Net Worth Ranker
What Is Gregory Peck’s Net Worth?
At the time of his death on June 12, 2003, Gregory Peck, the iconic American actor, had a net worth estimated at $60 million. This substantial fortune reflected his prolific and enduring six-decade-long career in Hollywood, where he became known for his commanding presence and versatility across a range of roles.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on April 5, 1916, in San Diego, California, Eldred Gregory Peck’s early life was marked by his parents’ divorce when he was just five years old. Raised primarily by his maternal grandmother, Peck was sent to St. John’s Military Academy in Los Angeles at the age of 10. Later, at 14, he moved back to San Diego and attended San Diego High School, graduating in 1934. His initial foray into higher education included a year at San Diego State Teacher’s College (now San Diego State University), where he joined the track team and took his first steps into theater and public speaking.
Peck’s path then led him to the University of California, Berkeley, where he initially pursued an English major with pre-medical studies and even rowed on the university’s crew team. However, his involvement in public speaking courses and recruitment by the director of the university’s Little Theater steered him towards acting. During his senior year, he starred in five plays, including “Moby Dick,” setting the stage for his eventual career.
After Berkeley, Peck moved to New York City to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse with renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner. During these early years, Peck faced financial struggles, sometimes resorting to sleeping in Central Park. He held various jobs, including working at the World’s Fair as a barker in 1939, serving as a tour guide for NBC television at Rockefeller Center, and working at Radio City Music Hall. His formal stage career commenced in 1941 with a role in George Bernard Shaw’s “The Doctor’s Dilemma,” followed by his Broadway debut in 1942 as the lead in Emlyn William’s “The Morning Star.”
Breakthrough in Hollywood and Peak Career
Gregory Peck’s Hollywood breakthrough occurred in the mid-1940s. His first leading role was in “Days of Glory,” quickly followed by “The Keys of the Kingdom.” These early roles cemented his position in the industry, and he continued to star in films, notably the hit “Spellbound.” Despite some setbacks in the latter half of the decade, Peck rebounded significantly in the 1950s with roles in films such as “The Gunfighter,” “David and Bathsheba,” and “Roman Holiday” alongside Audrey Hepburn.
His career reached new heights in the following decades with iconic films such as “Moby Dick,” “The Guns of Navarone,” “The Boys from Brazil,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In 1983, he appeared in “The Scarlet and the Black.” Peck’s role as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, solidifying his reputation as a performer of great moral depth.
Throughout his career, Gregory Peck received five Academy Award nominations. In addition to his win for “To Kill a Mockingbird,” he received a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1968. He also received eight competitive nominations for Golden Globe Awards and won five times. In 1967, he was honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. His contribution to cinema was also acknowledged with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, awarded by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the National Medal of Arts in 1998, presented by President Bill Clinton.
Gregory Peck’s contributions were further celebrated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6100 Hollywood Blvd, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors. The Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence was created in 2008 to commemorate his legacy, further highlighting his impact on the film industry.
Real Estate and Personal Life
In October 1942, Gregory Peck married Finnish-born Greta Kukkonen, and they had three sons: Jonathan, Stephen, and Carey Paul. They divorced in December 1955. The day after his divorce was finalized in 1955, Peck married Véronique Passani, a Parisian news reporter whom he had met in 1952 before filming “Roman Holiday.” They had a son in 1956 and a daughter in 1958 and remained married until Peck’s death.
Gregory Peck invested in real estate. In 1999, Gregory and Véronique Peck purchased a 1.3-acre property in Beverly Hills for $7.65 million, which is approximately equivalent to $14 million today. The property featured a 9,000-square-foot French-Chateau-style mansion. After Gregory Peck’s death, Véronique sold the mansion in 2014 to Google billionaire Eric Schmidt for $22 million, marking a significant appreciation in value.
Final Years and Death
Gregory Peck passed away on June 12, 2003, at the age of 87, due to bronchopneumonia. His death occurred at his home in Los Angeles, with his wife Véronique by his side. He is entombed in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels mausoleum in Los Angeles. His funeral was attended by numerous celebrities, including Lauren Bacall, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Harrison Ford, Mike Farrell, Tony Danza, and Piper Laurie, with his eulogy read by Brock Peters.
