Steve Guttenberg, an American actor and comedian, boasts a net worth of $12 million. Renowned as one of the busiest and most popular actors of the 1980s, Guttenberg appeared in more film projects between 1980 and 1990 than any other actor except Gene Hackman. His best-known films include “Police Academy,” “Diner,” “Cocoon,” and “Three Men and a Baby.” Guttenberg’s career has spanned over four decades.
Steve Guttenberg Net Worth | $12 Million |
Date of Birth | August 24, 1958 |
Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York |
Nationality | American |
Profession | Actor, Comedian |
Early Life
Steve Guttenberg was born Steven Robert Guttenberg on August 24, 1958, in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Ann Iris, a surgical assistant, and Jerome Stanley Guttenberg, an electrical engineer. Raised in a Jewish household in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, his family later moved to North Massapequa, New York. During his high school years, Guttenberg attended a summer program at Juilliard, studying under John Houseman, and won a role in an off-Broadway production of “The Lion in Winter.” After graduating from Plainedge High School in 1976, he attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany for a year before moving to California to pursue an acting career. Within weeks, he landed a commercial for Kentucky Fried Chicken, playing Colonel Sanders.
Steve Guttenberg Career
Guttenberg’s first screen credit was in the TV movie “Something for Joey” in 1977. He continued to take small parts throughout the late seventies and early eighties. By the age of twenty, Guttenberg had become one of the biggest comedic and dramatic box-office draws. His role in Levinson’s 1982 classic comedy “Diner” catapulted him to fame. In 1984, he starred in “Police Academy,” which became a major hit. Over the next four years, Guttenberg appeared in nine starring roles, including “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment” (1985), “Cocoon” (1985), “Police Academy 3: Back in Training” (1986), and “Short Circuit” (1986). He made his last “Police Academy” film in 1987, “Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol.”
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In 1987, Guttenberg achieved the biggest financial success of his career with “Three Men and a Baby,” co-starring Tom Selleck and Ted Danson. Despite commercial disappointments with “High Spirits,” “Don’t Tell Her It’s Me,” and “Cocoon: The Return,” the sequel “Three Men and a Little Lady” in 1990 was a success.
Guttenberg made his Broadway debut with “Prelude to a Kiss” in 1991 and participated in several theater productions, including “The Boys Next Door” in London’s West End and “Furthest From the Sun.” In 1995, he starred alongside Kristie Alley and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in “It Takes Two,” followed by roles in “Zeus and Roxanne,” “Casper,” and “Tower of Terror.”
On television, Guttenberg’s most notable role was Mayor Woody Goodman in the 2004 mystery series “Veronica Mars.” He also served as director, producer, co-writer, and actor for the 2002 film adaptation of “P.S. Your Cat is Dead.” Additionally, he was the executive producer of the Emmy-winning CBS show “Schoolbreak Special.” In 2008, Guttenberg joined the cast of “Dancing with the Stars” and released a video titled “Steve Guttenberg’s Steak House” on funnyordie.com. He played himself in an episode of “Party Down” in 2010 and appeared in “Law & Order.” Guttenberg returned to Broadway in 2012 for Woody Allen’s one-act play “Honeymoon Hotel” and appeared in the 2015 History Channel miniseries “Sons of Liberty.” In 2020, he featured in “The Goldbergs,” “Paper Empire,” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
Steve Guttenberg Diner Salary
In a January 2023 interview with radio hosts Jim Norton and Sam Roberts, Guttenberg shared how he took a slight pay cut for top billing in 1982’s “Diner.” The producers offered him two salary options:
- $35,000 with second billing below Mickey Rourke.
- $30,000 with top billing.
Although Guttenberg initially wanted the extra $5,000, his agent advised him to take top billing for career benefits. Following this advice, “Diner” tripled its $5 million budget at the box office, significantly boosting Guttenberg’s career.
Steve Guttenberg Awards
In 2008, the Fire Island Golden Wagon Film Festival honored Guttenberg with the Tony Randall Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the entertainment industry, community service, and charitable acts. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2011 and a key to the city of Miami in October 2014 for his charity work with Fun Paw Care, promoting animal rights.
Philanthropy
Guttenberg is dedicated to helping the homeless and improving opportunities for young people. He established Guttenhouse, an apartment complex for those who have aged out of foster care. Named Ambassador for Children’s Issues by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Guttenberg volunteered at the Houston Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In 2016, a trust was created in his honor to support the homeless population in Los Angeles. That same year, he joined the Lymphatic Education & Research Network’s Honorary Board and pre-recorded a message for the New York Walk to Fight Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases.
Personal Life
Guttenberg was married to model Denise Bixler for three years until their separation in June 1991 and subsequent divorce. He began dating reporter Emily Smith in 2014, announced their engagement in December 2016, and married on January 19, 2019.
Real Estate
Guttenberg’s wife, Emily, works as a reporter for WABC and CBS New York, leading them to spend much of their time in an Upper West Side apartment that Guttenberg has rented for several decades. He also owns a large Spanish-style mansion in LA’s exclusive Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which he rents out for $12,000 to $20,000 per month due to their frequent absences from LA.
Steve Guttenberg Net Worth
Guttenberg net worth is $12 million.
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