What was Lloyd Bridges' Net Worth?
Lloyd Bridges was an American actor whose net worth was $15 million at the time of his death in 1998, adjusted for inflation and including real estate. He passed away on March 10, 1998, at the age of 85. Over his extensive career, Bridges starred in more than 150 feature films and numerous television shows. He is also remembered as the father of actors Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges. However, he is perhaps most famous for his role as Mike Nelson in the television series "Sea Hunt."
Early Life
Born on January 15, 1913, in San Leandro, California, Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. was the son of Lloyd Vernet Bridges Sr. and Harriet Evelyn Bridges, who were originally from Kansas. The elder Bridges worked in the hotel business in California and previously owned a movie theater. Lloyd Bridges attended Petaluma High School, graduating in 1930 before enrolling at UCLA. There, he studied political science and joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Career
Lloyd Bridges launched his acting career in the 1930s, with his first credited film role coming in 1936, followed by his Broadway debut in 1937's "Othello." By 1940, Bridges had joined Columbia Pictures, earning $75 per week for small roles in various films. His early filmography includes "The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance," "They Dare Not Love," "Blue Clay," "Our Wife," and "I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island," all from 1941.
During World War II, Bridges left Columbia Pictures to join the United States Coast Guard. He served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary even after his military service, continuing his acting career with 1945's "Secret Agent X-9." The late 1940s brought Bridges more significant roles, including leading ones in "Secret Service Investigator" and "16 Fathoms Deep."
In the 1950s, Bridges found himself briefly blacklisted when he admitted to the House Un-American Activities Committee his membership in the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, which had Communist Party affiliations. However, he recanted and served as a cooperative witness, allowing his career to continue. He made his television debut in 1951 with "The Bigelow Theatre" and continued his prolific work in both film and television.
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Bridges gained widespread fame starring as Mike Nelson in "Sea Hunt," which aired from 1958 to 1961. He performed theater work in the early 1960s and headlined "The Lloyd Bridges Show" on CBS from 1962 to 1963. During the mid-1960s, he starred in the western television series "The Loner," and took roles in films like "Around the World Under the Sea" and "A Case of Libel." His career continued to flourish with television films and miniseries, including "Roots" and "How the West Was Won."
In 1980, Bridges had a significant career resurgence with the comedy film "Airplane!," which led to more film roles in the 1980s and 1990s. He appeared in "Hot Shots!" and its sequel, and worked on films with his sons, such as "Secret Sins of the Father" and "Blown Away." In 1998, Bridges received an Emmy Award nomination for his role as Izzy Mandelbaum on "Seinfeld." His final film roles included "Mafia!" in 1998 and "Meeting Daddy" in 2000.
Personal Life
While attending UCLA, Lloyd Bridges met his future wife, Dorothy Simpson. The couple married in 1938 in New York City and had four children: Beau, Jeff, Lucinda, and Garrett, though Garrett tragically passed away in infancy due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In 1988, they renewed their vows on their 50th wedding anniversary. Bridges died of natural causes in 1998. In 2011, he posthumously received the Lone Sailor Award, an honor for former Coast Guard servicemen who achieve professional success. His sons Beau and Jeff, also Coast Guard veterans, received the same award.
Real Estate
In the 1950s, Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges acquired an oceanfront Malibu home for a modest sum. Upon Lloyd's death in 1998, the property was inherited by Beau, Jeff, and Lucinda Bridges. Today, the home could be worth between $4 million and $6 million. The siblings rent it out for approximately $16,000 per month and benefit from California's Proposition 13, which caps the annual property tax at $5,700 a year.
