Isaac Sidney Caesar was born on 8 September 1922, in Yonkers, New York City, USA, of Jewish descent. Sid was an actor and writer, best known for helping pioneer comedy through the television series “Your Show of Shows” and “Caesar’s Hour”, being active in the industry from 1946 to 2006. All of his efforts helped put his net worth to where it was prior to his passing.
How rich is Sid Caesar? As of late-2017, sources estimate a net worth that is at $10 million, mostly earned through success in comedy. He appeared in numerous films, including “Silent Movie” and “Grease”, and was nominated for 11 Emmy Awards during his career; all of these achievements ensured the position of his wealth.
Sid Caesar Net Worth $10 million
Growing up, Sid was often at his parents’ restaurant, and there started to develop his comedy skill through mimicking the various clientele. He started creating sketches at the time, and also learned to play the saxophone. He attended Yonkers High School, and matriculated in 1939.
Caesar then left home to pursue a musical career – he moved to Manhattan and started working as a doorman of Capitol Theater. He then found work as a saxophonist in the Catskill Mountains, and during his time there he was mentored, and performed in comedy shows. In 1939, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard and also did shows during his service. He then joined the musicians’ union and started performing with various artists, with his net worth increasing due to the success of his comedy acts. He included comedy with his musical acts, which established his eventual path in comedy. After World War II, he moved to Hollywood and was cast in acting roles; he became a part of “The Guilt of Janet Ames” and performed in the Broadway revue entitled “Make Mine Manhattan”. In 1948, he would win a Donaldson Award.
Sid also found a lot of television work which would increase his net worth significantly. His first series was “Admiral Broadway Revue” which was highly successful, yet the sponsor could not keep up with the demand which led to the show’s end. In 1950, he would appear in the first episode of “Your Show of Shows” which featured various musical guests, and was a mix of comedy sketches, satire, music and big production numbers. Some of the guests of the show included Jackie Cooper, Michael Redgrave, Lena Horne and Fred Allen, and several writers also got their big break thanks to the success of the show. In 1952, Sid got his first Emmy Award, and “Your Show of Shows” would continue to run until 1954. After a few months, he created the variety sketch show “Caesar’s Hour” which consisted mostly of his previous crew; the budget of the show doubled and ran until 1958. Sid then continued to make appearances in other projects such as the musical “Little Me”, being nominated for a Tony Award.
Caesar found many opportunities that impacted his net worth. However, after the end of “Caesar’s Hour”, his success started to wane. He did several performances on stage during the 1970s, but later stopped as he struggled with alcoholism. He would make occasional appearances in the 1980s including in “History of the World, Part I”, which reunited him with writer Mel Brooks, and he also starred in “Grease” and “Four on a Garden”. In 1983, he hosted an episode of “Saturday Night Live”, and years later, he made a guest appearance in “Vegas Vacation” before appearing in “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit”. In 2001, he also appeared in “Larry King Live” alongside comedian Drew Carey.
For his personal life, it is known that Sid married Florence Levy in 1943 and they had three children. She passed away in 2010. Four years later, he passed away at the age of 91 after a brief illness. Many comedians gave tribute to him after his passing.
TCA Career Achievement Award, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Continuing Performance - Comedian In A Series, TV Land Pioneer Award
Nominations
Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Personality, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor Starring In A Regular Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Best Comedian, Primetime Emmy Award for ...
Movies
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Grease, Silent Movie, History of the World, Part I, The Cheap Detective, Grease 2, The Busy Body, Tars and Spars, The Spirit is Willing, Vegas Vacation, Airport 1975, The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, Cannonball Run II, A Guide for the Married Man, Stoogemania, The...
TV Shows
Amazing Stories, Pink Lady, Caesar's Hour, Your Show of Shows, Admiral Broadway Revue, Dorothy in the Land of Oz, Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad
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Trademark
1
Comedy acts involving ordinary people in unrealistic situations
When I did comedy I made fun of myself. If there was a buffoon, I played the buffoon. And people looked at me and said, "Gee, that's like Uncle David", or "That's like a friend of mine.". And they related through that. I didn't make fun of them. I made fun of me.
2
The trouble with telling a good story is that it invariably reminds the other fellow of a dull one.
3
The things I see now on TV and in movies are so outlandish. Kids doing rude things with pies! And the language that they use! It's being outrageous for the sake of being outrageous. I can't watch it. It turns me off.
4
After all those years of doing a live, hour-and-a-half show every week, I've got nothing more I need to prove.
