Theodor Seuss Geisel, born on the 2nd of March 1904, was an American writer and cartoonist, famously known as Dr.Seuss, the author of numerous popular children’s books including “Horton Hears a Who”, and “The Lorax” among many others.
So how much was Geisel’s net worth? As of early 2016 it is reported to be $75 million, gained mostly from his long career as a children’s book author.
Dr. Seuss Net Worth $75 Million
Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to German immigrant parents Theodor Robert and Henrietta. After finishing Springfield Central High School, Geisel left town and got his college degree at Dartmouth College, where he had joined “Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern”, Dartmouth’s humor magazine, eventually becoming its editor-in-chief. However, after being caught drinking gin with his other classmates, Geisel was kicked out of the publication. He still contributed artworks to the magazine but penned it under his middle name “Seuss” so that his professor wouldn’t notice that it was his work. Upon graduation, Geisel moved to England and attended Oxford University. Upon meeting his wife-to-be Helen, Geisel decided to quit school and moved back to the United States.
Because of his passion of telling stories, Geisel decided to become a full-time cartoonist, and his works landed in several magazines. He also tried his hand at advertising and marketing, and spent 15 years working for Standard Oil. When the Second World War broke out, he transitioned to a different job and voiced his opinions via his artworks, and contributed political cartoons to “PM Magazine”. He also worked with the US Army and produced animated training films, booklets and documentaries for the soldiers. His success as a cartoonist started to build his name and net worth, but his real success came in the form of books.
His first finished work “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” took 27 rejections before it found its way to Vanguard Press. Geisel went on to author several children’s books, but a turning point in his career came in 1954 when LIFE Magazine criticized the reading level of children. Geisel and his publishers took the article as a challenge and produced “The Cat in the Hat” – the story, made up of 220 vocabulary words meant for new readers, became a hit among children and critics, and established him as one of the best children’s book authors and illustrators of his time.
Geisel went on to create a number of well-loved and memorable children’s books, including “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”, “Green Eggs and Ham”, “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”, “Fox in Socks” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. His books sold millions of copies worldwide, some even translated to film and Broadway, all of which contributed to his net worth.
In terms of his personal life, Geisel married his first wife Helen in 1927, during his stay in England; due to sickness and depression, Helen committed suicide in 1967. He later married his second wife Audrey in 1968, and became the stepfather to her two daughters. Geisel passed away on 24 September 1991, in La Jolla California, but he and his books are still loved by new generations.
Caldecott Medal, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards, Regina Medal
Nominations
Goodreads Choice Awards Best Picture Books
Movies
The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who!, The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Daisy-Head Mayzie, In Search of Dr. Seuss, The Butter Battle Book, The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?, Halloween Is Grinch Night, The Hoober-Bloob Highway, Dr. Seuss on ...
TV Shows
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who!, Gerald McBoing-Boing, PBS Kids Goes On Vacation, The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
#
Trademark
1
He expresses his views in social and political issues in his own books (e.g. The Lorax, The Sneetches, The Butter Battle Book, Yertle the Turtle, The Grinch, & Horton Hears a Who).
2
Verse written in anapestic tetrameter
#
Quote
1
[on how he created the Grinch] I was brushing my teeth on the morning of the 26th of last December when I noticed a very Grinch-ish countenance in the mirror. It was Seuss! So I wrote about my sour friend, the Grinch, to see if I could rediscover something about Christmas that obviously I'd lost.
2
Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
3
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go.
4
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
5
Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.
6
Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!
7
A person's a person, no matter how small.
8
Adults are obsolete children.
9
I meant what I said and I said what I meant.
10
Fun is good.
11
Preachers in pulpits talked about what a great message is in the book. No matter what you do, somebody always imputes meaning into your books.
12
When at last we are sure, You've been properly pilled, Then a few paper forms, Must be properly filled. So that you and your heirs, May be properly billed.
13
I start drawing, and eventually the characters involve themselves in a situation. Then in the end, I go back and try to cut out most of the preachments.
14
How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?
15
Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.
16
You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.
17
You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in.
18
From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.
19
Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.
20
If I were invited to a dinner party with my characters, I wouldn't show up.
21
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
22
On the false rumor that he disliked children, his remark in return was: Well, like anyone you know, there are good kids and there are creeps. And I like the good ones and I don't like the creeps.
23
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
24
(When asked why he was not a father of any children, his remark was) You keep having kids, I'll keep writing books for them.
25
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.
#
Fact
1
Although famous for the social and moral messages of his books, he usually didn't write his books with morals in mind. He preferred to let it grow out from the story, saying "A kid can see a moral coming a mile away.".
