What was Larry Hagman’s Net Worth and Salary?

Larry Hagman, a prominent American film and television actor, passed away in 2012 with a net worth of $30 million. He was best known for his portrayal of the scheming oil tycoon J.R. Ewing in the hit 1980s television show “Dallas.” Prior to that, he gained fame for his role as Major Anthony Nelson on the sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie.” Hagman also appeared in numerous films throughout his career, including “Fail Safe,” “Harry and Tonto,” and “Primary Colors.”

Larry Hagman’s Early Life

Larry Hagman was born on September 21, 1931 in Fort Worth, Texas to Mary Martin and district attorney Benjamin Hagman. His mother became a Broadway actress and star of musical comedy following his birth.

When Hagman was five, his parents divorced; he went on to live with his maternal grandmother Juanita. Eventually, his mother remarried to Richard Halliday and had a daughter named Heller.

For his education, Hagman went to the Black-Foxe Military Institute in California, followed by a brief enrollment at Woodstock Country School in Vermont.

After his grandmother passed away, Hagman went to New York City to live with his mother. In 1946, he returned to Texas and went to Weatherford High School. Following his graduation, Hagman enrolled at Bard College in New York, where he majored in drama and dance. However, he dropped out after a year.

Larry Hagman’s Early Acting Career

Larry Hagman began his professional acting career on stage in 1950 at the Woodstock Playhouse in New York. He also performed in several tent show musicals with St. John Terrell’s Music Circus in Florida and New Jersey. In 1951, Hagman appeared in a London production of “South Pacific” alongside his mother. After being drafted by the US Air Force in 1952, Hagman spent most of his time entertaining American troops in London. Hagman returned to New York in 1956 and appeared in the off-Broadway play “Once Around the Block.” He continued to perform in off-Broadway plays like “Career” and made his Broadway debut in “Comes a Day” in 1958. Hagman’s other Broadway credits include “God and Kate Murphy,” “The Nervous Set,” “The Warm Peninsula,” and “The Beauty Part.”

Larry Hagman’s Television Career

Larry Hagman began his television career in 1957, appearing in an episode of “Decoy.” He went on to make appearances on various adventure series and landed his biggest role as Anthony Nelson on the NBC sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie.” After the show ended, Hagman starred on other sitcoms and television films throughout the decade.

In 1978, Hagman began his most famous role as J. R. Ewing on “Dallas.” The show ran for 14 seasons and Hagman earned two Emmy nominations and four Golden Globe nominations for his work on the show. He reprised his role as J. R. in the “Dallas” spinoff series, television films, and the TNT revival in 2012. Hagman also starred in the short-lived series “Orleans” and appeared in the seventh season of “Desperate Housewives.”

The Rise of Larry Hagman’s Salary on “Dallas”

Larry Hagman, who played J.R. Ewing on the hit show “Dallas,” earned $15,000 per episode in 1980, equivalent to $50,000 per episode today. The show’s third season finale, “Who Done It,” attracted 83 million viewers, becoming the second-most non-Super Bowl television broadcast of all time.

Hagman demanded a new salary ahead of the fourth season, instructing his agents to break his contract and demand $100,000 per episode, equivalent to $350,000 today. The network executives resisted at first, but eventually caved and raised Hagman’s salary to $100,000 per episode, which later topped off at $250,000 per episode. Hagman also negotiated a cut of J.R. Ewing merchandise royalties.

Reflecting on his salary negotiation, Hagman acknowledged breaking his contract but suggested that other mega stars of shows like “Seinfeld” and “Friends” who followed suit should thank him for starting the trend.

Hagman appeared in all 357 episodes of “Dallas” out of dozens of actors, earning a fortune in the process.

Larry Hagman’s Film Career

Larry Hagman made his big-screen debut in 1964 with appearances in three films: the war drama “The Cavern,” the comedy “Ensign Pulver,” and the Cold War thriller “Fail Safe.”

The following year, he was in Otto Preminger’s epic war film “In Harm’s Way,” and the year after that was in Sidney Lumet’s “The Group.”

In the 70s, Hagman’s credits included “Up in the Cellar,” “Harry and Tonto,” “Stardust,” “The Big Bus,” “The Eagle Has Landed,” “Checkered Flag or Crash,” and “Superman.” He also directed “Beware! The Blob,” a sequel to the science-fiction horror classic “The Blob.”

Among Hagman’s later film credits are “S.O.B.,” “Nixon,” “Primary Colors,” and “I Get That a Lot.”

Larry and Maj Hagman’s California Properties

In January 2013, Larry and Maj’s estate sold their Santa Monica luxury condo for $5 million. The couple also owned a 43-acre estate in Ojai, which featured a 17,500 square foot home with a helicopter pad, infinity pool, indoor lap pool, and orchards. Larry installed a solar system that reduced his electrical bill from $30,000 per year to $13. The Ojai estate was listed for sale in 2009 for $11 million and ultimately sold in 2013 for $6.5 million to the Church of Scientology, which now operates a drug treatment facility called Narconon, Ojai at the property.

Below is a drone video of the current Ojai property from 2016:

Larry Hagman’s Personal Life and Health Struggles

In 1954, Hagman married Maj Axelsson and they had two children together. They lived in Malibu before moving to a large estate in Ojai. Sadly, Axelsson was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2008 and passed away in 2016.

Hagman struggled with alcoholism and was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in the 90s. He later developed liver cancer and received a successful transplant in 1995. In 2011, he announced that he had throat cancer, which was treated successfully. However, he was later diagnosed with myeloid leukemia and passed away from complications of the disease in 2012 at the age of 81.

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