George Carlin was a very popular and renowned stand-up comedian, author, and social critic based out of America. Often regarded as “the dean of counterculture comedians” whose comedy reflected on present politics, psychology, taboo subjects, religion, and dark humor. For this reason, he was considered the most influential and important stand-up comedian. He is remembered for his unique style of comic delivery through which he gained wide popularity and George Carlin net worth is proof of that. Let us look at his contributions to the comedy industry and learn more about his personal and professional life.
Real Name/Full Name | George Denis Patrick Carlin |
George Carlin Net Worth | $10 million |
Date Of Birth | May 12, 1937 |
Age | 71 ( At the time of death) |
Place Of Birth | New York City, United States |
Profession | Stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, author |
Subjects | American literature, politics, philosophy, psychology, nihilism, mass media, masculinity, old age, profanity, society, misanthropy, drug use, race relations, etc. |
Nationality | American |
Marital Status | Married |
Spouse | Brenda Hosbrook ( 1961)
Sally Wade (1998) |
Children | Kelly Carlin |
Died | June 22, 2008 Santa Monica, California, United States |
Genres | Observational comedy, character comedy, surreal comedy, blue comedy, black comedy, wordplay, sarcasm, irony satire |
Education | Corpus Christi School |
Religion | Christian |
George Carlin Net Worth
Being considered the most influential and important comedian in American history, George Carlin net worth stands at $10 million at the time of his death. His career of decades was filled with ups and downs but still, he managed to carve a niche out for himself and spoke on political and dark subjects through his art. His groundbreaking works such as ‘Seven Dirty Words’ are still etched in many people’s hearts.
Early Life And Education
George Carlin was born in Manhattan on May 12, 1937. His parents separated when he was two months old and was raised by his mother. He credits his older brother for his comedy inspiration and his mother for his natural love for English language and literature. Even though he had difficult relations with his mother, he learned a knack for appreciating the English language.
Carlin’s maternal grandfather, an NYPD police officer, used to write Shakespeare’s works by hand, just for fun, which inspired him a lot. He attended a Roman Catholic Parish school in Morningside Heights, Cardinal Hayes High School, and Salesian High School to complete his education. Though he struggled academically, he discovered his love for performing and continued in the profession of stand-up comedy after witnessing failures in his initial career. He was trained as a radar technician upon joining the U.S. Air Force. He had also worked as a disc jockey and was often labeled an “unproductive airman” by his seniors.
During his career in the Air Force, he was court-martialed thrice and received several punishments and reprimands. His one of best friends at school went on to become one of the most popular detectives in the NYPD’s history.
Career
He formed a team with his fellow DJ, Jack Burns in 1959, to perform comedy gigs. After successful responses at Ford Worth’s beat coffeehouse, The Celalar, Carlin went to California to put on an audition tape for a morning show on KDAY.
Further, he started appearing on various television shows where he played the characters of a stupid radio jockey, hippie weatherman, native American sergeant, etc. He became a frequent performer and host on The Tonight Show and partnered with Jack Paar and Johny Carson.
In the late 1960s, Carlin came up with his unique style of comedy of satires, precision, and social commentary and released his first comedy album, “Take Offs and Put Ons”, featuring a mix of sketches and stan dup shows. He went on to release his most successful and controversial comedy series such as Class Clown (1972), FM & AM (1972), and Occupation: Foole (1973). George Carlin net worth in the late 1960s was around $2,50,000 she was making a lot of money through his successful shows and appearances.
Personal Life
Carlin met his first wife, Brenda Hosbrook in 1960 while touring with Jack Burns in Ohio. They got married in 1961 and their only child, Kelly Marie Carlin was born in 1963. Hosbrook died in 1971, May 11th due to liver cancer. After her death, Carlin married for the second time in 1988 with Sally Wade, whom he considered ‘love at first sight’ with an unregistered ceremony.
In an interview, he admitted that he had been consuming LSD, cannabis, and mescaline to cope with certain events in his life and has battled alcoholism and cocaine addictions, due to which he had to get admitted to rehab facilities.
He died on June 22, 2008, due to heart failure owing to his health problems. His body was cremated and ashes were scattered in front of various nightclubs and over Spofford Lake.
Awards/ Achievements
Besides George Carlin net worth of $10 million, he was also recognized with the following awards and achievements.
Grammy Awards (1973, 1994, 1996, 2001, and 2009) | Best Comedy Album |
Mark Twain Prize (Posthumously in 2008) | For American Humor |
Kennedy Center Honors (Posthumously in 2008) | For American Humor |
Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic (1990) | For American Humor |
Lifetime Achievement Award (2001) | For American Humor |
Hollywood Walk of Fame (1987) | contributions to the entertainment industry |
CableACE Awards ( 1987, 1997) | For HBO comedy specials, including Best Stand-Up Comedy Special |
FAQs
1] When did George Carlin die and what was the reason behind it?
George Carlin died on 22nd July 2008 due to heart failure. He had already experienced heart attacks thrice before his death.
2] What was George Carlin net worth at the time of his death?
George Carlin net worth is of $10 million at the time of his death.
3] Who was George Carlin’s first wife?
George Carlin’s first wife was Brenda Hosbrook with whom he got married in 1961.
Conclusion
George Carlin’s contributions to the comedy industry are considered to be a mastery of his art and his works continue to inspire and motivate people to excel in the field. He had undoubtedly left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people. We hope you got the information regarding George Carlin net worth and got to know more about his life and work.