Best known for her role on The Jeffersons playing George Jefferson’s snarky maid Florence, Marla Gibbs broke into showbiz as a witty comedian full of sass and spunk. For her role on the CBS sitcom, she received five Emmy nominations. Gibbs is also a singer, writer, and television producer. Breaking into her acting career late in life, she was 44 when she joined the 1970s sitcom, she held onto her day job at United Airlines until ‘The Jeffersons’ became a hit TV show. Somehow we don’t think that her day job would have resulted in a $4 million net worth.
Her role was so sensational it landed Gibbs her very own sitcom, in her very own apartment. Titled 227, after the show’s middle-class city apartment building address, 227 Lexington Place, the show ran from 1985 to 1990. Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards. In 2017, she starred in two films, Lemon and Please Stand By. At 88, she’s going strong. Gibbs also owned a jazz club in South Central L.A. called Maria’s Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club, up until 1999, and she’s released several albums as a solo artist.
$6 million
Emmy award-winning comedian, Tiffany Haddish, has had it pretty rough. Growing up in foster care, experiencing, poverty and homelessness, and finally getting her big break at the age of 37, has made Haddish a very grateful woman to be able to live the life she has now. In the last few years, Haddish has branched out as a comedian. She wrote a book, appeared in films, TV shows, music videos, and even a video game.
Fame is relatively new to her, so she often doesn't behave like a celebrity. She has made headlines for wearing the same dress at multiple public award shows and can be seen switching into her back-up slippers when her high heels get too uncomfortable at industry events. Maybe her well-deserved net worth of $6 million hasn't sunk in yet.
$130 million
While working several jobs in the media and music industry, Gervais developed quite a few connections, which would lead him to get himself on television during the ’90s. Fast forward to 2001, when Ricky finally got his big break with The Office.
This popular show had 9 seasons and 201 episodes. To date, he has earned over $100 million, which we assume has mostly come from The Office. He currently has three Golden Globes, two Emmy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards, and five British Comedy Awards under his belt. Well-earned for sure!
$10 million
Known for his work with the comedy group, Monty Python, none of us would have imagined John Cleese being a lawyer, but that almost happened. Cleese earned his degree in law in 1963 from Downing College, Cambridge University. Prior to studying law, he taught science, geography, history, English, and Latin at St. Peter’s, a preparatory school in Weston where he attended when he was a kid. He must have made his students laugh so hard they forgot to hate school.
Cleese's passion for comedy ultimately won. He joined the Cambridge Footlights and had his first success when he wrote and appeared as a cast member in A Clump of Plinths. His Monty Python days soon followed, and the rest is history. Cleese's current net worth is $10 million, but it could have been more if it hadn't been for his 2009 divorce settlement. Cleese’s ex-wife benefited so much from that settlement that she became richer than him. He reportedly paid $19.7 million and $13 million in assets which included real estate in New York, London, and Santa Barbara.
$35 million
Katy took on roles that really revolutionized her career. She took on roles on Seinfeld and Suddenly Susan. In the ’90s, she would take on guest appearances on quite a few television shows.
Kathy has released many comedy albums as well, and six of those have won her Grammy Award nominations. In 2014, she won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album and is currently one of only three women to win in that category, ever.