Karin Jan Smithers was born on the 3rd July 1949, in North Hollywood, California USA, and is a retired film and television actress, best known to the world for the role of pretty and but shy girl Bailey Quarters in the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” (1978-1982). She was a part of the entertainment industry from the early ‘70s until the late ‘80s.
Have you ever wondered how rich Jan Smithers is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources it has been estimated that Smithers’ net worth is as high as $6 million, an amount earned largely through her successful career in the entertainment industry.
Jan Smithers Net Worth $6 Million
Jan grew up with three sisters in Woodland Hills, north of Los Angeles, and went to William Howard Taft High School to study art. While in high school, Jan experienced a car crash, hammering into telephone pole in order to avoid a driver heading towards her, leaving her with a scar on her chin.
Jan first experienced fame in the mid ‘60s, when as a teen she appeared on the cover of Newsweek, seated on a motorcycle; the photoshoot was taken by Julian Wasser. Inspired by this early success and her love for arts, Jan began pursuing an acting career. Her first acting credits came in 1973, when she featured in an episode of the TV series “Love Story”. The following year she snagged the leading role in the Golden Globe Award- nominated romantic drama “Where the Lilies Bloom”, next to Julie Gholson and Matthew Burrill, and also featured in the drama “Our Winning Season” (1978), starring Scott Jacoby, Deborah Benson and Dennis Quaid. After that she was selected for the role of shy and pretty Bailey Quarters in the CBS sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”, which lasted until 1982.
During that time, Smithers’ net worth increased to a large degree, but she also chased other roles during her stint on the show, and appeared in the made-for-television film “The Love Tapes” (1980), directed by Allen Reisner. After the series ended, Jan made several one-off appearances in such TV series as “The Fall Guy” (1983), “Legmen” (1984), “Murder, She Wrote” (1985), and “Comedy Factory” (1985). Her last role was as Lise in the film “Mr. Nice Guy” (1987), next to Mike MacDonald and Joe Silver; all of these appearances added steadily to her net worth.
She retired from acting the same year to focus more on her husband and children, although in 2014 she did go to a reunion of “WKRP in Cincinnati”.
Regarding her personal life, Jan was married to actor Kipp Whitman from 1971 until 1972, and then to actor James Brolin from 1986 to 1995, and the couple had a daughter plus two children from his previous marriage. Jan now resides in Ojai, California.
