Net Worth Ranker
What Is Sondra Locke’s Net Worth?
At the time of her death on November 3, 2018, Sondra Locke, the multifaceted American actress, producer, and director, had a net worth estimated at $20 million. This valuation reflects her decades-long career in Hollywood, encompassing earnings from acting roles, directorial ventures, and settlements from legal disputes.
Sondra Locke’s Early Career and Acting Successes
Born Sandra Louise Smith on May 28, 1944, in Shelbyville, Tennessee, Sondra Locke’s early life provided little indication of the Hollywood career that awaited her. After graduating from Shelbyville Central High School, she briefly attended Middle Tennessee State University on a full scholarship, majoring in drama before dropping out after just two semesters. Prior to her breakout role, she worked various jobs. Her acting debut came in 1968 with “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” a role that catapulted her to fame and earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress and Most Promising Newcomer. These accolades significantly increased her visibility and marketability within the film industry.
Following her initial success, Locke appeared in several independent films and made guest appearances on television. However, her career trajectory shifted significantly when she began collaborating with Clint Eastwood, her partner of 14 years, starting with the 1976 film “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” This western became a commercial success, grossing approximately $31.8 million at the box office, and revitalized Locke’s career. Her roles in films such as “Dirty Harry” and “Sudden Impact,” which grossed $141 million and $227 million respectively, further solidified her presence in Hollywood. While specific salary details for these roles aren’t publicly available, it’s reasonable to assume that Locke earned substantial fees, given the films’ blockbuster status and her prominent roles. For “Every Way But Loose” (1978) and “Any Which Way You Can” (1980), it is estimated that Locke earned several hundred thousand dollars, contributing significantly to her net worth. These collaborative projects, while successful, also became entwined with personal and legal complexities that would later impact her finances.
Directorial Ventures and Film Projects
In the mid-1980s, Sondra Locke transitioned to directing. Her directorial debut was the 1986 comedy “Ratboy,” produced by Clint Eastwood’s company, Malpaso. While the film didn’t achieve widespread success in the United States, it was well-received in France, though specific revenue figures from its international release remain elusive. She gained critical respect for her 1990 thriller “Impulse,” starring Theresa Russell, which Locke also produced. While the film impressed critics, it failed to make a significant impact at the box office, grossing approximately $1.2 million domestically. Given Locke’s role as director and producer, her earnings from this project likely included a combination of salary and a percentage of the film’s profits, though the limited box office success would have curtailed any substantial financial gain.
Locke continued directing with the made-for-television film “Death in Small Doses” and the independent feature film “Trading Favors” in 1997. The financial details of these projects are not widely available, but they likely contributed to her income stream during the mid-to-late 1990s.
Legal Battles and Settlements: Impact on Sondra Locke’s Net Worth
Sondra Locke’s financial history is inextricably linked to her tumultuous relationship with Clint Eastwood. After their separation in 1989, Locke filed a palimony suit against Eastwood, alleging financial and professional misconduct. This lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, with Eastwood reportedly arranging a development deal for Locke at Warner Bros. The specifics of the initial palimony settlement are confidential. However, the subsequent lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Eastwood, filed by Locke, shed light on the alleged sham nature of the development deal. Locke claimed that the studio rejected all 30 projects she proposed and never utilized her as a director, effectively sabotaging her career. In 1996, Eastwood was ordered to pay Locke an undisclosed amount of money as part of a settlement in this case. In 1999, she reached an out-of-court settlement with Warner Bros. The exact sums involved in these settlements remain confidential but are believed to have significantly impacted Locke’s net worth, potentially accounting for a substantial portion of the reported $20 million.
Sondra Locke’s Real Estate
During her relationship with Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke shared a Bel-Air mansion with him. While specific details, such as the exact address and purchase price, are not readily available, real estate in Bel-Air is known to be highly valuable. The value of this property likely appreciated during their time together, adding to the couple’s combined assets. Following their separation, the ownership of this mansion became a point of contention, with Locke alleging that Eastwood changed the locks and moved her possessions into storage while she was filming “Impulse.”
Later in life, Locke owned a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, where she resided with Scott Cunneen, an intern she met while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. While the exact address and market value of this property are not publicly known, owning real estate in the Hollywood Hills suggests a significant asset contributing to her overall net worth.
Sondra Locke’s Autobiography and Final Years
In 1997, Sondra Locke published her autobiography, “The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly: A Hollywood Journey.” While the exact sales figures and royalties earned from the book are not publicly available, it’s likely that the book generated some income for Locke, particularly given its controversial content and her public profile. The book contained critical statements about Clint Eastwood. Locke alleged that Eastwood’s influence in Hollywood led to the cancellation of many of her scheduled interviews to promote the book. After the settlement and book, Locke stayed out of the spotlight. In 2015, Locke’s cancer returned and metastasized in her bones. She died three years later, on November 3, 2018, due to cardiac arrest and breast and bone cancer. Her death was kept secret until December of that year. She was 74 years old.
Sondra Locke’s Personal Life and Relationships
Sondra Locke’s personal life was complex. She married Gordon Anderson in 1967, and remained married until her death in 2018. Locke confirmed that the marriage was platonic. Most of her romantic attachments were not publicized. In 1975, she entered a domestic partnership with Clint Eastwood that ended in the late 1980s, followed by lawsuits that went on for 19 months. The parties reached a private settlement in 1990, though they were again in court in the mid-1990s over a contractual dispute that was also settled. Following the end of their relationship, Locke contends that she was blacklisted from Hollywood. In 1990, Sondra confirmed that she had breast cancer and underwent treatment and a double mastectomy. While in the hospital, she met Scott Cunneen, an intern who was assigned to perform her post-surgical checkup. The two began dating, though Cunneen was 17 years younger than her. Cunneen moved into Locke’s mansion in the Hollywood Hills, though the two later broke up.
