Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s only one word that we can use to describe who Samuel John Goldwyn Jr. was, it would have to be successful, considering his tremendous contributions to the entertainment industry. However, if we’re being honest, he is arguably most remembered for being the sole distributor behind the absurdly popular 1990s original proto-reality competition series ‘American Gladiators.’ So now, if you simply wish to learn more about him — with a singular focus on his background, career trajectory, as well as net worth at the time of death — we’ve got the details for you.
How Did Samuel Goldwyn Jr. Earn His Money?
It was seemingly back when Samuel Goldwyn Jr. was just a young boy growing up in Los Angeles, California, that he first developed an interest in the world of films and television, thanks to both his parents. After all, while his mother was none other than renowned actress Frances Howard, his father was the pioneering motion picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn (also often known as Samuel Goldfish). Thus, he didn’t hesitate to evolve into a producer once he had not only graduated from the University of Virginia in 1947 but also actively served in the US Army for a while during World War II.
Samuel’s first couple of jobs actually comprised him laboring in London and then in New York, driving him to quickly decide he’d follow in his father’s footsteps plus settle down in a single area too. Hence came his return to the City of Angels, where he established three motion picture production companies: Formosa Productions, The Samuel Goldwyn Company, as well as Samuel Goldwyn Films. Though this obviously took some time, meaning it wasn’t until 1955 that he landed his first full producer credit with ‘The Trouble Shooter’ despite continuing to back various projects over the years.
Yet once Samuel had this credit under his belt, nothing could stop him from expanding his wings as a producer or an executive producer in films, television shows, and theatrical events alike. ‘The Sharkfighters’ (1956), ‘The Proud Rebel’ (1958), ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ (1960), ‘The Young Lovers’ (1964), ‘Cotton Comes to Harlem’ (1970), ‘The Visitor’ (1979), ‘The Golden Seal’ (1983), ‘April Morning’ (1988), ‘The Program’ (1993), ‘The Preacher’s Wife’ (1996), ‘Tortilla Soup’ (2001), and ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ (2013) are just a few of the productions he was involved in.
It’s imperative to note Samuel was quite like his father in the sense he had relentless ambition plus a knack for publicity, and he often even imitated the latter’s trade practices no matter the consequences. This is honestly just one of the many reasons ‘The Young Lovers’ (1964) director was able to thrive, with the others connecting to his own understanding of entrepreneurship as well as entertainment. In fact, that’s how he earned such a name for himself that he was asked to produce not just The 59th but also The 60th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars) in 1987 and 1988, respectively.
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.’s Net Worth
Considering Samuel’s nearly 7-decade-long career, his three production-distribution companies, plus over 25 producer credits, it’s no secret he’d accumulated significant wealth by the time he passed away from congestive heart failure on January 9, 2015. As a matter of fact, taking into account his earnings, his personal lifestyle, his assets, his expenses, as well as his overall public standing, according to reports, the 88-year-old had a net worth of close to $50 million at the time of his unfortunate demise.
Read More: Bob Levy: Where is American Gladiators’ Director Now?