2
Partially based the character of The Grinch on himself as his house and studio were on a hill in California and, every Christmas, he would look down in disgust at all the cheesy decorations and lights adorning the houses below.
3
He was a chain smoker and casual drinker.
4
The film adaptation of ''The Lorax (2012)'' was released on what would have been his 108th birthday.
5
Despite the famous line from ''Horton Hears A Who'' "A person's a person no matter how small" being used as a slogan by Pro-Life movements, Seuss himself was a supporter of Reproductive rights and his widow has threatened lawsuits against groups that use it in campaigns.
6
Was a lifelong liberal Democrat and a supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal.
7
One night while riding home on a train, Seuss saw a pompous, stuffy-looking man with a hat on his head. Seuss wondered what would happen if someone were to knock the hat off his head and then realized the man was so full of himself that another hat would probably appear on his head as a replacement. This inspired Seuss to write "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.".
8
Wrote and drew political cartoons in the 1940's.
9
In the late 1980s, he wanted to get his book "The Cat In The Hat" made into a movie, his choices for the role of the title character were Robin Williams, Steve Martin, John Candy, or Eddie Murphy. In 2003, his book was made into a movie with none of those playing the title character.
10
Wrote "Green Eggs and Ham" on a bet to write a book with 50 words or less.
11
The music for "The Cat in the Hat Song Book," a book of Seuss-penned lyrics with music for young singers published by Random House, was written by Eugene Poddany.
12
Was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon national fraternity (New Hampshire Alpha chapter - Dartmouth College).
13
As a schoolboy during World War I, his classmates nicknamed him "The Kaiser" due to his German ancestry.
14
During World War II, Geisel joined the US Army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries. Geisel recieved an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 1945 for his writing and production of the propaganda piece Hitler Lives (1945) (a/k/a Your Job in Germany (1945) and in 1947 for Best Documentary (Feature) for Design for Death (1947)).
15
Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors." New Revision Series, Vol. 132, pp. 162-167 (as Theodor Seuss Geisel). Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005.
16
During the early 1940s, he was a political cartoonist for PM, a daily News York newspaper that was noted for its left-wing politics, superior production quality and the fact that it carried no advertising. A book of his political cartoons was published a few years ago.
17
The University of California, San Diego renamed its main library in 1995 to the Geisel Library in honor of Audrey and Theodor Geisel, both La Jolla residents. The library maintains a 8,500 item collection of the works of Dr. Seuss, with items ranging from 1919 to 1991.
18
Received his star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame to commemorate what would have been his 100th birthday. (March 2004)
19
His Cat in the Hat is shown on a USA 33¢ commemorative postage stamp, in the sheet of stamps commemorating the 1950s in the Celebrate the Century Series, issued 26 May 1999. The inscription reads "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat".
20
Pictured on a USA 37¢ commemorative postage stamp, issued 2 march 2004 (100th anniversary of birth). The stamp also depicts six characters created by Seuss: the Cat in the Hat; the Grinch; the Glotz (or the identical Klotz) from the book "Oh Say Can You Say?" and three characters from the book "I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew," the Skritz, the unnamed "young fellow," and the Skrink.
21
Supposedly wrote "Green Eggs and Ham" on a bet with His publisher, Bennett Cerf to write a book with only 50 words in writing a book. Published in 1957, "Cat in the Hat" became Dr. Seuss's all-time biggest seller. The following year, Seuss, Cerf, and Cerf's wife, inspired by the books' success, began the Beginner Books series that continues to the present day, with entertaining, elementary-level books by Seuss and other authors.
22
Seuss (his mother's maiden name) is pronounced to rhyme with "voice." Not with "loose" as it commonly is.
23
Was a recluse, spending much of his time alone in his studio.
24
Of his many works, only four could truly be called political. "The Lorax" was an parable on short-sighted exploitation of natural resources, "The Butter Battle Book" was a commentary on the arms race, "The Sneetches" dealt with racism and "Yertle the Turtle" himself was representative of Hitler and the Third Reich.
25
Attended Oxford University, 1926-1928.
