Net Worth Of Richard Burton 2024
Richard Burton was one of the most famous and highly-paid actors of his generation. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years in film, theatre, and television, Burton amassed considerable personal wealth. However, tracking his exact net worth is complicated.
How Much Did Richard Burton Make Per Film?
Over his legendary career, Richard Burton starred in many high-paying blockbuster hits and critically acclaimed films. According to records and reporting at the height of his career:
- Cleopatra (1963) – $500,000 salary
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) – $750,000 salary
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966) – $750,000 salary
- Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) – $1.25 million salary
- Raid on Rommel (1971) – $1.5 million salary
- Villain (1971) – $1.5 million salary
Based on these figures, during the 1960s, Burton commanded an average of around $1 million per film role at the height of his career. Given inflation, that would be the equivalent of around $7.5 million in today’s money.
Table 1: Richard Burton Top Movie Salaries
| Film | Year | Salary | Equivalent Salary in 2023 Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleopatra | 1963 | $500,000 | $4,470,000 |
| The Spy Who Came in from the Cold | 1965 | $750,000 | $6,310,000 |
| Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf | 1966 | $750,000 | $6,280,000 |
| Anne of the Thousand Days | 1969 | $1,250,000 | $9,120,000 |
| Raid on Rommel | 1971 | $1,500,000 | $10,500,000 |
| Villain | 1971 | $1,500,000 | $10,500,000 |
In his early career, Burton’s salaries were still sizable but started smaller. In 1952’s My Cousin Rachel, Burton earned $50,000. And in the 1953 biblical epic The Robe, he earned $100,000 – very strong salaries for the time. Over the next decade, his asking price and box office draw rapidly grew.
How Much Did Richard Burton Earn from Theatre?
In addition to film, theatre was a major source of income for Richard Burton. In 1959, he earned a Tony Award for Best Actor for his role in the Broadway production of Camelot. For that role, he earned a percentage of box office revenues which wound up amounting to around $7,000 per week. With the show running over 800 performances, Burton’s total earnings from Camelot would have exceeded $5 million.
Adjusted for inflation, $5 million in 1959 would be over $47 million today. While less than his peak film salaries per picture, theatre could provide a steadier income stream for many months or years at a time.
What Were Richard Burton’s Total Career Earnings?
Given the lack of publicly available tax returns or financial documents, determining Burton’s exact career earnings is difficult. However, based on known highest-paid roles and average earnings estimates, totals likely reached or exceeded nine figures in gross income.
Including both film and theatre paydays, adjusted for inflation, Burton likely grossed over $150-200 million over the span of his long and varied acting career at minimum. Factoring in backend percentages, real estate investments, and other assets and income, his total net worth was likely substantially higher.
How Did Richard Burton Spend His Money?
Richard Burton lived grandly but also reportedly spent with abandon at times without much financial planning. Major expenses and indulgences included:
Homes
- House in Hampstead, UK purchased for 75,000 British sterling pounds in 1959 ($2.5 million today)
- 33-room mansion in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico overlooking the Pacific Ocean
- Chalet cottage called “Le Pays” in Céligny Switzerland bought for Elizabeth Taylor at over $1 million
Jewelry
- Emerald and diamond necklace from Bulgari costing $305,000 for Elizabeth Taylor in 1964 ($2.5 million now)
- 69.42 carat diamond ring costing over $1.1 million from Cartier in 1969 (over $8 million today)
Planes
- Two private jets, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar and a Gulfstream Executive
Alcohol and Other Expenses
- Estimated lifetime alcohol purchases exceeding $1 million
- Artwork, cars, taxes, staff and travel costs running into the millions
Burton spent lavishly on homes, vacations, gifts and living costs but does not appear to have consistently invested his earnings in ways that retained value over time.
How Much Wealth Did Elizabeth Taylor Inherit?
After Richard Burton died in 1984, the bulk of his estate went to his last wife Sally Hay. However, Elizabeth Taylor did receive some residual inheritance as well.
After taxes and bequests, published estimates indicate Liz Taylor received between $3 to 5 million dollars from Burton’s total estate valuation of $15-20 million.
As one of the highest-paid actresses of her era as well, Taylor already enjoyed tremendous wealth independently. Her personal net worth peaked during the 1960s at around $50-60 million. Though exact numbers are not known, the inherited amount from Burton was meaningful but did not drastically elevate her assets.
