What is Chris Carter's Net Worth and Salary?
Chris Carter is an American television show creator, writer, producer, and director who has a net worth of $200 million. He is best known for being the creator, executive producer, and writer of "The X-Files," which debuted on September 10, 1993, and concluded on May 19, 2002, airing a total of 202 episodes over nine seasons on the Fox network.
"The X-Files" became one of Fox's most successful and profitable shows, propelling the careers of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson into A-list status. The show also inspired two feature films with moderate box office success. Carter signed lucrative production deals with Fox, resulting in the creation of several other series, though none achieved the long-lasting impact of "The X-Files." The show continues to hold a special place in the history of popular television and can still be seen in syndication, having significantly influenced dramatic television.
In 2016, "The X-Files" returned for a six-episode run, followed by another ten-episode season in 2018.
1998 Fox Deal
In 1998, Chris Carter signed a production deal with 20th Century Fox at the height of "X-Files" popularity. The deal paid him an estimated $25 million upfront (equivalent to $45 million today) to keep him with the network for five years. Crucially, the deal allowed him to renegotiate his syndication ownership, entitling him to 25% of gross licensing fees over $300,000 per episode, a point that has likely earned him hundreds of millions over the years, with estimates ranging from $100 to $150 million.
Early Life
Chris Carter was born on October 13, 1956, in Bellflower, California. Growing up near the beach, he enjoyed playing baseball and surfing. His father worked in construction, while his mother was primarily a homemaker.
He attended California State University – Long Beach, where he studied journalism. After graduating in 1979, Carter began writing for "Surfing Magazine" and became its editor by age 28, maintaining this position for thirteen years.
Early Career
While still at "Surfing Magazine," Carter's wife's connections at Walt Disney Studios helped him land a contract to write films. He wrote "The B.R.A.T. Patrol" in 1986 and "Meet the Munceys" in 1988. His work with Disney initially typecast him in contemporary youth comedies, though he was more interested in serious drama.
After meeting NBC president Brandon Tartikoff at a company softball game, Carter was invited to write scripts for the network. This opportunity resulted in several unproduced pilots and a producer role on "Rags to Riches," where he gained valuable experience in producing a series.
The X-Files
During this period, Carter met Peter Roth, then at CBS, who, after moving to Fox, recruited Carter to the network. Inspired by "The Twilight Zone" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker," Carter developed "The X-Files." Despite not being a fan of science fiction, he based the characters on "The Avengers" and was influenced by a friend's survey indicating that three percent of people believed they had been abducted by aliens.
Initially rejected, his eighteen-page treatment was eventually greenlit by Fox, thanks to Roth's support. The series starred Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, with Carter securing a $2 million budget for the pilot, which received solid ratings in a challenging time slot. This success led to a full 24-episode first season, with the show's popularity rapidly growing. By its third season, "The X-Files" had won a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama and set records for rerun pricing on FX.
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After his initial three-year contract with Fox, Carter negotiated a new five-year deal, including a feature film adaptation of "The X-Files" and another television project. The series ran for nine seasons, earning 62 Emmy nominations and winning 16, along with five Golden Globes out of 12 nominations and two SAG Awards from 14 nominations.
Carter's 1998 "X-Files" film grossed over $189 million. Inspired by an "X-Files" episode, he created "Millennium," which won a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Dramatic Series in its first season but was canceled by its third season due to declining ratings.
In March 2015, Carter confirmed his role as executive producer of "The X-Files" revival, a six-episode event in 2016. The series received its 11th season renewal in 2017, with Carter writing and producing. While initial ratings were positive, they declined as the season progressed.
Beyond "The X-Files," Carter developed "The Lone Gunman" in 2001, "Unique" in 2011, and "The After" for Amazon Studios in 2014, though only "The Lone Gunman" made it to air, lasting 13 episodes.
Personal Life
Chris Carter began dating Dori Pierson in 1983, whom he met through her cousin at "Surfing Magazine." They married in 1987 and reside in Santa Barbara. Carter has a passion for pottery, creating thousands of pieces and comparing the process to Zen meditation.
Real Estate
In March 2017, Carter listed his Malibu home for $10 million, a property he bought in 1999 for $1.6 million. He sold another Malibu home in 2010 for $16 million to designer James Perse, who sold it in 2020 for $34 million.
Carter and his wife own additional properties in Malibu, Santa Monica, Oregon, Jackson, Wyoming, and Santa Barbara, including a $4 million house in Santa Barbara and three vacant plots of land. In 2004, they purchased a 130-acre farm in Santa Ynez, California, for $4 million, finally selling it in 2020 for $6.5 million after seven years on the market.