26
In 1942, he was placed in charge of the Animation Division of the Armed Forces Motion Picture unit by Colonel Frank Capra. Under his administration, a series of instructional cartoons featuring the character Private Snafu (an unofficial acronym for "Situation Normal, All [Fouled] Up") were produced from 1942 to 1945. Snafu's concept and name were created by Capra, and the character designed by Arthur Heinemann & Chuck Jones. Interestingly enough, the voice of Pvt. Snafu is none other than Mel Blanc, the voice of most of the characters from the Warner Brothers stable. The cartoons were animated by Warner Bros., United Productions of America (UPA), and Harman-Ising Studios. The films had a unique saltiness to dialog and content (with the occasional "Hell" or "Damn"), but since these were instructional films made for the biweekly "Army-Navy Screen Magazine" newsreel, they were exempt from Hayes Office restrictions. Although uncredited, Seuss wrote a few of the cartoons, since much of the dialog is written in "Seussian" rhyme, and several characters resemble the illustrations from his books. A second series of instructional cartoons for the Navy, featuring Private Snafu's brother, Seaman Tarfu (an acronym for "Things Are Really [Fouled] Up"), was planned, but the end of WWII brought an end to the series, and only one of these shorts was produced. 24 Private Snafu shorts were produced in total.
27
Worked as a commercial artist and was known for his humorous spot drawings for many Standard Oil products, most famously Flit bug spray.
28
His first children's book, "And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street" (1937), was rejected by over 20 publishers.
29
Two of his works have been translated into Latin: "The Cat in the Hat" ("Cattus Petasatus") and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" ("Quomodo Invidiosulus Nomine Grinchus Christi Natalem Abrogaverit").
30
An unpublished 1973 manuscript for "My Many-Colored Days" had no illustrations. Dr. Seuss wrote what he hoped "a great color artist who will not be dominated by me" would illustrate the book, with a new art style and pattern of thinking. The book was published in 1999 with abstract artwork by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.
31
Before working on the children's books that would make him world famous, he made scuptures of fantastic animals in the form of taxidermist-mounted heads. Some of the creatures' surreal details would later appear in illustrations in his later books.
32
Never had any children of his own.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
'Neath the Bababa Tree
1931
Short story
Put on the Spout
1931
Short story
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2018
characters / creator announced
Wacky Wednesday
2016
Video short inspired by the book: "Wacky Wednesday"
Grinch Hunters
2016
Short based on the book
Forces of Nature
2012
Video short characters
Serenade
2012
Video short characters
Wagon Ho!
2012
Video short
The Lorax
2012
based on the book by
The Angry Video Game Nerd
2010
TV Series original story - 1 episode
The Cat in the Hat
2010
Short
Red Beans & Jam
2008
Short adaptation
Horton Hears a Who!
2008
book / story
Gerald McBoing Boing
2005
TV Series characters - 1 episode
The Cat in the Hat
2003
book
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
book
The Grinch
2000
Video Game book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
1996-1997
TV Series based on the works of - 3 episodes
Daisy-Head Mayzie
1995
TV Short written by - as Theodor Geisel
In Search of Dr. Seuss
1994
TV Movie characters
Horton Hatches the Egg
1992
Video book
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1992
Video book
If I Ran the Zoo
1992
Video short book
Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
1992
Video short book
Dr. Seuss: I Am Not Going to Get Up Today!
1991
Video short book
Dr. Seuss' ABC
1991
Video short book
The Butter Battle Book
1989
TV Short book / written for television by
Dobro pozhalovat!
1986
Short book "Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose"
The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat
1982
TV Short teleplay - as Ted Geisel / written by
Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?
1980
TV Short teleplay
Halloween Is Grinch Night
1977
TV Short teleplay
The Hoober-Bloob Highway
1975
TV Movie teleplay
Dr. Seuss on the Loose
1973
TV Short screenplay / stories: "The Sneetches", "The Zax" and "Green Eggs and Ham" - uncredited
The Lorax
1972
TV Short teleplay
The Cat in the Hat
1971
TV Short teleplay
Horton Hears a Who!
1970
TV Short teleplay
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1966
TV Movie book
Ya zhdu ptentsa
1966
Short book
The Big Fun Carnival
1957
story - archive footage
Gerald McBoing! Boing! on Planet Moo
1956
Short characters - uncredited
The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
1956
TV Series characters - 1 episode
How Now Boing Boing
1954
Short characters - uncredited
Gerald McBoing-Boing's Symphony
1953
Short characters - uncredited
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.
1953
screenplay / story and conception
Gerald McBoing-Boing
1950
Short story
The Costume Designer
1950
Short story - uncredited
Design for Death
1947
Documentary as Theodor S. Geisel
Private Snafu Presents Seaman Tarfu in the Navy
1946
Short uncredited
Your Job in Germany
1945
Documentary short
No Buddy Atoll
1945
Short uncredited
Operation Snafu
1945
Short uncredited
Hot Spot
1945
Short uncredited
It's Murder She Says...