What Was Richard Burton’s Net Worth At His Death?
When Burton died in 1984 at the age of 58, early media estimates put his net worth between $15-$20 million including real estate assets. However, after estate taxes, debts, and bequests to family members, the actual figure inherited by his wife Sally Hay and by Liz Taylor was significantly less than that upper estimate.
Ongoing lavish spending habit, poor investing, generous bequests to family members, and estate taxes eroded the upper-end nine figure earnings Burton collected during his peak years as an actor. Though still quite wealthy by everyday standards, he does not appear to have preserved the full net worth his salary totals could have otherwise justified.
Was Richard Burton Wealthier Than Elizabeth Taylor?
In terms of cumulative career earnings, Burton likely out-earned Taylor. His pay reached higher peaks for certain films roles and theatre runs.
However, Taylor maintained more consistent superstar status over more decades. Despite some career ups and downs, she continued starring in major feature films from the 1940s into the 1980s. Her willingness to invest in business ventures and manage her finances better allowed Taylor to preserve her wealth in a way Burton did not quite match.
When Taylor died in 2011, her net wealth including merchandise rights, perfume royalties, real estate, jewelry, and memorabilia held considerably higher value than Burton’s estate had 26 years earlier upon his death. Neither struggled financially by any measure but clever investing gave Taylor an edge.
Did Elizabeth Taylor Squander Richard Burton’s Fortune After His Death?
Though Taylor inherited $3 to 5 million from Burton’s estate based on estimates, she did not gain control of the majority of his remaining fortune. As such, there was no substantial fortune left from Burton for Taylor to supposedly squander in later years as some rumors occasionally imply.
By the mid-1980s, Taylor was earning tens of millions again through various film and business projects. She had the means and maturity to spend wisely and donated much of her time and money to HIV/AIDS research fundraising efforts.
Conclusion
Richard Burton relished living grandly during his peak years as one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors. Though he earned an estimated $150 to $200 million over the course of his prolific career, Burton spent freely and did not maintain the maximum net worth those mighty gross numbers could have otherwise supported.
Careless spending and lack of money management discipline eroded his wealth substantially by his death in 1984. Though still quite well off with $15 to $20 million to his name, ongoing lavish living and splurges on yachts, jets, vacations, gifts and alcohol drained Burton’s coffers the way more prudent investing would have prevented.
Nevertheless, Burton’s acting legacy remains iconic and timeless even if his wealth did not entirely live up to the earnings totals he briefly enjoyed. His fiery relationship and legendary on-screen collaborations with Elizabeth Taylor captivated audiences for decades and continue making history today as some of Hollywood’s most talent-laden films.
Though Taylor ultimately maintained more independent wealth at the time of her death than Burton did, neither superstar suffered any real financial hardship either on or off-screen. The fortunes generated over lengthy, decorated careers provided more than enough for lifetimes filled with luxury, creative expression and passion never lacking.
FAQs
How much was Richard Burton worth when he died?
Estimates placed Burton’s net worth between $15-$20 million at the time of his death in 1984 at the age of 58. After taxes, debts and bequests however, the amount inherited by his wife and Elizabeth Taylor was substantially less than that range.
What was Liz Taylor worth3 when she died?
When Elizabeth Taylor passed away in 2011 at 79 years old, most sources placed her remaining net worth between $600 million and $1 billion dollars including the value of her jewelry, real estate, art, and memorabilia holdings.
Who inherited Richard Burton’s money?
The majority of Burton’s estate went to his sixth and final wife Sally Hay, whom he was married to from 1983 until his death in 1984. Smaller bequests were made to his brother Graham Jenkins, sisters Katherine and Edith, and daughters Kate and Jessica. Actress Elizabeth Taylor also received a few million dollar inheritance.
Who got Elizabeth Taylor’s money when she died?
When Taylor died in 2011, the bulk of her massive estate was passed to her four children – Michael and Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton. A few close associates and friends also received sums of around $500,000.
What was Richard Burton’s greatest film?
Though arguably most renowned for the 1963 epic Cleopatra opposite Elizabeth Taylor, many critics and fans consider Burton’s most artful film to be 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf opposite Taylor. His performance earned him widespread acclaim and his fifth Best Actor Oscar nomination.
