What was Marlon Brando’s Net Worth and Salary?

Marlon Brando was an influential American actor, director, and activist with a net worth of $100 million at the time of his death.

He began his career on Broadway, receiving critical acclaim for his role in “A Streetcar Named Desire” and earning an Oscar nomination when he reprised the role in the 1951 film.

Brando appeared in dozens of films, including “On the Waterfront,” “Last Tango in Paris,” and “Apocalypse Now.”

He famously won an Academy Award for his performance in “The Godfather” but boycotted the ceremony, sending Sacheen Littlefeather in his place to protest the film industry’s treatment of Native Americans.

Despite a reputation for being difficult to work with, Brando won more than 30 awards for his film work and continues to earn millions each year through licensing deals and royalties.

Marlon Brando’s Earnings Throughout His Career

In the 1950s, Marlon Brando earned $50,000 for his role in “The Men” which is equivalent to around $620,000 today. He received $75,000 a year later for his role in “A Streetcar Named Desire” and in 1952, he earned $100,000 for “Viva Zapata!” which he matched in 1954 for “On The Waterfront.”

Brando’s earnings skyrocketed in 1957 when he earned $300,000 for “Sayonara,” which is equivalent to around $3.3 million today. His manager negotiated for him to receive 10% of the movie’s gross which meant that he likely earned an additional $2.6 million in backend royalties, equivalent to around $30 million today.

In 1962, Brando became the first actor in Hollywood history to earn a base salary of $1 million for a film, which he earned for “Mutiny on the Bounty.” However, the movie was a box office flop, earning just $13 million on a budget of $19 million.

Marlon Brando’s Contract for “The Godfather”

Paramount initially rejected Marlon Brando for the role of Vito Corleone in “The Godfather” due to his reputation and recent box office failures. However, after being blown away by his screen test, they agreed to hire him for a cut-rate salary of $50,000. Brando agreed to this salary with the condition that it would increase after the movie’s release, on a sliding scale that increased his payday based on the film’s gross earnings.

“The Godfather” went on to become the highest-grossing film ever made at the time, earning between $250 and $300 million. Brando’s ultimate earnings from the film are unknown, with some estimates ranging from $250,000 to $2 million. According to the film’s producer Robert Evans, Brando sold his backend points to him for $100,000 due to financial problems, causing him to miss out on $11 million in earnings.

Marlon Brando’s Massive Payday for 20 Minutes of Work in “Superman”

In 1978, Marlon Brando earned a then-unprecedented $3.7 million salary for his 20-minute appearance as Jor-El in “Superman.” Adjusted for inflation, that’s equivalent to around $17 million today. Meanwhile, his co-star Christopher Reeve earned just $250,000 for his title role in the film.

But that wasn’t all. Brando also secured 11.75% of the movie’s backend points to appear in the film. With a total box office earning of $300 million on a budget of $55 million, Brando may have earned an additional $30 million in profits. Even if it’s half that amount, Brando still earned the equivalent of around $70 million in bonus dollars after adjusting for inflation.

All of this for just 13 days of work on set. Despite his minimal screen time, Brando’s massive payday set a new standard for actor salaries in Hollywood.

Marlon Brando’s Earnings from Film Roles

In 1972, Brando earned $250,000 for his role in “Last Tango in Paris.” However, with profit participation, he eventually walked away with $3 million.

In 1979, Brando earned $3.5 million for his work in “Apocalypse Now.”

He also earned $2.7 million for “The Formula,” $3.3 million (plus 11.3% of the gross) for “A Dry White Season,” $5 million for “Christopher Columbus: The Discovery,” and $1 million for “The Missouri Breaks.”

Early Life and Education

Marlon Brando Jr. was born on April 3, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in Evanston, Illinois, with his mother, Dorothy, father, Marlon, and two older sisters. Both of his parents were alcoholics, and when they separated in 1935, Dorothy and the children relocated to Santa Ana, California. Two years later, Dorothy and Marlon reconciled and moved the family to a farm in Libertyville, Illinois.

As a teenager, Brando worked as an usher at a movie theater. He was expelled from Libertyville High School and later sent to Minnesota’s Shattuck Military Academy, where he was also expelled. Brando eventually dropped out and moved to New York to study acting at the American Theatre Wing Professional School under Stella Adler.

Marlon Brando’s Career Highlights

Marlon Brando made his Broadway debut in 1944 and went on to become a Hollywood star in the 1950s. He starred in films such as “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Viva Zapata!,” “Julius Caesar,” and “On the Waterfront,” for which he won an Oscar. He also directed and starred in “One-Eyed Jacks” and appeared in “The Godfather,” “Last Tango in Paris,” and “Apocalypse Now.” He retired from acting in 1980 but returned for several more films, including “The Score” in 2001, which was his last.

Marlon Brando’s Relationships and Family

Marlon Brando had relationships with several actresses, including Marilyn Monroe, Reiko Sato, Dorothy Kilgallen, Katy Jurado, and Rita Moreno. He also admitted to having “homosexual experiences” in a 1976 interview.

Brando married actress Anna Kashfi in 1957, and they had a son named Christian. They divorced in 1959, and Brando won custody of their son. Christian later went to prison for murdering his half-sister’s boyfriend and died in 2008.

Brando then married actress Movita Castaneda in 1960, and they had two children before their marriage was annulled. He then married Tarita Teriipaia in 1962, and they had two children together. Cheyenne, one of their children, died by suicide in 1995 after struggling with depression and drug abuse.

Brando also adopted Teriipaia’s daughter and niece. He had three children with his housekeeper, Maria Cristina Ruiz, and was the adoptive father of his assistant Caroline Barrett’s daughter.

Marlon Brando’s Death and Legacy

Marlon Brando passed away on July 1, 2004, at UCLA Medical Center due to respiratory failure. He was suffering from several medical conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and a liver tumor. He was 80 years old at the time of his death. His ashes were scattered in Tahiti and Death Valley, along with the ashes of his friend Wally Cox.

Marlon Brando had an estate worth $23 million when he died, not including non-liquid assets and assets in trust, like his private island. He has frequently ranked as one of the world’s top-earning deceased celebrities.

Marlon Brando’s Awards and Accolades

Marlon Brando won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for “On the Waterfront” in 1955. He also earned Golden Globes for “The Godfather” and “On the Waterfront,” as well as World Film Favorite – Male in 1956, 1973, and 1974. In 1979, he won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for “Roots: The Next Generations.” He received BAFTA Awards for “On the Waterfront, “Julius Caesar,” and “Viva Zapata!” He also won awards from the Cannes Film Festival, Faro Island Film Festival, Jussi Awards, Laurel Awards, Online Film & Television Association, National Society of Film Critics, and New York Film Critics Circle. In 1960, Brando received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Marlon Brando owned a private island in Tahiti

During the filming of “Mutiny on the Bounty,” Marlon Brando fell in love with Tahitian actress Tarita Teriipaia and later married her. In 1966, the Tahitian government granted Brando a 99-year lease to an island named Tetiaroa. After his death, the island was managed by Pacific Beachcomber SC and in 2014, a luxury hotel called “The Brando Resort” was opened on the island.

Jack Nicholson Buys Marlon Brando’s Beverly Hills Mansion

In 1969, Jack Nicholson purchased the property next to Marlon Brando’s mansion on Mulholland Drive in Beverly Hills. After Marlon’s death in 2004, his family sold the property to Jack for $6.1 million in 2005. The mansion was in a dilapidated condition, so Jack decided to demolish it and create a 1-acre lawn and pool area in its place.

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