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Ringo Starr made plenty of money drumming for The Beatles. His London apartment sat in a posh neighborhood, and he later purchased two mansions outside England’s capital city. Still, he didn’t spend freely. Ringo and his wife lived like simple people in their home, for example. He showed some frugal tendencies, but Ringo was always financially secure and added to his net worth without lifting a finger long after The Beatles broke up.

Ringo Starr rides in the back of a car in 1976. Ringo added to his net worth without doing any work thanks to a shrewd business decision.
Ringo Starr | Gilbert Uzan/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Ringo Starr’s net worth remains impressive

As The Beatles’ popularity grew and Ringo switched drum sets, his fame was worth $7 million to the drum company. Call it an example of trickle-down economics before it had a name.

Ringo benefited from the Fab Four’s fame, too.

He didn’t earn songwriting credits like his bandmates (except for two songs, one of which he wants to be played at his funeral), but the drummer was (overall) smart with his finances. Ringo’s solo songs helped the money keep coming in during the 1970s, and he sold properties at a profit later in his life. Smart investments helped him build a sizable net worth well into nine figures, and Ringo added to his fortune without lifting a finger.

How Ringo added to his net worth without lifting a finger

Ringo’s solo career struggled in the 1980s. He didn’t release an album with new material between 1983 and 1992, but Ringo made money in other ways.

One of Ringo’s post-Beatles career moves was narrating the popular children’s series Thomas & Friends. He lent his distinct voice to 52 episodes between 1984 and 1986, according to IMDb. Ringo’s voiceover work wasn’t what brought in the money, though. He didn’t cash a paycheck for it. His foresight to take a minority ownership stake in the production company was what helped Ringo add to his net worth.

As The Independent once reported, Ringo added to his net worth with his 8% stake in Britt Allcroft. The production company makes the Thomas the Tank Engine videos and owns the cartoon’s merchandising rights. Its founder, originally a freelance television producer, persuaded Ringo to take shares as payment for providing voiceovers. The drummer retained his stake when he left the role, and the Independent reported it was worth roughly ￡5 million to the drummer’s bottom line.

Ringo returned to Thomas’ world in 1989, playing the miniature Mr. Conductor on the first season of Shining Time Station, also produced by Britt Allcroft. He joked about the kinds of Beatles fans he attracted while promoting that series, but the amount he added to his net worth was nothing to laugh about.

The drummer overcame addiction between the making of the TV shows

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Ringo spiraled into addiction after The Beatles broke up, but some of his former bandmates were afraid to talk to him about it. Fortunately for the drummer and his health, he eventually sought treatment and overcame his addiction.

He narrated Thomas & Friends before he found treatment. The series was produced near Ringo’s familiar stomping grounds. Season 1 was produced in London, per IMDb, and subsequent seasons filmed in Surrey, where Ringo once owned a house. Shining Time Station filmed its first season in New York.

Filming two children’s TV shows was quite different from playing in The Beatles, but the financially wise Ringo Starr added to his net worth because of it.

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