Overview

Clint Walker, born Norman Eugene Walker on May 30, 1927, in Hartford, Illinois, was an American actor best known for his towering presence and his role as Cheyenne Bodie in the long-running ABC Western television series “Cheyenne.” His mother was of Czech descent. Before his acting career, Walker worked various jobs, including as a riverboatman and in the Merchant Marine. His strong physique and striking looks led him to Hollywood. “Cheyenne,” which premiered in 1955, was a significant hit and established Walker as a star. He also appeared in numerous films, including “The Ten Commandments,” “The Dirty Dozen,” and “Send Me No Flowers.” Walker also had a singing voice and released an album of traditional songs and ballads. He was married three times and had a daughter named Valerie. Clint Walker passed away on May 21, 2018, from congestive heart failure, just days before his 91st birthday, leaving behind a legacy as a memorable figure in Westerns and television history.

What Is Clint Walker’s Net Worth?

At the time of his death in May 2018, Clint Walker, the celebrated American actor, had a net worth estimated at $2 million. This figure reflects a career spanning several decades in television and film, although detailed breakdowns of his earnings from specific projects or investments are not publicly available.

Early Career and “Cheyenne”

Born Norman Walker on May 30, 1927, in Hartford, Illinois, Clint Walker’s initial foray into the working world involved various jobs after dropping out of school as a teenager. He worked in a factory and on a riverboat before joining the US Merchant Marine at the age of 17. Following his service, Walker held a variety of odd jobs in Texas, California, and Nevada, presumably earning wages typical of such occupations during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Unfortunately, specific figures for these early earnings are not documented.

Walker’s big break came in 1955 when he secured the lead role of Cheyenne Bodie on the ABC Western television series “Cheyenne.” As the first hour-long Western on television, “Cheyenne” proved to be a significant success, running for seven seasons until 1962. The show propelled Walker to stardom, although precise details of his salary per episode or any bonuses he received are not publicly accessible. His contract with Warner Brothers also led to an album of him performing traditional songs and ballads, but sales figures and royalties earned from this musical venture remain unknown.

Film Career

Clint Walker’s film career began with a credited role in the 1956 epic “The Ten Commandments.” Two years later, he landed his first starring role in the Western “Fort Dobbs,” directed by Gordon Douglas. Walker starred in two more Westerns directed by Douglas, “Yellowstone Kelly” and “Gold of the Seven Saints.” After “Cheyenne” ended, Walker had a supporting role in Norman Jewison’s romantic comedy “Send Me No Flowers” in 1964. The following year, he starred alongside Frank Sinatra in the antiwar film “None but the Brave,” which Sinatra also directed.

In 1966, Walker starred in two films: the Western “The Night of the Grizzly” and the coming-of-age adventure film “Maya.” He subsequently appeared in Robert Aldrich’s hit 1967 war film “The Dirty Dozen,” playing the convict Samson Posey. Walker returned to the Western genre in 1969 with three films: “More Dead Than Alive,” “Sam Whiskey,” and “The Great Bank Robbery.” In 1970, Walker made a brief appearance in the comedy “The Phynx.” A couple years later, he supported Telly Savalas in the spaghetti Western “Pancho Villa.” Walker went on to star in the Western “Baker’s Hawk” in 1976. He subsequently had a supporting role in the fantasy Western “The White Buffalo,” starring Charles Bronson, and the leading role in the science-fiction eco-thriller “Deadly Harvest”; both films came out in 1977. Following a break from the big screen, Walker returned in 1983 with a supporting role in the horror film parody “Hysterical,” starring the Hudson Brothers. Toward the end of the decade, he starred in the US/Hong Kong co-production “The Serpent Warriors.” Walker had his final film credit in 1998, voicing Nick Nitro in Joe Dante’s action comedy “Small Soldiers.” Specific salary details for these roles are not publicly available.

Post-Cheyenne Television Career

Following “Cheyenne,” Walker maintained a presence on television, appearing in two episodes of “The Lucy Show” in the mid-1960s. In the early 1970s, he starred in the Western television films “Yuma,” “Hardcase,” and “The Bounty Man.” Walker also starred as the titular character on the short-lived ABC adventure series “Kodiak,” which ran for 13 episodes in 1974. The same year, he starred in the horror television films “Scream of the Wolf” and “Killdozer!” Later in the decade, Walker starred in another horror television film, “Snowbeast.” He also had a small part in the NBC miniseries “Centennial.” In the 1980s, Walker appeared in some episodes of “The Love Boat.” The next decade, his final one on screen, he appeared in the television film “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw” as his famous character Cheyenne Bodie. Walker reprised the role again, and for the last time, in an episode of “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues” in 1995. Contract details and salary information for these various television appearances are not publicly known. Given the nature of television work at that time, it’s plausible that Walker earned a consistent income, contributing to his overall net worth.

Real Estate and Personal Assets

While there is no publicly available information regarding specific real estate holdings or significant assets owned by Clint Walker, it can be inferred that his earnings from his long career in television and film contributed to his $2 million net worth. Details of any personal investments or specific luxury items owned by Walker are not accessible.

Personal Life and Death

Clint Walker was married three times. He wed his first wife, Verna Garver, in 1948; they had a daughter named Valerie before divorcing in 1968. Walker went on to marry Giselle Hennesy in 1974; she passed away in 1994. Finally, Walker wed Susan Cavallari in 1997. There are no publicly available details about any financial settlements related to his divorces or the inheritance of his estate following his death.

Clint Walker passed away from congestive heart failure on May 21, 2018, in Grass Valley, California, just nine days before his 91st birthday. His $2 million net worth at the time of his death reflects the culmination of a successful career in the entertainment industry.

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