Judy Garland or Liza Minnelli: Who Is Worth More?
Judy Garland and Liza Minelli are among the most famous mother-daughter teams in Hollywood. Both made their fortunes working in movies and music, but which one has the higher net worth?
What is Judy Garland’s net worth?
At the time of her death, Garland’s net worth came in at around $40,000. While that doesn’t seem like much, that amount is about $300,000 in today’s dollars.
Her net worth might not be as high as expected, Garland’s earnings as an actor and entertainer were through the roof. Before she even turned 18, the actor made $400,000; roughly $7.5 million today.
Over the course of her career, Garland made today’s equivalent of $100 million. Her estate was worth $4 million at the time of her death, and in the 1960s, Garland was making $50-80,000 a year off of music royalties.
Judy Garland had money troubles
Even though Garland is considered one of the biggest stars from Hollywood’s golden years, that wasn’t always the case. When the actor was starring in the breakout hit The Wizard of Oz, she was making just $500 a week. The rest of the leading cast was making $3,000 a week; the only primary actor making less than Garland was the dog that played Toto.
Garland’s total take-home from The Wizard of Oz came to $9,649, which is about $190,000 in today’s dollars. While this is a pretty substantial chunk of change, her mother took a cut from her salary for years, cutting down on Garland’s personal earnings.
Another factor that led to Garland’s lower-than-expected net worth at the time of her death were decades of financial mismanagement. This led to her owing the IRS $500,000. Garland did what she could to pay the money off, but at the time of her death, she had only paid off about half.
After she did, daughter Liza Minelli was required to pay off her mother’s debt and auctioned off over 500 of Garland’s personal items to pay the IRS. Pal Frank Sinatra even kicked in some money to help Minelli pay off the debt.
How Much Is Liza Minelli Worth?
So, what about Minelli’s net worth? The actor and singer is worth $50 million, making her money from her acting roles and some savvy real estate investments.
Minelli skyrocketed to fame after starring in Cabaret, and continued to act regularly over the years. In addition to movies like Arthur and Silent Movie, Minelli has also scored some notable TV roles.
The actor made a huge splash with her role in Arrested Development and frequently appears as herself in shows like Smash and The Muppet Show.
In addition to her acting and music careers, Minelli has also made money in the real estate market. In 2015, the actor made $8.372 million after selling her New York City condo.
Garland and Minelli have both made their marks in the entertainment industry, from onstage shows, to movies, to albums. It’s no surprise that the mother and daughter have such high net worths.
