Rodney Dangerfield Net Worth

What Was Rodney Dangerfield's Net Worth?

Rodney Dangerfield was an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer who had a net worth of $20 million at the time of his death in 2004.

Rodney Dangerfield became one of the most recognizable stand-up comedians of the 20th century through his rapid-fire one-liners, nervous physical mannerisms, trademark tug at his red tie, and immortal complaint, "I don't get no respect." His success was especially remarkable because it arrived relatively late. After struggling as a young comedian under the name Jack Roy, he left show business for more than a decade, sold aluminum siding to support his family, and then launched a comeback in his 40s. A breakthrough appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1967 led to decades of television appearances and lucrative Las Vegas engagements. Dangerfield later opened his own Manhattan comedy club, won a Grammy for his album "No Respect," and became a movie star with "Caddyshack," "Easy Money," and "Back to School." He also became an important mentor to younger comedians, giving early national exposure to performers including Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, and Sam Kinison.

Early Life and First Comedy Career

Rodney Dangerfield was born Jacob Cohen on November 22, 1921, in Babylon, Long Island, New York. His father, Phillip Cohen, performed in vaudeville under the name Phil Roy and was frequently away from home. Rodney later described his mother as emotionally distant, and his difficult childhood became part of the emotional foundation for the rejected, unloved persona he eventually developed onstage.

He began writing jokes and performing while still a teenager and legally changed his name to Jack Roy at age 19. Success did not come quickly. Dangerfield worked small clubs and resorts while supplementing his income with jobs including singing waiter and delivery driver.

After marrying and starting a family, he concluded that comedy could not provide a dependable living. He effectively quit show business and spent much of the 1950s selling aluminum siding. Dangerfield later joked that when he left entertainment, "I was the only one who knew I quit."

Around age 40, he decided to make another attempt at stand-up. He returned to Catskills resorts and New York clubs while continuing to work as a salesman, but he realized that simply telling jokes was not enough. He needed a recognizable character.

That realization produced Rodney Dangerfield: the rumpled, perpetually unlucky middle-aged man whose wife disliked him, whose doctor insulted him, and whose entire existence seemed structured around humiliation. A Manhattan club owner supplied the name "Rodney Dangerfield," which had previously surfaced in Jack Benny's radio comedy. Dangerfield developed the persona around the idea that nothing ever went right for him, eventually refining it into his famous "no respect" theme.

"I Don't Get No Respect"

Dangerfield's second comedy career finally took off in 1967 when "The Ed Sullivan Show" needed a last-minute performer. He was in his mid-40s by then, but his tightly constructed barrage of self-deprecating jokes immediately connected with audiences.

Television became one of his most powerful platforms. He appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" numerous times and became a fixture on "The Dean Martin Show," "The Merv Griffin Show," and especially "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Dangerfield ultimately made roughly 70 appearances with Carson.

His act was built less around long stories than around an almost relentless succession of setup-punchline jokes. The fictional Rodney had an unhappy marriage, terrible childhood, incompetent doctors, cruel neighbors, and an endless supply of people eager to insult him. Dangerfield's ability to sell the character through facial expressions, pacing, and physical agitation turned "I don't get no respect" into one of comedy's most recognizable catchphrases.

As his television profile grew, he became a major Las Vegas headliner. That success was particularly satisfying for a performer who had spent his 20s and 30s wondering whether he would ever make a living in comedy.

Dangerfield's Comedy Club

In 1969, Dangerfield and longtime friend Anthony Bevacqua opened Dangerfield's comedy club on First Avenue in Manhattan. The club became both a profitable business and an important part of Dangerfield's legacy.

Dangerfield used the venue, along with a series of HBO comedy specials, to showcase younger performers. Comics who received important exposure through Dangerfield included Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr, Sam Kinison, Bob Saget, Tim Allen, Andrew Dice Clay, and others. His willingness to give opportunities to emerging comedians became nearly as important to his reputation within the comedy world as his own performances.

Dangerfield also found success on records. His 1980 album "No Respect" won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording, and he later earned additional Grammy nominations for "Rappin' Rodney" and "Twist and Shout."

"Caddyshack"

Dangerfield had appeared in the 1971 film "The Projectionist," but his true movie breakthrough came at nearly 60 years old with 1980's "Caddyshack."

He played Al Czervik, the loud, wealthy real estate developer who invades the stuffy Bushwood Country Club and antagonizes Judge Smails. The cast also included Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.

