William Shatner Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is the net worth of William Shatner?

Born in Canada, William Shatner is a multifaceted talent as an actor, author, producer, director, screenwriter, and singer, boasting a net worth estimated at $100 million. He is most renowned for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the “Star Trek” franchise. Additionally, Shatner has starred in other prominent television series such as “T.J. Hooker,” “The Practice,” and “Boston Legal.” In May 1983, he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he also has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Shatner’s acting journey began in the 1950s, where he took part in various theater productions and television programs in Canada. His breakthrough came in the 1960s when he was cast as the lead in “Star Trek: The Original Series,” which aired from 1966 to 1969, earning him international fame. His captivating portrayal of the bold starship captain led to a loyal fan base and established him as a legendary figure in science fiction. Following “Star Trek,” Shatner maintained his successful television career by starring in the legal drama series “T.J. Hooker” (1982-1986) and hosting the well-loved reality show “Rescue 911” (1989-1996). He also reprised his role as Captain Kirk in seven “Star Trek” movies from 1979 to 1994.

Besides acting, Shatner is a prolific author, having penned numerous books including memoirs and science fiction works. He has released several spoken-word albums and has performed on Broadway. In the 2000s, he gained new acclaim for his comedic performances, especially his Emmy-winning role as the quirky lawyer Denny Crane in the series “Boston Legal” (2004-2008).

Earnings from Conventions

Annually, William Shatner makes appearances at numerous conventions. For these appearances, he charges $10,000 for travel expenses along with $10,000 per hour, requiring a minimum of five hours.

Did Shatner earn $600 million from Priceline?

There’s a widespread belief that William Shatner made $600 million as the commercial spokesperson for Priceline.com, which is unfounded.

In 1997, Shatner became the “Priceline Negotiator” in a series of commercials for the emerging online travel enterprise. At that time, the internet boom was escalating, and companies like Priceline were receiving extravagant stock valuations following their IPOs. According to the rumor, Shatner opted to be compensated with stock rather than cash. Initially, this decision appeared to be a savvy move, yet the bubble eventually burst, causing Priceline shares to lose almost all their value, dropping to a low of $1.80 per share by 2000. Fast forward just over a decade, and while Shatner was still featured in commercials, Priceline’s stock had notably rebounded. Speculation arose that Shatner had not sold any of his shares throughout the troubled decade, leading to claims that his stock was potentially valued at over $600 million.

On multiple occasions, Shatner has firmly rejected these rumors, particularly during an interview with Howard Stern. He also took to Twitter to clarify:

“Someone stupid said a stupid thing about me making $600M. It ain’t so. Relatives are coming out of the woodwork. Too bad it never happened.”

Early Life

On March 22, 1931, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, William Shatner was born into a Jewish family. His paternal grandfather had anglicized their last name from Schattner to Shatner. Ann and Joseph are his parents, and he shares his family with two sisters. Shatner’s education included Willingdon Elementary School and West Hill High School, and he is an alumnus of the Montreal Children’s Theatre. He pursued his studies in Economics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1952.

Career

Following his graduation, Shatner secured a position as the business manager at a playhouse in Montreal. He then became a part of the Canadian National Repertory Theatre, where he trained to be a classical Shakespearean actor. Beginning in 1954, he took on various roles at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. That year also saw him cast as Ranger Bob in the Canadian “Howdy Doody Show.” His debut in feature films occurred in 1958 with “The Brothers Karamazov,” and he appeared in an episode titled “The Glass Eye” on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”

Shatner’s major breakthrough arrived when he was cast as Captain James T. Kirk in “Star Trek,” a show that aired from 1966 until 1969. In 1973, he revisited the role of Captain Kirk, though only through voice, in the animated series of “Star Trek.”

Despite its cancellation, “Star Trek” gained a devoted fanbase throughout the 1970s due to syndicated reruns, establishing Captain Kirk as a cultural icon. Shatner subsequently began making appearances at Star Trek conventions.

Shatner took on a leading role in “T. J. Hooker,” which aired from 1982 to 1986. Additionally, during the 1980s, he resumed his portrayal of James T. Kirk in five “Star Trek” films. This period also marked the beginning of his directing career in both film and television, where he directed several episodes of “T. J. Hooker” and the film “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.”

The year 2000 saw Shatner co-starring in “Miss Congeniality,” a role he reprised in the 2004 sequel “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous.”

In the final season of the legal drama “The Practice,” David E. Kelley assigned Shatner the role of Denny Crane. He then took the character to “Boston Legal,” staying with the series until it concluded in 2008. From 2016 to 2018, he starred in both seasons of NBC’s “Better Late Than Never.”

Beyond acting, Shatner pursued a career as a recording artist, with his first album, “The Transformed Man,” released in 1968. His most successful album, “Seeking Major Tom,” came out in 2011 and featured covers of songs like David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” Pink Floyd’s “Learning to Fly,” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Personal Life

Four times has Shatner entered into matrimony. In August 1956, he married Canadian actress Gloria Rand. Together, they had three daughters: Leslie (born in 1958), Lisabeth (born in 1960), and Melanie (born in 1964). During the filming of the original “Star Trek” series, Shatner departed from Rand, leading to their divorce, which occurred in March 1969.

The second spouse for Shatner was Marcy Lafferty, with whom he remained married from 1973 until 1996.

Nerine Kidd Shatner became his third wife in 1997 when Shatner was 66 and she was 38. Tragically, on the night of August 9, 1999, after returning home late, Shatner found Nerine’s body at the bottom of their swimming pool. An autopsy revealed the presence of alcohol and Valium, leading the coroner to determine that the cause of death was accidental drowning.

In 2001, Shatner tied the knot with Elizabeth Anderson Martin. He initiated divorce proceedings in 2019, which concluded in January 2020. As stipulated in their prenuptial agreement, Shatner provided Elizabeth with a one-time payment of $2 million for spousal support and transferred ownership of properties in Malibu and Kentucky to her. Meanwhile, Shatner retained a home in Studio City, California, a ranch in Three Rivers, and several horses… including “all horse semen” collected and stored during their marriage.

In June 2011, McGill University bestowed upon him an honorary Doctorate of Letters. Additionally, in May 2018, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from the New England Institute of Technology.

At the age of 90, William Shatner made history in 2021 by becoming the oldest individual to travel to space when he boarded a Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule.

William Shatner Salary

What is William Shatner’s earnings per episode on a television series? $150,000

Real Estate

William Shatner resides in a four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 4,016-square-foot house located in Studio City, California. Following his divorce settlement with Elizabeth in 2020, he transferred ownership of a property in Malibu and their Belle Reve Farm situated in Versailles, Kentucky, to her. He, however, retained an 18-acre ranch in Three Rivers, California, which he purchased in 1979 alongside his then-wife Marcy.