Jeffrey Tambor: How Much Is the ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Transparent’ Star Worth?
Certain actors seem to have a nose for groundbreaking series. You can might say that about Tony Hale, the actor connecting Arrested Development to HBO’s Veep. Whatever Hale chooses next, actors should do their best to join him.
Then again, you could argue Hale is a big reason the shows have been so good (the chicken-or-the-egg question). Jeffrey Tambor, who anchored Arrested Development after his brilliant work on The Larry Sanders Show, is definitely in this class.
You can’t imagine Larry Sanders without “Hey Now” Hank Kingsley, and his work as George Bluth is just as indispensable. Lightning then struck a third time with Amazon’s Transparent.
But Tambor’s body of work dates back to the ’70s, when you could find him on The Ropers and Three’s Company. Here’s a look back at the 74-year-old actor’s career and estimated net worth.
$275K per episode for ‘Transparent,’ up to $125K per for ‘Arrested Development’
In the late 1970s, Tambor got his start playing parts in the most popular TV shows of the era. You’ll find him in Kojak with Telly Savalas, Starsky & Hutch, and Taxi before he picked up larger roles. One big break came in The Ropers.
That led to parts in Three’s Company and Nine to Five. In the 1980s, he landed a recurring role as a judge on Hill Street Blues. We might remember him now starting with Larry Sanders on HBO, but casting directors knew Tambor long before.
By the time he landed the lead on Transparent, for which he won a Golden Globe in 2014, Tambor had 200 acting credits to his name. Making it that far came with benefits. In 2016, he was one of the top earners on TV, earning $275,000 per episode for his portrayal of a transgender person.
For the reboot of Arrested Development on Netflix, Tambor made as much as $125,000 per episode. After decades in the business, he was nearing his peak earning potential.
Tambor’s net worth estimated at $16-18 million
While Tambor won a Golden Globe and his first Primetime Emmy for Transparent, he’d been no stranger to critical acclaim. Previously, he’d received six Emmy nominations for his work on The Larry Sanders Show (four) and Arrested Development (two).
However, that Golden Globe for Transparent introduced Tambor to an even bigger audience — and certainly helped his salary negotiations. In the midst of his success on the Amazon show, Celebrity Net Worth estimated Tambor’s fortune at $16 million.
Considering he had more work on Transparent to go — plus his work on the latest installment of Arrested Development — Tambor’s net worth may have pushed closer to $18 million.
Yet his fortunes took a turn following accusations of sexual harassment while working on Transparent. Tambor admitted to being a difficult cast member while playing a difficult role but maintained his innocence. (Many actors who worked with him in the past publicly defended him.)
With his long career in the business and enough support behind him, we imagine Tambor will keep getting work in Hollywood. If he keeps his cool (and hands to himself) in the future, it will be hard to keep him off the screen.
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