Michael Richards is an American actor who has a net worth of $30 million. He is both an actor and comedian, best known for his role as Cosmo Kramer on the hit 90’s sitcom “Seinfeld”.
Early Life
Michael Anthony Richards was born on the 24th of July, 1949, in Culver City, California. Richards is the son of Phyllis, a medical records librarian of Italian descent, and William Richards, an electrical engineer of Scottish and English descent.
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Richards graduated from Thousand Oaks High School. In 1968, he appeared as a contestant on The Dating Game, however, he was not chosen for the date.
Michael Richards Profile Summary
| Name | Michael Richards |
| Net Worth | $30 million |
| Date of Birth | July 24, 1949 |
| Place of Birth | Culver City |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6ft 3 inch/1.91m |
| Profession | Comedian, Actor, Television Producer, Screenwriter, Voice Actor, Writer |
| Nationality | USA |
Michael Richards Career
Michael Richards is an American actor and comedian who is best known for his portrayal of the character “Kramer” on the hit television show “Seinfeld.”
Richards began his career as a stand-up comedian, performing at various comedy clubs and festivals across the country. In 1979, he was discovered by comedian Andy Kaufman, who invited him to join the cast of his TV show “Andy Kaufman’s Comedy Hour.”
He went on to appear in several TV shows and movies, including “Fridays,” “Cheers,” and “UHF.” However, it was his role as “Kramer” on “Seinfeld” that made him a household name. The show aired from 1989 to 1998 and won numerous awards, including several Emmys.
After “Seinfeld” ended, Richards continued to act in movies and TV shows, including “Trial and Error” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In 2006, he made headlines for using racial slurs during a stand-up comedy routine, which led to widespread criticism and the cancellation of several scheduled appearances.
Since then, Richards has largely stepped back from the public eye. He has made occasional appearances in movies and TV shows but has not returned to regular acting or stand-up comedy.
Michael Richards Seinfeld Salary
For the first several seasons of Seinfeld, supporting cast members Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander earned a nominal amount of money for their work on the show.
They successfully negotiated raises before season 5 in 1993 that had them each earning $150,000 per episode, roughly $3.8 million per season.
In May 1997, the supporting cast members held out for a massive raise, hoping for $1 million per episode. The network countered with $200,000, then $400,000.
They ended up receiving $600,000 per episode for the show’s final season, which worked out to around $15 million a piece. That’s the same as earning around $24 million today.
In total, before inflation, the supporting cast members earned approximately $45 million in base salary from Seinfeld.
Here are some of the best highlights of Michael Richards’ career:
Films:
- UHF (1989)
- Coneheads (1993)
- Airheads (1994)
- Unstrung Heroes (1995)
- Trial and Error (1997)
- Sour Grapes (1998)
- Stanley’s Gig (2000)
- The Legend of Secret Pass (2010)
TV Shows:
- Fridays (1980-1982)
- Elsewhere (1982-1983)
- The Michael Richards Show (2000)
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (2004, 2009, 2017)
- Kirstie (2013-2014)
Michael Richards’ Personal Life
Richards was married to Cathleen Lyons, a family therapist, for 18 years. They have one daughter, Sophia. They separated in 1992 and divorced the following year.
In 2010, Richards married his girlfriend Beth Skipp. They have been together since 2002 and have one son.
Richards is a Freemason