Kathie Lee Gifford Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Kathie Lee Gifford’s Net Worth and Salary: What is It?

With a net worth of $60 million, Kathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, actress, singer, and writer. Although she is known for her diverse talents, her prominent legacy lies in her role as a talk show host. Throughout the years, she has become a household name, notably through her hosting duties for NBC’s Today and Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford has received multiple Emmy nominations and secured her first win in 2010. In 1986, she married former NFL player Frank Gifford.

Early Life

Kathryn Lee Epstein was born in Paris, France, on August 16th, 1953. At that time, her father held the position of Navy Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy, while her mother was also American. The family soon moved to Bowie, Maryland, where Kathie completed her high school education.

Raised in a family of Jewish descent, she became a born-again Christian at the age of 12. During her high school years, she gained experience as a singer in a folk group. Kathie Lee later pursued her passion for music at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she studied drama and music.

Career

In the 1970s, Kathie Lee established her reputation as a singer on the game show Name That Tune. By 1978, she was landing roles in shows such as Hee Haw Honeys.

Kathie Lee’s television career took off when she became co-host of The Morning Show on WABC-TV in 1985, replacing Anne Abernathy. The show was rebranded as Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee in 1988, becoming nationally syndicated. By this time, Kathie Lee had already wed the famous Frank Gifford, and viewers enjoyed stories from her family life. After a successful run that established her as a prominent figure in American television, Kathie Lee Gifford departed from Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee in 2000.

In 2008, she became a co-host on NBC’s Today Show, partnering with Hoda Kotb during the fourth hour. Within a year, she contributed to a 13% increase in the show’s ratings. Kathie Lee left the show in 2019, the same year she won an Emmy Award.

In addition to her talk show appearances, Kathie Lee Gifford has had roles in various films and TV series. She made a guest appearance as herself on Seinfeld in 1994. In 1998, she provided her voice for the animated series Hercules. Kathie Lee also featured in a concert rendition of Annie at Madison Square Garden in 2006 and has participated in numerous musical theater productions. In 2010, she and her daughter appeared on The Suite Life on Deck, and she later had a cameo in Sharknado 3: Oh, Hell No!

Further Ventures

After parting ways with Today, Kathie Lee Gifford transitioned into a career as an actress, director, and producer, with aspirations to create several films.

Kathie Lee Gifford has previously endorsed Slim-Fast drinks and has been featured in advertisements for Carnival Cruise.

Relationships

Initially, Kathie Lee married Christian composer Paul Johnson in 1976, but their collaboration on various musical projects did not prevent their divorce in 1982. In 1986, she married Frank Gifford, who was 23 years her senior, and together they welcomed two children. Sadly, Frank passed away in 2015 at the age of 85 from natural causes.

Inheritance

When Frank Gifford passed away in August 2015 at the age of 85, he bequeathed his entire estate to Kathie, which comprised $10 million in liquid assets, a $2.5 million Florida home, and a $22 million mansion located in Connecticut.

Real Estate

Kathie Lee Gifford has invested significantly in real estate over the years, often alongside her late husband. In 2019, after relocating from her long-time Connecticut home, she purchased a $3.7 million residence in Franklin, Tennessee, an exclusive suburb near Nashville that is home to several celebrities.

The 2008-built brownstone features an impressive 9,000 square feet of living space. Prior to this acquisition, Gifford had bought another brownstone in the same region for $3.7 million, which is slightly smaller at 7,965 square feet.

In 1998, the couple invested in a charming oceanfront getaway in Nantucket for $5.8 million, which is tucked away in a quiet, secluded area of the island. They initially considered another property on Nantucket, but it was too close to the sidewalk, compromising their privacy.

In 2018, reports surfaced that Kathie Lee Gifford was listing a beautiful mansion in Key Largo, Florida, which she inherited from her late husband’s estate. Initially on the market in 2017, she relisted it in 2018 for $10.5 million after not finding a buyer. This 11,419-square-foot property was acquired by the couple for only $3.9 million back in 1998.

Following her husband’s death, Kathie Lee Gifford remained in her expansive $22 million mansion located in the Riverside neighborhood of Greenwich. This Spanish revival residence is characterized by its white stucco exterior and red tiled roofs, complemented by an extensive sprawling lawn.

After experiencing significant damage to her home during Hurricane Katrina, Kathie Lee admitted that the mansion felt “lonely” and “like a morgue,” prompting her decision to consider moving out. Nevertheless, she has opted not to sell the property and seems to have no immediate plans to do so.