Danny Kaye Net Worth

What was Danny Kaye's Net Worth?

Danny Kaye was an American actor, singer, and comedian who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in March 1987. Danny Kaye was known for his performances in such films as "Wonder Man," "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," "Hans Christian Andersen," "White Christmas," and "The Court Jester." He also had a popular television variety program, "The Danny Kaye Show," in the 1960s. Beyond show business, Kaye was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF, and was also a licensed pilot and avid cook.

Early Life and Education

Danny Kaye was born as David Daniel Kaminsky on January 18, 1911 in New York City to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Clara and Jacob. He had two older brothers named Larry and Mac. As a youth, Kaye attended Public School 149 and Thomas Jefferson High School. He did not graduate from the latter, however, as he ran away to Florida with his friend Louis after his mother passed away. Kaye and his friend formed a musical duo, with Kaye singing and his friend playing the guitar.

Career Beginnings

After returning to New York, Kaye took a number of odd jobs, including soda jerk and auto insurance investigator. He began his show-business career in earnest in 1933, when he joined the vaudeville dance act the Three Terpsichoreans. While the group was touring in Osaka, Japan, a typhoon struck the city, knocking out the power. To soothe the audience for the Three Terpsichoreans' evening performance, Kaye went out on stage with a flashlight and loudly sang every song he could remember. This experience of performing for a crowd that didn't understand English led Kaye to begin his famous pantomime acts. Upon returning to the United States, Kaye once again had a number of odd jobs, including in a burlesque revue with fan dancer Sally Rand. In 1937, he performed in the Catskills and appeared in a series of two-reel comedies for Educational Pictures.

Broadway

In 1939, Kaye made his Broadway debut in the musical comedy revue "The Straw Hat Revue." Although the show closed after only ten weeks, Kaye earned strong reviews for his work, leading to a gig at the New York City nightclub La Martinique. There, he was noticed by playwright Moss Hart, who subsequently cast Kaye in his hit 1941 Broadway musical "Lady in the Dark." Kaye starred in another Broadway musical that year, "Let's Face It!" Soon after that, he began his film career; he wouldn't return to Broadway until 1970, when he starred in the musical "Two by Two."

Film Career

Already a Broadway star, Kaye made his feature film debut in the 1944 musical "Up in Arms." Over the subsequent years, he starred in a string of films with Virginia Mayo, including "Wonder Man," "The Kid from Brooklyn," "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," and "A Song is Born." Closing out the decade, Kaye starred in "The Inspector General" and had a cameo appearance in "It's a Great Feeling." He became more prolific in the 1950s, starting with his Golden Globe Award-winning dual role in "On the Riviera." Kaye followed that by portraying the titular Danish author in the musical biopic "Hans Christian Andersen." He next starred in "Knock on Wood" and "White Christmas," both in 1954.

In 1956, Kaye starred in the historical musical comedy "The Court Jester." Two years later, he starred in the musical "Merry Andrew" and the comedy "Me and the Colonel." For the latter, he won his second Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. Kaye next portrayed jazz musician Red Nichols in the musical biopic "The Five Pennies," released in 1959. His first film of the 1960s was the comedy "On the Double," in which he played the dual roles of an American soldier and a British General. Kaye subsequently starred in the 1963 comedy "The Man from the Diners' Club." His final big-screen credit was the 1969 satirical comedy "The Madwoman of Chaillot," starring Katharine Hepburn.

Television Career

After starring in some television specials in the early 1960s, Kaye launched his variety program "The Danny Kaye Show" in 1963. An adaptation of his popular radio show of the same name, which ran from 1945 to 1946, the television show won a Peabody Award and four Emmy Awards. It aired on CBS for four seasons through mid-1967. In the 1970s, Kaye's most prominent television roles were in musical adaptations of "Pinocchio" and "Peter Pan." In the former, he played Gepetto, and in the latter he played Captain Hook. The next decade, Kaye had a rare dramatic role in the television film "Skokie," playing a Holocaust survivor. He also hosted a television special celebrating the opening of EPCOT Center at Disney World, and appeared in episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and "The Cosby Show."

Albums and Singles

Kaye had a fairly extensive music career independent from his radio, film, and television appearances. With the Andrews Sisters, he had his first big hit in 1947 with the song "Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)." Two years later, he released his self-titled debut album. Kaye went on to have charting singles with "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," "C'est Si Bon (It's So Good)," and "Black Strap Molasses." In 1956, Kaye signed with Capitol Records and released the single "Love Me Do." At the end of the decade, he released his first of two spoken-word albums for children.

Charitable Endeavors

Kaye was highly involved in charity, especially related to children's health and education. The inaugural ambassador-at-large of UNICEF, he informed the public about child indigence around the world and helped to distribute goods and funds. Kaye also conducted numerous symphonies to raise money for charities, including musician pension funds.

Other Activities

An aviation enthusiast, Kaye earned his pilot's license in the early 1960s. He became qualified for many types of aircraft and supported a number of flying projects. Elsewhere, with Lester Smith, Kaye ran Kaye-Smith Enterprises, through which he owned a video production company, a concert promotion company, and a chain of radio stations. Kaye and Smith also led an investment group that owned the MLB franchise the Seattle Mariners. In other activities, Kaye was an avid cook, with his specialities including Chinese and Italian cuisine. He had a custom-made Chinese restaurant installed at the back of his house and taught Chinese cooking classes in San Francisco.

Personal Life and Death

In 1939, Kaye met Sylvia Fine at an audition for an off-Broadway show. The two had grown up just blocks apart in Brooklyn, and Kaye had previously worked for Fine's father Samuel, a dentist. In 1940, the pair married in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They remained married for life, although a separation occurred between 1947 and 1948, during which time Kaye was involved with actress Eve Arden. In addition to being a married couple, Kaye and Fine were close artistic collaborators, with Fine writing many of her husband's most popular songs. Together, they had one child, a daughter named Dena.

In 1983, Kaye underwent quadruple bypass surgery and ended up contracting hepatitis C from a blood transfusion. Later, on March 3, 1987, he passed away from complications of the disease, as well as from heart failure. Kaye's body was cremated and his ashes were interred at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.