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Fact
1
Infamous in his earlier years for an explosive temper and being quick to anger, one possibly apocryphal story has Caesar arguing with a cab driver over the fare and getting angrier by the moment. When the cabbie said "I'll remember you, pal", Caesar exploded, yelling "I'll give you something to remember! Remember birth?" and then proceeded to reach into the cab, grab the cabbie by the neck and pull him out of the cab though the window of the driver's door.
2
Following his death, he was interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
3
Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1985.
4
Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. on February 8, 1960.
5
He was the son of Jewish immigrants, Ida (née Raphael), from Russia, and Max Caesar, from Poland. The two ran a 24-hour luncheonette. Sid would help his parents by waiting on tables, and it was during this time that he learned to mimic many of the accents he would use throughout his long career.
6
Despite his apparent fluency in many languages, in reality he can only speak English and Yiddish.
7
At age 14 he first went to the Catskills as a saxophonist with Mike Cifficello's Swingtime Six and would also occasionally perform in sketches.
8
Arrived in New York City penniless and tried to join the musician's union (later he audited classes at the famed Juilliard School of Music).
9
Has played at the Vacationland Hotel in Swan Lake in the Catskills during his salad days. There, under the tutelage of Don Appel, the resort's social director, Caesar played in the band and learned to perform comedy, doing three shows a week.
10
Made his Broadway debut performing in the 1948 revue "Make Mine Manhattan", which featured "The Five Dollar Date", one of Sid's first original pieces in which he sang, acted, double-talked, pantomimed and wrote the music.
11
Caesar's appearance in his first series The Admiral Broadway Revue (1949) with Imogene Coca was a huge hit with television audiences. Simultaneously broadcast on NBC and the Dumont network, its sponsor, Admiral Corporation, an appliance company, could not keep up with the demand for its new television sets, so the show was canceled on account of its runaway success.
He gave up alcohol "cold turkey". His autobiography, "Where Have I Been", published in 1983 and his second book, "Caesar's Hours", both chronicle his struggle to overcome alcoholism and barbiturates.
14
He was assigned as a musician in the Coast Guard, taking part in the service show "Tars and Spars", where producer Max Liebman overheard him improvising comedy routines among the band members, and switched him over to comedy. Sid later made his film debut in the adaptation of his stage hit, Tars and Spars (1946).
15
His father, Max Caesar, owned a restaurant in Yonkers, New York.
Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures - The Impact of Sid Caesar
2003
Video executive in charge of production
Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures - The Legend of Sid Caesar
2003
Video executive in charge of production
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites - The Dream Team of Comedy
2001
Video documentary executive in charge of production
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites - The Professor and Other Clowns
2001
Video documentary executive in charge of production
The Sid Caesar Collection: Creating the Comedy
2000
Video documentary executive in charge of production
The Sid Caesar Collection: Inside the Writer's Room
2000
Video documentary executive in charge of production
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV
2000
Video documentary executive in charge of production
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Dean Martin Show
1965
TV Series
Caesar's Hour
1954
TV Series
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Ten from Your Show of Shows
1973
writer
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Princess Academy
1987
musical cues
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Edición Especial Coleccionista
2014
TV Series in memory of - 1 episode
Woody Allen: A Documentary
2012
Documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
2016
Documentary post-production
Himself
When Comedy Went to School
2013
Documentary
Himself
Lunch
2012/I
Documentary
Himself
Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America
2009
TV Series documentary
Himself
Pioneers of Television
2008
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Mr. Laughs: A Look Behind the Curtain
2008
Documentary
Himself
The Jewish Americans
2008
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
The 4th Annual TV Land Awards
2006
TV Special
Himself
Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Comedians' Comedian
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Funny Already: A History of Jewish Comedy
2004
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures - Shining Stars
2003
Video
Himself
Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures - The Impact of Sid Caesar
2003
Video
Himself
Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures - The Legend of Sid Caesar
2003
Video
Himself
The Desilu Story
2003
TV Movie documentary
Himself
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
2002
TV Special
Himself
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself (uncredited)
Hail Sid Caesar! The Golden Age of Comedy
2001
Documentary
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites - The Dream Team of Comedy
2001
Video documentary
Himself
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
2001
TV Series
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites - Love & Laughter
2001
Video documentary
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites - The Professor and Other Clowns
2001
Video documentary
