Edward Kirk Herrmann was born on the 21st July 1943, in Washington, D.C. USA, and was an award-winning actor, director and comedian, best known to the world as Max in the horror film “The Lost Boys” (1987), then as Richard Gilmore in the TV series “Gilmore Girls” (2000-2007), and as Joseph Breen in the biopic about Howard Hughes “Aviator” (2004), among many other differing appearances. Edward’s career started in 1971 and ended with his passing in 2014.
Have you ever wondered how rich Edward Herrmann was, at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources it has been estimated that Herrmann’s net worth is as high as $10 million, an amount earned through his successful career in acting.
Edward Herrmann Net Worth $10 Million
Edward is the son of John Anthony Herrmann and Jean Eleanor, and is of German and Irish ancestry. He spent his childhood in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and after high school matriculation, enrolled at Bucknell University, graduating in 1965 and then enrolling at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as a Fulbright Fellow.
His professional career as an actor began in theaters; he appeared in the premiere of ‘Moonchildren” in 1971, and the next year made his first appearance on Broadway with the same play. In 1976 he portrayed Frank Gadner in “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”, for which he won a Tony Award in the category Best Featured Actor in a Play. Throughout the rest of his career, Edward appeared sporadically on stage, including in the London West End production of “A Walk in the Woods” in 1988, among many other plays that also increased his net worth.
Thanks to his initial success on stage, it became quite easy for Edward to cross into film and television; he made his debut on screen appearance in the Academy Award-winning comedy drama “The Paper Chase” (1973), while the following year he portrayed Klipspringer in Jack Clayton’s Academy Award-winning film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” (1974), with Robert Redford, Mia Farrow and Bruce Dern in the lead roles. In 1976, Edward got his first break, with the major role of the president Franklin D. Roosevelt in the TV series “Eleanor and Franklin”, which then led to reprising the role, “Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years” (1977), and “A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story”, two made-for-television movies. Little by little Edward’s name started to become known, and he landed several lead roles, but the films were generally B productions, but in 1981 he starred next to Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton in the drama “Reds”, which won several Academy Awards, and other prestigious honors. Then in 1987 he was Max in Joel Schumacher’s horror “The Lost Boys”, but didn’t have further notable work until 1995 when he portrayed Herman Munster in the sci-fi comedy horror “Here Come the Munsters”, and also the same year he featured in the biopic “Nixon”, starring Anthony Hopkins as the president Richard Nixon. Two years later he was selected for the role of Anderson Pearson in the TV series “The Practice” (1997-2001), for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
With the start of the new millennium, Edward landed the role of Richard Gilmore Lorelai’s (Lauren Graham) father, appearing in over 150 episodes of the show, which increased his net worth to a large degree. In 2001 he appeared in the romantic drama “The Cat’s Meow”, with Kirsten Dunst, while also featuring in the biopic about tragically deceased actor James Dean, portrayed by James Franco. In 2010 he started portraying Lionel Deerfield in the TV series “The Good Wife”, while one of his last appearances was in the film “Coach of the Year” (2015), released several months after his death.
Edward’s net worth increased also thanks to his voice work, used for numerous PBS specials, while he also narrated the films “Eighty Acres of Hell” (2006), “The Mayflower” (2006), “Andrew Jackson” (2007), and was a special guest of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, which was made into a made-for-television film in 2009.
Regarding his personal life, Edward was married to Star Roman since 1994 until his death in 2014; the couple had two children together, while Star also had a child from previous relationship, whom Edward adopted. Before Star, Edward was married to actress Leigh Curran from 1978 until 1991. Herman was a car collector, focusing on classic automobiles, and during his life he has owned such cars as 1929 Auburn 8-90 Boattail Speedster and a 1934 Alvis Speed 20.
He passed away on the 31st December 2014, after battling brain cancer.
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, Obie Award for Susta...
Nominations
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding F...
Movies
The Lost Boys, Annie, Overboard, Richie Rich, The Aviator, The Paper Chase, The Cat's Meow, Intolerable Cruelty, The Purple Rose of Cairo, The Great Waldo Pepper, The Emperor's Club, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years, Reds, I Think I Love My Wife, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, Harry's W...
TV Shows
Gilmore Girls, The American Revolution, History's Lost & Found, Eleanor and Franklin, Beacon Hill, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Liberty!, Russia, Land of the Tsars, The States, Gilmore Girls, History's Lost & Found, New York: A Documentary Film, Eleanor and Franklin, Beacon Hill, Gilmore Girls...
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Trademark
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Towering height.
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Often plays wealthy men, political figures, millionaires.
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Quote
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I love the spoken word. I love hearing it. The way the words can seduce you.
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Fact
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His remains were cremated.
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His father was of German descent and his mother was of Irish and English ancestry.
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One of his last acting credits was narrating a documentary series on cancer, while he himself was dying of brain cancer. He thought of it as a fitting and important final performance.
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Was a TV pitchman for the now defunct Fair Financing Company which operated a Ponzi scheme by Tim Durham and others resulting in convictions for wire and securities fraud.
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His future second wife, Star Roman, sued him for paternity after he fathered a child with her during the filming of Harry's War (1981).
He was nominated for a 1975 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for his performance in "The Cherry Orchard", at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
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In 1999, he hosted a program on The History Channel, History's Lost & Found (1999) which chronicles the whereabouts of history's best known artifacts. Since that time Herrmann has hosted (or narrated) dozens of History Channel specials mostly about historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Won his Tony the same year that Kelly Bishop - who portrays his wife in Gilmore Girls (2000) - won hers.
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Won Broadway's 1976 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) for George Bernard Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession." Was also Tony-nominated in 1983 as Best Actor (Play) for "Plenty.".
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He has completed many voiceover assignments: from Dodge TV commercials, to documentaries to dozens of audiobooks (in many cases, using different accents and dialects).
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He grew up in the Detroit area, studied drama in England at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (on a Fullbright Fellowship no less) and performed in several repertory stage productions in the Dallas area early in his career.
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He loves restoring classic cars. He has several in his collection.
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Member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at Bucknell University, where he was a graduate.
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Father of Ryen Herrmann and Emma Herrmann. His step-son Rory Herrmann (after the Gilmore Girls main character is named) works as Chef.