What was Ralph Bellamy's Net Worth?
Ralph Bellamy was an accomplished actor with a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in 1991. His career spanned over six decades across film, television, and stage. Bellamy won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1958 play "Sunrise at Campobello" and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the 1937 film "The Awful Truth." He also starred in notable television series such as "Man Against Crime" and "The Eleventh Hour."
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Ralph Bellamy was born in 1904 in Chicago, Illinois, to Charles and Lilla. At the age of 15, he ran away from home and joined a road show. He eventually made his way to New York City, where he started acting on stage, and by 1927, he owned his own theater company.
Bellamy's film career began in 1931, appearing in four movies. The first, "The Secret Six," featured Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Jean Harlow, and Clark Gable. By the end of 1933, Bellamy had appeared in 22 films, including "Disorderly Conduct," "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," "Wild Girl," "Second Hand Wife," "Below the Sea," "Flying Devils," "Aces of Aces," and "Picture Snatcher," starring James Cagney.
Film in the 30s and 40s
1934 was another prolific year for Bellamy, as he appeared in seven films, including the Katharine Hepburn picture "Spitfire" and "This Man is Mine" with Irene Dunne. He also starred in "Once to Every Woman" and "Woman in the Dark" with Fay Wray. Over the rest of the decade, Bellamy appeared in 29 more films, including "The Wedding Night," "Eight Bells," "Air Hawks," "Navy Wife," "Hands Across the Table," "Roaming Lady," "The Man Who Lived Twice," "Let's Get Married," "Fools for Scandal," "Carefree," "Trade Winds," and "Blind Alley." His role as Daniel Leeson in the screwball comedy "The Awful Truth" with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Entering the 40s, Bellamy had another memorable role in Howard Hawks' screwball comedy "His Girl Friday." That same year, he appeared in "Brother Orchid," "Queen of the Mob," "Dance, Girl, Dance," "Meet the Wildcat," and "Ellery Queen, Master Detective," where he played the titular role. Bellamy reprised this role in several more films, including "Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery," "Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime," and "Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring." His other notable 40s films include "Dive Bomber," "The Wolf Man," "Lady in a Jam," "Guest in the House," and "Lady on a Train." In the latter half of the decade, he shifted his focus to television and theater.
(Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Further Film Career
Due to his stage commitments, Bellamy only starred in one film in the 1950s: Otto Preminger's "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell." In the 1960s, he reprised his Tony-winning role as Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the film "Sunrise at Campobello." He was also featured in "The Professionals" and the psychological horror film "Rosemary's Baby." His 70s film credits include "Doctors' Wives," "Cancel My Reservation," and "Oh, God!" starring George Burns and John Denver.
In the 80s, Bellamy played a notable role as a millionaire commodities trader in "Trading Places," alongside Eddie Murphy, Don Ameche, and Dan Aykroyd. He reprised this role in "Coming to America." The same year, he appeared in Leonard Nimoy's "The Good Mother." In 1990, Bellamy had his final film role in the romantic comedy "Pretty Woman."
Television Career
Bellamy gained widespread recognition on television with his starring role in the private eye noir series "Man Against Crime," which aired live in its early seasons and lasted until 1956. He appeared on various programs over the following years, including as a regular panelist on "To Tell the Truth" and featured on "The Barbara Stanwyck Show." In 1961, Bellamy appeared in "Rawhide" and "Checkmate," and hosted nine episodes of "Frontier Justice." From 1963 to 1964, he co-starred with Jack Ging on the NBC medical drama "The Eleventh Hour." He also appeared in episodes of "The F.B.I" in the late 60s.
Bellamy starred in many made-for-television movies and miniseries throughout his career, including "The Missiles of October," "Once an Eagle," "Testimony of Two Men," "Wheels," and "Condominium." One of his most lauded performances was in the 1983 miniseries "The Winds of War," portraying Franklin Delano Roosevelt, earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Special.
Personal Life
In 1927, Bellamy married his first wife, Alice Delbridge; they divorced three years later. He then married Catherine Willard from 1931 to 1945, followed by a brief marriage to organist Ethel Smith from 1945 to 1947. Bellamy's final marriage was to Alice Murphy from 1949 until his death in 1991, at the age of 87.
