What was Scatman Crothers's Net Worth?
Scatman Crothers was a celebrated actor and musician with a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of his death in 1986. He gained fame for his roles as Louie the Garbage Man on the sitcom 'Chico and the Man' and as Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's horror classic 'The Shining.' Crothers also had a prolific voice acting career, lending his voice to animated shows like 'Harlem Globetrotters,' 'The Transformers,' and 'Hong Kong Phooey.' Other notable films include 'Lady Sings the Blues,' 'Friday Foster,' 'The Shootist,' and 'Zapped!'
Early Life
Scatman Crothers was born Benjamin Crothers on May 23, 1910, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He started his music career as a teenager, teaching himself to play guitar and drums while also learning to sing.
Career Beginnings in Music
In the 1930s, Crothers formed a band in Akron, Ohio and performed on the radio. It was during this time he earned the nickname 'Scatman' for his skill in scat singing. After moving to California in the 1940s, he performed frequently in Los Angeles and traveled to cities like Las Vegas and New York City. Some of his singles, including 'Television Blues' and 'I'd Rather Be a Hummingbird,' were released by Capitol Records. His album 'Rock and Roll with Scatman Crothers' was later released by High Fidelity Records. Beyond his recording career, Crothers also joined USO tours with Bob Hope and performed with bandleader Slim Gaillard.
Film Career
Crothers transitioned into acting in the 1950s, making his debut in Douglas Sirk's 1953 musical film 'Meet Me at the Fair.' He went on to appear in Budd Boetticher's 'East of Sumatra' and Lloyd Bacon's 'Walking My Baby Back Home.' Other film credits include 'Johnny Dark,' 'Tarzan and the Trappers,' and 'Porgy and Bess.' In the 1960s, he appeared in 'The Sins of Rachel Cade' and 'The Patsy,' along with uncredited roles in several films.
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In the 1970s, Crothers appeared in Roger Corman's 'Bloody Mama' and voiced Scat Cat in Disney's 'The Aristocats.' He had a series of roles in films like 'Chandler,' 'Lady Sings the Blues,' 'The King of Marvin Gardens,' 'Detroit 9000,' 'Black Belt Jones,' and 'Truck Turner.' In 1975, he appeared in: 'Linda Lovelace for President,' 'Friday Foster,' 'Coonskin,' 'The Fortune,' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' with Jack Nicholson. During the late 70s, his roles included 'Stay Hungry,' 'The Shootist,' 'Mean Dog Blues,' and 'Scavenger Hunt.'
In the 1980s, Crothers achieved iconic status with his role as telepathic hotel chef Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining,' his fourth and final film with Jack Nicholson. He subsequently appeared in Clint Eastwood's Western 'Bronco Billy' and other films like 'Zapped!,' 'Deadly Eyes,' 'Twilight Zone: The Movie,' 'Two of a Kind,' and 'The Journey of Natty Gann.' His final film role was as the voice of Jazz in 'The Transformers: The Movie.'
Television Career
Crothers's early television appearances included episodes of 'The Adventures of Jim Bowie,' 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents,' 'Beany and Cecil,' and 'Bonanza.' He voiced George 'Meadowlark' Lemon in the Saturday morning cartoon 'Harlem Globetrotters' and continued voicing characters in 'The New Scooby-Doo Movies' and 'Hong Kong Phooey.' His standout role in the 70s was Louie the Garbage Man on 'Chico and the Man,' which ran from 1974 to 1978. He also guest-starred on shows like 'Bewitched,' 'Nichols,' 'Kojak,' 'Mannix,' 'Sanford and Son,' and 'Charlie's Angels,' and played Mingo in the notable miniseries 'Roots.'
In the 1980s, Crothers was featured in episodes of 'Laverne & Shirley,' 'Magnum, P.I.,' 'Benson,' and 'Taxi.' He lent his voice to the animated series 'Trollkins' and played Sam in the television adaptation of 'Casablanca.' Later, he voiced characters in 'The Transformers' and 'Paw Paws' and appeared on 'The Paper Chase.'
Personal Life and Death
Crothers married Helen Sullivan in 1937, and they remained together until his death from lung cancer in late 1986. Scatman Crothers is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.