Dangerfield's role expanded as the filmmakers recognized how much energy he brought to the movie. He later revealed that he was paid just $35,000 for "Caddyshack." Making matters worse financially, he had to give up weeks of far more lucrative Las Vegas performances to shoot the film and claimed the decision initially cost him well into six figures in forgone income. In the long run, of course, "Caddyshack" transformed his movie career.

Al Czervik became one of Dangerfield's defining characters, and the movie evolved into one of the most beloved sports comedies ever made.

"Easy Money" and "Back to School"

Dangerfield received his first true starring vehicle with 1983's "Easy Money," which he also co-wrote. He played Monty Capuletti, a hard-living photographer who stands to inherit a fortune if he can give up smoking, drinking, gambling, overeating, and his other favorite vices.

His biggest leading-man success came three years later with "Back to School." Dangerfield played Thornton Melon, an enormously wealthy but uneducated clothing entrepreneur who enrolls in college alongside his struggling son. The cast included Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Robert Downey Jr., and Sam Kinison.

"Back to School" became a major box-office hit and cemented Dangerfield as an unlikely Hollywood leading man in his mid-60s. The film also gave him a character that fit his comic persona perfectly: a rich outsider who has plenty of money but still receives very little respect.

Unlike many performers whose movie careers fade before their stand-up careers, Dangerfield became a film star decades after first taking the stage.

Later Film and Television Work

Dangerfield continued acting through the 1990s while occasionally stepping outside his familiar comedy persona.

His most dramatic departure came in Oliver Stone's 1994 film "Natural Born Killers," in which he played Mallory Knox's abusive father. The performance was intentionally disturbing and demonstrated that Dangerfield could channel the anger beneath his stage persona into something genuinely menacing.

He subsequently appeared in movies including "Meet Wally Sparks," "The Godson," and "My 5 Wives" and lent his voice to animated productions. He also appeared as himself or variations of his comic persona on television programs including "The Simpsons" and "Home Improvement."

In 2000, Dangerfield played Lucifer in the Adam Sandler comedy "Little Nicky." One of his final films, "Angels with Angles," was released after his death.

Frank Micelotta /Getty Images

Marriage and Personal Life

Dangerfield married Joyce Indig twice, first in the 1950s and again in the 1960s. Their second marriage ended in 1970. They had two children, Brian Roy and Melanie Roy-Friedman.

In 1993, Rodney married Joan Child, who became Joan Dangerfield. Joan had built a successful floral business in Southern California before meeting Rodney when he visited her Santa Monica flower shop. They remained married for the rest of his life.

Joan also became involved in his business affairs and helped move Rodney into the early Internet age. His official website launched in 1995, making him one of the first major entertainers to establish a substantial personal presence on the World Wide Web.

Health Problems and Death

Dangerfield experienced significant health problems during his later years. He suffered a mild heart attack in 2001 and subsequently underwent arterial brain surgery in preparation for heart surgery.

In August 2004, he underwent heart valve replacement surgery at UCLA Medical Center. Complications followed, and Dangerfield slipped into a coma. He died on October 5, 2004, at the age of 82.

He was buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. Even his gravestone delivered one final Rodney Dangerfield joke:

"There goes the neighborhood."

Legacy

Dangerfield's influence extended far beyond his catchphrase. His comedy helped establish a model of tightly written, rapid-fire stand-up that influenced generations of comics, while his HBO specials and comedy club provided important platforms for younger performers.

His trademark white shirt and red tie became part of the Smithsonian's collection, and Manhattanville College awarded him a posthumous honorary doctorate in 2014.

In 2017, Los Angeles City College established the Rodney Dangerfield Institute in cooperation with Joan Dangerfield. The program has offered classes in stand-up comedy, improvisation, joke writing, and American film comedy, extending Rodney's long tradition of helping aspiring comedians.

The Rodney Respect Award has also continued in his honor, recognizing prominent comedians including Chris Rock and others who have carried forward the tradition of American stand-up comedy.

Real Estate

At the end of Rodney's life, he and Joan owned two valuable Los Angeles properties: a condominium on Wilshire Boulevard and a house in Little Holmby.

After Rodney's death, Joan sold the properties for $3.9 million and $2.7 million, respectively. In 2005, she used the proceeds to purchase a home on Blue Jay Way in the Hollywood Hills for roughly $6 million.

In February 2023, Joan listed the Blue Jay Way property for $17.8 million, nearly three times what she had paid for it 18 years earlier.

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