1945
Short uncredited
A Few Quick Facts: Fear
1945
Short uncredited
In the Aleutians
1945
Short uncredited
Target Snafu
1944
Short uncredited
Pay Day
1944
Short uncredited
Three Brothers
1944
Short uncredited
Outpost
1944
Short uncredited
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
1944
Short book
Censored
1944
Short uncredited
The Chow Hound
1944
Short uncredited
Going Home
1944
Short uncredited
Gas
1944
Short uncredited
A Lecture on Camouflage
1944
Short uncredited
Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike
1944
Short uncredited
Snafuperman
1944
Short uncredited
A Few Quick Facts: Inflation
1944
Short uncredited
Booby Traps
1944
Short uncredited
Rumors
1943
Short uncredited
The Home Front
1943
Short uncredited
The Goldbrick
1943
Short uncredited
The Infantry Blues
1943
Short uncredited
Spies
1943
Short uncredited
Gripes
1943
Short uncredited
Coming!! Snafu
1943
Short uncredited
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
1943
Short writer
Horton Hatches the Egg
1942
Short book
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Butter Battle Book
1989
TV Short executive producer - as Theodor Geisel
The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat
1982
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?
1980
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
Halloween Is Grinch Night
1977
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
The Hoober-Bloob Highway
1975
TV Movie producer - as Ted Geisel
Dr. Seuss on the Loose
1973
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
The Lorax
1972
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
The Cat in the Hat
1971
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
Horton Hears a Who!
1970
TV Short producer - as Ted Geisel
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1966
TV Movie producer - as Ted Geisel
Private Snafu Presents Seaman Tarfu in the Navy
1946
Short supervising producer - uncredited
No Buddy Atoll
1945
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Operation Snafu
1945
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Hot Spot
1945
Short supervising producer - uncredited
It's Murder She Says...
1945
Short supervising producer - uncredited
In the Aleutians
1945
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Target Snafu
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Pay Day
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Three Brothers
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Outpost
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Censored
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
The Chow Hound
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Going Home
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Gas
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
A Lecture on Camouflage
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Snafuperman
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Booby Traps
1944
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Rumors
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
The Home Front
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Fighting Tools
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
The Goldbrick
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
The Infantry Blues
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Spies
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Gripes
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Coming!! Snafu
1943
Short supervising producer - uncredited
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mike & Mike
2013-2014
TV Series lyrics - 4 episodes
One Hit Wonderland
2014
TV Series documentary writer - 1 episode
Welcome to the Basement
2014
TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
Grand Piano
2013
writer: "Ten Happy Fingers" - as Theodore Geisel
The Dirties
2013
writer: "It's Possible in McElligot's Pool"
The Big Bang Theory
2012
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Glee
2010
TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
Hewy's Animated Movie Reviews
2010
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Nostalgia Critic
2010
TV Series writer - 1 episode
The Simpsons
2003
TV Series lyrics - 1 episode
Songs in the Key of Grinch
2000
Video documentary short writer: "Welcome Christmas - Reprise" - uncredited
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2000
writer: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", "Welcome Christmas", "Grinch 2000"
3rd Rock from the Sun
1998
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Mystery Science Theater 3000
TV Series lyrics - 1 episode, 1995 writer - 1 episode, 1993
In Search of Dr. Seuss
1994
TV Movie lyrics: "In Search of Dr. Seuss", "Yertle the Turtle", "Green Eggs & Ham" - as Theodor S. Geisel
Home Alone
1990
writer: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" - as Theodore Giesl
The Hoober-Bloob Highway
1975
TV Movie lyrics: "The Hoober-Bloob Highway", "...And That's the Way It Is, Bub", "West Watch-A-Ka-Tella", "This Is Your Life", "Among the Daisies", "That's Just the Beginning", "Things You Have to Know", "I Know the Way You Feel, Bub", "On the Other Hand", "It's Fun to be a Human", "What Do You Do?", "Answer Yes or No", "You're a Human"
The Cat in the Hat
1971
TV Short lyrics: "Nothing to Be Done", "The Gradunza", "Calculatus Eliminatus", "I'm A Punk", "Beautiful Kittenfish", "Anything Under The Sun", "Cat, Hat", "Sweep Up The Memories"
Horton Hears a Who!
1970
TV Short lyrics: "Mrs. Toucanella Told Me", "Old Doc Hoovey", "Wickersham Brothers' Song", "Dr. Hoovey, You Were Right", "Horton the Elephant's Going to Be Caged", "We are Here!", "Be Kind to Your Small Person Friends" - uncredited
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
1966
TV Movie writer: "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", "Fahoo Foraze-Opening", "Trim Up the Tree", "Welcome Christmas" - uncredited
$75 Million
