David Letterman net worth: earnings from the Late Night show, real estate, house

Posted by Brenda Moya on Wednesday, May 8, 2024

David Letterman is a true television icon who has been in the game since the 80s. The famed personality gained popularity as the Late Night show host. His wit and sarcastic humor made fans relate to him, bringing substantial viewership to the show. The increased viewership and fame boosted his earnings and influence. To date, he remains one of the highest-paid hosts on late-night TV. So how much is he worth? Where does his wealth stem from? These are some of the questions that we answer regarding David Letterman's net worth.

Letterman is one of the most influential former Late Night talk show hosts. Although he retired years back, it did not mean his bank account would run dry. On the contrary, he is believed to have made a substantial amount over the thirty years hosting, enough to make him survive decades. So what is David Letterman’s net worth? Let us take a look at David Letterman’s money and ventures.

David Letterman profile summary

  • Full name: David Micheal Letterman
  • Date of birth: 12th April 1947
  • Place of birth: Indianapolis, Indiana
  • David Letterman age: 74 years
  • Zodiac sign: Aries
  • Profession: Presenter, actor, producer, comedian, talk show host, voice actor, film producer, screenwriter
  • Education: Broad Ripple High School, Ball State University
  • Founder: Worldwide Pants Incorporated
  • Co-founder: Rahal Letterman Racing
  • Net worth: $400 million
  • Salary: $50 million
  • Nationality: American
  • David Letterman height: 6’ 2” (1.88 m)
  • Ex-spouses: Michelle Cook and Merril Markoe
  • Wife: Regina Lasko

David Letterman net worth

So, exactly what is the net worth of David Letterman? Before we answer this, let us look at his income streams and valuable assets and how they have contributed to his net worth.

Letterman is one notable name in the television industry. He is best known for hosting NBC’s Late Night show from 1983 to 1993 when he left the network to join CBS. He has 30 years plus experience in the game, which attributes to the most significant percentage of his worth. Join us as we unravel his various streams of income:

Real Estate

This mogul has a couple of real estates, all worth a decent figure. First, he has a 108-acre estate in Westchester County in New York, which he bought in instalments. He paid $5 million for 88 acres in 1994 and another $5 million in 2007 for the other 20 acres. He also has a 2700 acre ranch close to Chateau in Montana, a home in St. Barth’s and a place in Martha’s Vineyard.

Racing

Letterman is one of the owners of Rahal Letterman Racing, which is an Indy Racing League team. The other co-owners are former Indianapolis 500 star Bobby Rahal and Mike Lanigan.

His production Company

Letterman also owns Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which is known for producing one of the most loved sitcoms; Everybody Loves Raymond. The production company has also produced The Late Late Show with Tom Synder, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, TV series Bonnie, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Ed.

David Letterman earnings from the Late Night Show

David also made a lot of money from this show, which has tremendously contributed to his net worth. When he first signed with CBS after leaving NBC, he earned $14 million annually, double what he initially made at NBC.

His average salary would amount to $20 million annually. However, if you were to add the licensing and syndication fees, he is estimated to have been earning around $40 million annually by 2007.

Who is the richest talk show host in the world? Is David Letterman the richest talk show host in the world? All these are questions frequently asked due to David’s successful talk show hosting career. He is not the wealthiest talk show host as of 2021, but he always joins the list of the top-earning talk show hosts of all time.

Charity Organization

David is very giving, particularly to charities and his former school, Ball State University. He has an annual scholarship named after him and uses his charity organization titled Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming to donate millions to charities. In addition, his incredible works in the university have made the institution name a building after him. It goes by the name of The David Letterman Communication and Media Building.

Car Collection

Another asset that speaks volumes of his high net worth is the luxurious fleet of cars. A look at his fleet in 2012 proves that he has a lavish lifestyle. By then, he owned ten Ferraris, four Austin Healeys, one Chevy, eight Porsches, one Mercedes Benz, one Jaguar, a Volvo, an MG, a Pontiac, and two Honda motorcycles.

David Letterman net worth 2021

We gather that this famed television personality has a very high net worth from all his ventures and assets discussed above. Cumulatively, his net worth is believed to be $400 million as of 2021.

Biography

Letterman was born on 12th April 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana, as David Micheal Letterman. His folks were Harry, who was a passionate florist and who passed away aged 57 following a heart attack and Dorothy, a church secretary. He has one older and one younger sister.

David went to Broad Ripple High School and then worked as a stock boy in a nearby supermarket. He attended the illustrious Ball State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in television and radio in 1969.

He married his college sweetheart Michelle Cook in 1968, but they divorced in 1977. A year later, he was dating Merril Markoe, the Late Night producer, until 1988. He began a relationship with Regina Lasko in 1968, and they tied the knot in 2009. In 2003, they were blessed with a baby boy.

David Letterman's net worth is often in question because Micheal ranks among the greatest TV hosts of all time. More so, he has hosted a late-night show for decades, leading to speculations about his wealth. His net worth as of 2021 stands at $400 million.

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