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: Creating the Comedy
2000
Video documentary
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: Inside the Writer's Room
2000
Video documentary
Himself
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV
2000
Video documentary
Himself
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
2000
TV Series
Himself
Let Me In, I Hear Laughter
2000
Documentary
Himself
The Mark Twain Prize: Jonathan Winters
2000
TV Movie
Himself
The Century: America's Time
1999
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
The 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1998
TV Special
Himself
NY TV: By the People Who Made It - Part I & II
1998
TV Movie documentary
Himself
To Life! America Celebrates Israel's 50th
1998
TV Special
Himself
50 Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Golden Anniversary
1997
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Caesar's Writers
1996
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Biography
1994-1996
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
1995
TV Special
Himself
Pioneers of Primetime
1995
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1995
TV Special
Himself
The 2th Annual Lucy Awards
1995
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
The 9th Annual Genesis Awards
1995
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
The Second Annual Comedy Hall of Fame
1994
TV Special
Himself - Honoree
Comic Relief VI
1994
TV Special documentary
Himself
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
TV Series
Himself
The First Annual Comedy Hall of Fame
1993
TV Movie
Himself
The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1992
TV Special
Himself
The Chuck Woolery Show
1991
TV Series
Himself
One on One with John Tesh
1991
TV Series
Himself
The 5th Annual American Comedy Awards
1991
TV Special
Himself
Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
1991
TV Movie documentary
Himself / Melville Crump, DDS
The Fifth Annual Genesis Awards
1991
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Today
1990
TV Series
Himself
Bob Hope's Birthday Spectacular in Paris
1989
TV Special
Himself
The Pat Sajak Show
1989
TV Series
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1965-1989
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards
1988
TV Special
Himself
Hour Magazine
1988
TV Series
Himself
Sesame Street
1988
TV Series
Himself
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
TV Special documentary
Himself
The Annual Friars Club Tribute Present a Salute to Liza Minnelli
1987
TV Movie
Himself
The 4th Annual American Cinema Awards
1987
TV Special
Himself
The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1986
TV Special
Himself
NBC 60th Anniversary Celebration
1986
TV Special documentary
Himself
Comic Relief
1986/I
TV Special
Prof. Ludwig von Knowitall
The 3rd Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame Awards
1986
TV Special
Himself
A Museum of Broadcasting Tribute: Milton Berle - Mr. Television
1985
TV Movie documentary
All-Star Party for Lucille Ball
1984
TV Special
Himself
On Stage America
1984
TV Series
Himself
The Bob Monkhouse Show
1983
TV Series
Himself
Saturday Night Live
1983
TV Series
Himself - Host
Late Night with David Letterman
1982
TV Series
Himself
Tom Cottle: Up Close
1982
TV Series
Himself
The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1981
TV Special
Himself
A Gift of Music
1981
TV Special
Himself
The Big Show
1980
TV Series
Himself
Pink Lady
1980
TV Series
Himself
A Salute to American Imagination
1978
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Merv Griffin Show
1978
TV Series
Himself
A Tribute to Neil Simon
1978
TV Movie
Himself
The Hollywood Squares
1978
TV Series
Himself
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: George Burns
1978
TV Special
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1964-1977
TV Series
Himself - Comedian / Himself
The 29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1977
TV Special
Himself
Perry Como's Christmas in Austria
1976
TV Special
Himself
Van Dyke and Company
1976
TV Series
Himself
Dinah!
1975-1976
TV Series
Himself
Tony Orlando and Dawn
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Second Annual Comedy Awards
1976
TV Special
Himself
Ann-Margret Smith
1975
TV Movie
Himself
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Michael Landon
1975
TV Special
Himself
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jackie Gleason
1975
TV Special
Himself
The Bobby Darin Show
1973
TV Series
Himself
Ed Sullivan Presents: The TV Comedy Years
1973
TV Movie
Himself
Zenith Presents: A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary
1972
TV Special
Himself
The David Frost Show
1970-1972
TV Series
Himself
Flip
1970-1971
TV Series
Himself
The Dick Cavett Show
1971
TV Series
Himself
The Irv Kupcinet Show
1971
TV Series
Himself
This Is Your Life
1971
TV Series
Himself
The Kraft Music Hall
1969-1971
TV Series
Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show
1956-1971
TV Series
Himself / Max - scene from 'Four on a Garden'
Sandler and Young's Kraft Music Hall
1970
TV Series
Himself
Playboy After Dark
1969-1970
TV Series
Himself
The Dean Martin Show
1966-1970
TV Series
Himself
Celebrity Billiards
1970
TV Series
Himself
The Andy Williams Show
1970
TV Series
Himself
The Hollywood Palace
1966-1970
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Host
Laugh-In
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Bob Hope Show
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Jackie Gleason Show
1967-1969
TV Series
Himself
The Joey Bishop Show
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Carol Burnett Show
1967-1968
TV Series
Himself
The Steve Allen Show
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Lucy Show
1968
TV Series
Himself
Personality
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special
1967
TV Special
Himself
What's My Line?
