Natalie Schafer was born on the 5th November 1900, in Manhattan, New York City, USA of British and German descent, and was an actress probably best recognized for starring in the role of Eunice ‘Lovey’ Wentworth Howell in the CBS series “Gilligan’s Island” (1964–1992). She appeared in almost 100 film and TV titles, and her acting career was active from 1927 to 1990. She passed away in April 1991
So, have you ever wondered how rich Natalie Schafer was? According to authoritative sources, it was estimated that the total size of Natalie’s net worth was over $10 million, accumulated through her successful involvement in the entertainment industry, with another source being her business ventures.
Natalie Schafer Net Worth $10 Million
Natalie Schafer was raised with two younger siblings in a Jewish family by her father, Charles Emanual Schafer, and her mother, Jennie Elizabeth. Other information about her early life is unknown to the media.
Speaking about her career, it began when Natalie made her debut appearance on Broadway in 1927, where she played until 1941, appearing in a number of productions which established her net worth, and then she moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career on the screen. Her big break came in 1941, when she appeared in the film “The Body Disappears”, which was followed with a role in “Reunion In France” (1942), further establishing her net worth. Before the 1950s, she appeared in such films as “Masquerade In Mexico” (1945) playing Irene Denny alongside Dorothy Lamour, Arturo de Córdova, and Patric Knowles, “Dishonored Lady” (1947) in the role of Ethel Royce, and “The Snake Pit” (1948) as Mrs. Stuart.
The next decade brought her a huge number of roles thanks to her talent and popularity, and her career reached a whole new level. In 1951, she featured in Curtis Bernhardt’s film “Payment On Demand” in the role of Mrs. Edna Blanton, which was followed by the role of Martha Lorrison in “Callaway Went Thataway” in the same year, starring with Fred MacMurray and Dorothy McGuire. By the 1960s, she had made appearances in such film titles as “The Girl Next Door” (1953), “Forever, Darling” (1956), and “Bernardine” (1957), which was directed by Henry Levin. Beside those, Natalie also made guest appearances in such TV series as “The Loretta Young Show” (1933-1955), “Sherlock Holmes” (1954), “Playhouse 90” (1957) among others, all of which added a considerable amount to her net worth.
During the 1960s, Natalie continued to line up success after success, as she was chosen to play Eunice Wentworth ‘Lovey’ Howell in the TV series “Gilligan’s Island” (1964-1992), which she later reprised in another TV series called “The New Adventures Of Gilligan” (1974-1975), as well as in two television films – “The Castaways On Gilligan’s Island” in 1979, and in “The Harlem Globetrotters On Gilligan’s Island” in 1981. Furthermore, in 1982 she again appeared in the same role in the TV series “Gilligan’s Planet”. Thus, this role increased her net worth by a large margin and she reached enormous popularity.
Parallel with this role, Natalie made a number of guest appearances in such TV series as “ABC Stage 67” (1966), “The Brady Bunch” (1974), and “The Love Boat” (1979), among others, all of which increased her net worth. Her final role was in the TV film “I’m Dangerous Tonight” in 1990.
Regarding to her personal life, Natalie Schafer was married to actor Louis Calhern from 1934 to 1942. Four years later, she was engaged to actor Charles Butterworth, but he died in a single vehicle automobile crash. Apart from her career as an actress, Natalie invested money in a real estate business, and that made her a multi-millionaire. A part of that amount of money she donated to the Lillian Booth Actors Home. She passed away from liver cancer at the age of 90 on 10th April 1991 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California.
