons, but it became much more durable in reruns, Halloween programming, merchandise, reunions, and later reboots. Priest was not brought back for the 1966 film "Munster, Go Home!," where Marilyn was played by Debbie Watson, but she remained closely associated with the character for the rest of her life.

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Other Acting Work

Before and after "The Munsters," Priest worked steadily in television. Her credits included "Perry Mason," "My Favorite Martian," "The Lucy Show," "Bewitched," "Mannix," "Mission: Impossible," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

In 1967, she appeared opposite Elvis Presley in "Easy Come, Easy Go." In 1971, she appeared in "The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant," a low-budget horror film starring Bruce Dern. Priest later stepped away from acting, though she returned for occasional Munsters-related projects. She made a cameo in the 1995 television movie "Here Come the Munsters" and provided a voice role in Rob Zombie's 2022 film "The Munsters."

Life After Hollywood

After retiring from acting, Pat Priest moved away from Hollywood and settled in Idaho. She found a second career restoring and selling homes and also operated an antiques business with her sister. In later years, she lived in Eagle, Idaho, and occasionally appeared at fan conventions, often alongside "The Munsters" co-star Butch Patrick.

Priest was married to Pierce Jensen Jr. from 1955 to 1967. In 1981, she married Frederick Hansing. She has two sons. In 2021, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and was later reported to be in remission.

Pat Priest's career is a good example of the difference between pop-culture fame and Hollywood wealth. "The Munsters" made her permanently recognizable, but her financial life appears to have come from a combination of acting income, fan appearances, real estate restoration, antiques, and decades of careful private living rather than major television fortune.

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