Net Worth Ranker
What Is Ken Burns’ Net Worth?
Ken Burns, the acclaimed American director and producer, has a net worth of $3.5 million. This figure primarily reflects his decades-long career creating and directing influential documentaries, though specific details of his earnings from individual projects or investments are not publicly available.
Ken Burns’ Career Highlights and Financial Impact
Burns’ career began in earnest with the founding of Florentine Films in 1976, alongside college classmates Roger Sherman, photographer Elaine Mayes, Buddy Squires, and later Lawrence Hott. While the initial years likely involved modest financial returns, the company laid the groundwork for his future success.
His breakthrough came with “Brooklyn Bridge” in 1981, a film that garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Although specific financial figures from this early project are not publicly accessible, the recognition certainly boosted his career and future earning potential. The film documented the iconic bridge and ran for 58 minutes.
The 1990 PBS miniseries “The Civil War” marked a turning point. This landmark series, which explored the American Civil War in detail, was viewed by an estimated 40 million people and received over 40 major film and television awards. While the precise financial gains for Burns from this series are not publicly disclosed, it undoubtedly significantly increased his net worth and solidified his reputation.
Burns continued his success with other acclaimed works. “Baseball,” released in 1994, won an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series. “Jazz,” a ten-part miniseries released in 2001, earned another Emmy nomination. “The War,” a seven-part miniseries about World War II released in 2007, further enhanced his reputation and financial standing. Again, concrete financial details for each of these projects are not publicly accessible.
His more recent works, such as “The Vietnam War” (2017), “Country Music” (2019), “Hemingway” and “Muhammad Ali” (both 2021), and “Benjamin Franklin” (2022), have continued to contribute to his income. While the specific financial arrangements for these projects remain private, their success has solidified Burns’ position in the industry.
Recognition and Awards: Impact on Ken Burns’ Net Worth
Throughout his career, Ken Burns has received numerous awards and honors, including the Golden Plate Award (1991), the National Humanities Medal (1991), and the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen (2004). Although these awards don’t directly translate to immediate financial gain, they increase his prestige and marketability, which can indirectly influence future project opportunities and income.
The establishment of the Ken Burns Wing at the Jerome Liebling Center for Film, Photography and Video at Hampshire College further exemplifies his impact and legacy. Such recognition can attract funding and support for future projects, potentially contributing to his overall net worth.
His Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Washington University International Humanities Medal, the John Steinbeck Award, and an honorary doctorate from Brown University are among the numerous accolades recognizing his contributions to film and history. Again, these awards enhance his reputation and marketability.
Ken Burns also served as an executive producer on several projects, including “The West” (1996) and “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” (2015). His role as executive producer means that he likely earned money from the success of these projects.
Early Life and Education: Foundational Steps
Ken Burns was born on July 29, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York City. He later moved with his family to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his father taught at the University of Michigan. The cost of tuition for Burns’s attendance at Hampshire College was offset by Burns working at a record store. This education played a pivotal role in shaping his career and ultimately contributing to his net worth, though specific financial details of his early life are not available.
At the age of 17, Burns received a film camera as a gift and subsequently shot a documentary about a factory in Ann Arbor. His experiences with film began early and led to the establishment of Florentine Films with his college classmate Roger Sherman. In 1977 Burns began working as a director adapting David McCullough’s book “The Great Bridge” into a documentary. This early work helped to establish Burns in the film industry.
Ken Burns: Film and Television Directing
Burns has directed numerous films and television programs. In 1981 he took on his first project as a director when he adapted David McCullough’s book “The Great Bridge” into a documentary. The film “Brooklyn Bridge,” was narrated by McCullough. Among its honors, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. McCullough would go on to narrate numerous of Burns’ future films, including his next two, 1984’s “The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God” and 1985’s “The Statue of Liberty.” For the latter film, Burns earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
In 1990, Burns released one of his most famous and acclaimed works: the PBS television miniseries “The Civil War.” The series garnered over 40 major industry awards, including two Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a PGA Award, and a Peabody Award. Burns earned further plaudits in 1994 for his miniseries “Baseball,” which won the Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series. In 1997 Burns released “Thomas Jefferson” and “Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.” He closed out the 90s with “Frank Lloyd Wright” and “Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony.”
In 2001 Burns had another major success with his ten-part miniseries “Jazz,” which earned an Emmy nomination. He followed this with “Mark Twain,” “Horatio’s Drive: America’s First Road Trip,” and “Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson.” In 2007, he released the seven-part miniseries “The War,” about World War II from the perspectives of four towns in the United States. Burns subsequently directed the 2009 miniseries “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” which took home two Emmy Awards. This was followed by a number of other acclaimed miniseries, such as “Prohibition,” “The Dust Bowl,” “The Roosevelts,” and “Jackie Robinson.” Burns also co-directed the feature documentary film “The Central Park Five,” released in 2012.
Personal Life
Burns married his first wife, Amy Stechler, in 1982. The couple had two daughters named Sarah and Lilly. Sarah is a filmmaker, author, and public speaker who has often collaborated with her father, while Lilly is a television producer and executive who co-founded Jax Media. Burns and Stechler ended up divorcing in 1993. A decade later, Burns wed his second wife, Julie Brown; together, they have two daughters named Olivia and Willa.
