Lawrence Edward Kasdan was born on the 14th January 1949, in Miami, Florida USA, of Jewish descent. He is a television and film director, producer and screenwriter, probably best recognized for creating such TV and film titles as “The Accidental Tourist” (1988), “Grand Canyon” (1991), and “Darling Companion” (2012). He is also known for creating the “Star Wars” sequel film series. His career has been active since 1980.
So, have you ever wondered how rich Lawrence Kasdan is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that the total size of Kasdan’s net worth is over $30 million, accumulated through his successful career in the film industry.
Lawrence Kasdan Net Worth $30 Million
Lawrence Kasdan was raised in Morgantown, West Virginia by his mother, Sylvia Sarah, who was an employment counselor, and his father, Clarence Norman Kasdan, who worked as a manager; he is the brother of Mark Kasdan, who is also a producer and screenwriter. He went to Morgantown High School, after which he enrolled at the University of Michigan, graduating with an MA degree in Education, as he wanted to become an English teacher. While in college, he won a Hopwood Award for writing. One of his professors was Kenneth Thorpe Rowe, a respected teacher of play-writing. Right after graduation, he couldn’t find a job as a teacher, so he worked as an advertising copywriter for a while, until he moved to Los Angeles, trying to pursue a career as a screenwriter.
In the mid- 1970s, his screenplay for “The Bodyguard” was rejected 67 times, until it was sold to Warner Bros, and Kasdan’s career began, althought it wasn’t produced as a film until 1992, in which starred Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in the lead roles. Soon after the sale, he sold another script called “Continental Divide” to Steven Spielberg, and he was hired by George Lucas to write “Raiders Of The Lost Ark” (1981), as well as to complete the screenplay for “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), which added a considerable amount to his net worth.
In 1981, Kasdan made his directing debut with the film “Body Heat”, which he also created, and two years later he was hired once again by Lucas, to write “Return Of The Jedi”. In the same year, he expanded his career to producting, as he created, directed and produced the film entitled “The Big Chill”. By the 1990s, he had written, produced and directed two more film titles – “Silverado” (1985), and “The Accidental Tourist” (1988). His net worth was rising steasdily.
During the next decade, Kasdan continued to line up success after success; his first project was directing the 1990 film “I Love You To Death”, and the following year he directed and produced “Grand Canyon”, and was the executive producer for “Jumpin’ At The Boneyard”. Later, he created such film titles as “The Bodyguard” (1992), “Wyatt Earp” (1994), and “Mumford” (1999), all of which increased his net worth by a large margin.
The new millennium didn’t change too much for Kasdan, as his next major project came in 2003, when he produced and directed “Dreamcatcher”, which is based on the Stephen King best seller. Three year later, he produced “The TV Set”, and “In The Land Of Women in 2007. Most recently, Kasdan created the 2012 film “Darling Companion”, starring Kevin Kline, and Diane Keaton, and in 2015 he wrote “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. In 2018 will be released the film so far untitled Han Solo Star Wars Anthology film, for which he has written the screenplay. His net worth is certainly still rising.
Thanks to his accomplishment in the film industry, Kasdan has earned a number of recognitions and awards, including the Golden Bear at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival for his work on “Grand Canyon”, the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement from the Writers Guild of America, ICON Award for Contributions to the Cinematic Arts, etc.
Speaking about his personal life, Lawrence Kasdan has been married to actress Meg Goldman Kasdan since 1971; the couple has two sons – Jake and Jon Kasdan, both of whom are producers and actors.
Saturn Award, Golden Bear, Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Comedy, Writers Guild of America Award - Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Picture, Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Academy Award for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay, Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, BA...
Movies
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, The Big Chill, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Body Heat, Silverado, The Accidental Tourist, Wyatt Earp, Darling Companion, Dreamcatcher, The Bodyguard, French Kiss, I Love You to Death, Continental Divide, H...
[1981 comment on Steven Spielberg] He's the Björn Borg of movies. When his mojo is working, there's nobody better. Steve's in touch with a childlike wonder at the way things work -- it's the key to his uniqueness.
2
To be happy, though, the right kind of work seems essential . I've always felt very fortunate. I have known what I wanted to do since college - and that's rare. I appreciate that.
3
I make the kind of pictures I like to see. As it so happens, they're the kind no one else is doing.
4
You know that after the success of Raiders, nothing was too expensive, and probably nothing was too outlandish, either after that.
5
I tell you, I feel like a real novice as far as horror goes.
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I want everything I do to have humor in it, because it seems to me that all of life has that.
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Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life.
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It's tough to get any movie made, and when you take on these tough genres - and I've done it a couple times - it just makes the whole struggle more.
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You can tell any story in a Western. How can you not be fascinated by them?
Won the prestigious "Hopwood Prize" for creative writing from the University of Michigan's Hopwood Program. Hopwood was a Michigan alumnus who left a bequest in his will establishing the awards. The Hopwood Program at Michigan now administers the Arthur Miller Award of the U-M Club of New York Scholarship and the Kasdan Scholarship in Creative Writing, among other award/scholarship programs. Kasadan delivered the Hopwood Prize address in the year 2000.
$30 Million