1963-1967
TV Series
Himself - Mystery Guest Duo #2 / Himself - Mystery Guest
The Andy Williams Show
1965-1966
TV Series
Himself
The Sid Caesar Show
1963-1964
TV Series
Himself - Host
The Garry Moore Show
1963
TV Series
Himself
The Jerry Lewis Show
1963
TV Series
Himself
Sid Caesar - Edie Adams Together
1963
TV Special
Himself
The 15th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1963
TV Special
Himself
As Caesar Sees It
1962
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Revlon Revue
1960
TV Series
Himself
At the Movies
1959
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Sid Caesar-Art Carney Hour
1959
TV Movie
Himself
Some of Manie's Friends
1959
TV Movie
Himself
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1958
TV Series
Himself - Host / Himself
The All-Star Christmas Show
1958
TV Movie
Himself
Sid Caesar Invites You
1958
TV Series
Himself
Sid Caesar Invites You
1958
TV Series
Himself
Caesar's Hour
1954-1957
TV Series
Himself - Host
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall
1955
TV Series
Himself
Person to Person
1954
TV Series documentary
Himself
Your Show of Shows
1950-1954
TV Series
Himself - Regular Performer
The Paul Winchell Show
1953
TV Series
Himself
Texaco Star Theatre
1948-1953
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Comedian
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1951
TV Series
Himself
The Admiral Broadway Revue
1949
TV Series
Himself - Comedian
Tonight on Broadway
1948
TV Series
Himself
Screen Snapshots: The Skolsky Party
1946
Documentary short
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
2015
TV Special
Himself - In Memoriam
America's Clown: An Intimate Biography of Red Skelton
2014
Video
Himself
The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards
2014
TV Special
Himself - In Memoriam
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014
Documentary
Uncle Benjamin (uncredited)
The Sixties
2014
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
The 86th Annual Academy Awards
2014
TV Special
Himself - Actor (In Memoriam)
American Masters
2013
TV Series documentary
Himself
Woody Allen: A Documentary
2012
Documentary
Himself (uncredited)
Edición Especial Coleccionista
2010-2012
TV Series
Melville Crump
Excavating the 2000 Year Old Man
2012
Documentary short
Himself
Cinerama Adventure
2002
Documentary
Melville Crump - DDS (in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World") (uncredited)
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Video documentary
Himself
Cronkite Remembers
1997
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself (on 'Your Show of Shows') (uncredited)
Classic Stand-Up Comedy of Television
1996
TV Special documentary
Himself
50 Years of Funny Females
1995
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1992
TV Series
Himself
Legends of Comedy
1992
TV Movie documentary
The Great Standups
1984
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter
1982
TV Movie documentary
Actor - 'Silent Movie' (uncredited)
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
1975
TV Special
Himself
The Hollywood Palace
1970
TV Series
Himself
Project XX
1960
TV Series documentary
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2006
Pioneer Award
TV Land Awards
2005
DVDX Award
DVD Exclusive Awards
Best Supporting Actor (in a DVD Premiere Movie)
Comic Book: The Movie (2004)
2005
OFTA TV Hall of Fame
Online Film & Television Association
Actors and Actresses
2001
Career Achievement Award
Television Critics Association Awards
1987
Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy
American Comedy Awards, USA
1960
Star on the Walk of Fame
Walk of Fame
Television
On 8 February 1960. At 7014 Hollywood Blvd.
1957
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Continuing Performance by a Comedian in a Series
Caesar's Hour (1954)
1952
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Actor
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1997
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Mad About You (1992)
1995
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Love & War (1992)
1958
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Continuing Performance (Male) in a Series by a Comedian, Singer, Host, Dancer, M.C., Announcer, Narrator, Panelist, or any Person who Essentially Plays Himself
Caesar's Hour (1954)
1956
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Comedian
1954
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Male Star of Regular Series
Your Show of Shows (1950)
1953
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Comedian
1952
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Comedian or Comedienne
1951
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Best Actor
1951
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Most Outstanding Personality
Known for movies
Grease (1978) as Coach Calhoun
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) as Melville Crump
The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special (1967) as Himself