Born David Michael Letterman, American writer, producer, actor, comedian and television host David Letterman has a net worth of $400 million.
Born on April 12, 1947, in Indianapolis to English father and German mother, David Letterman was inspired by his father’s jokes since the early days of his life. He attended Broad Ripple High School together with Marilyn Tucker and moved to the Ball State University after failing to get a place at Indiana University because of his poor grades.
A student at the Department of Radio and Television, Letterman started out his career through a college’s student-run radio station WBST where he was fired after speaking nuisance about classical music. However, he founded another campus station WAGO AM 570, now called WWHI and started working on several talk shows on comedy and jokes. He considers Paul Dixon to be his greatest inspiration after his father to make his choice of career as a comedian plus a talk show host.
Dave’s career saw him begin as an all-purpose announcer on the WLWI where he introduced new movies while also being a substitute weatherman. He came into light as a weatherman where he’d crack jokes on weathers of places that did not exist.
After moving to California in 1975, he became a comedy writer while also performing at The Comedy Store where Jimmie Walker picked him up to write jokes for his stand-up act. Having made appearances on several CBS TV shows like The $20,000 Pyramid, Mary, Liar’s Club, The Gong Show, etc. he grabbed attention from other media for his dry, sarcastic humor. He then became a regular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson after which Dave Letterman’s net worth started following in.
Dave started his morning comedy show, The David Letterman Show on NBC in 1980 and despite winning two Emmy Awards, the show was rated low and was cancelled. NBC still kept him on contract and tried Late Night with David Letterman with Bill Murray as the first guest which garnered much success than the morning show. Known as an acerbic interviewer, Letterman’s show saw several big names like Shirley MacLaine, Madonna, and Charles Grodin in the show.
With quirky and witty jokes and comedies in the show, the show became a hit in no time and after Johnny Carson retired in 1992, Letterman was believed to be given the place but Jay Leno was appointed for The Tonight Show. Letterman then moved out from NBC and debuted on CBS with his own show called Late Show with David Letterman just opposite to The Tonight Show. Letterman’s net worth grew eventually with a $14 million per year contract with CBS.
Despite gaining huge success in the initial years, Letterman’s show was always rated below Leno’s show which did not cause him much trouble because he was still getting to interview popular celebrities in his show and he ranked higher than Leno personally for most of the times.
Letterman’s net worth also boosts from his racing league team, the Rahal Letterman Racing which he found with racing legend Bobby Rahal. He has been a part of several controversies like the feud with Oprah Winfrey, Palin jokes, and threats from Al-Qaeda.
He also has been on several relationship controversies like being stalked by Margaret Mary Ray, and having alleged sexual relationship with his female employees for which he pleaded himself guilty in one of his shows in 2009.
Also referred to as a real estate mogul, David Letterman’s net worth is estimated to be around $400 million as of today while his annual salary is $20 million.
David Letterman Son, Wife
Letterman married Michelle Cook in 1969, a marriage which ended in 1977. He also was found to have been in a relationship with Marrill Markoe, the mind behind the quirky tricks in his shows. He started dating Regina Lasko in 1986 and has a son, Harry Joseph Letterman, with her in 2003. In 2005, police uncovered a plot to kidnap the kid for a $5 million ransom. The culprit of the conspiracy was found to be Kelly Frank, a house painter who had worked for Letterman.
David Letterman Mom
David Letterman’s mom, Dorothy Marie Mengering (née Hofert) was better known to Late Show and Late Night viewers as Dave’s Mom.
She was a frequent telephone guest, as well as a live guest on the Letterman’s show. In 2015, she suffered a stroke, but recovered shortly afterwards.
David Letterman and Mom
Dave’s mom died of natural causes, at the age of 95, in her home in Carmen, Indiana, on 11 April 2017 – just a day before David Letterman’s 70th birthday.
Quick Facts about David Letterman
Full Name: David Michael Letterman
Profession: Comedian, Talk show host, writer, actor
