Net Worth Ranker
What Is Marlene Dietrich’s Net Worth?
Marlene Dietrich, the iconic German-American actress and singer, had a net worth of $10 million at the time of her death on May 6, 1992. Adjusting for inflation, this sum is equivalent to approximately $20 million in today’s dollars. This considerable wealth was accumulated over a career that spanned several decades and encompassed stage performances, film roles, and live show tours.
Marlene Dietrich’s Earnings Through Her Career
Dietrich’s career began in the silent era of Weimar German films. Her breakthrough came in 1930 with her role as Lola Lola in Josef von Sternberg’s “The Blue Angel.” The film’s global success catapulted her to international fame and introduced her signature song, “Falling in Love Again.” Following this success, Dietrich signed a contract with Paramount Pictures and moved to the United States. While the specific financial details of her initial contract with Paramount are not publicly available, it is known that she became one of the highest-paid actresses during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
During her collaborations with Josef von Sternberg, Dietrich starred in six Paramount films between 1930 and 1935: “Morocco,” “Dishonored,” “Blonde Venus,” “Shanghai Express,” “The Scarlet Empress,” and “The Devil is a Woman.” While specific salary figures for these films are not publicly accessible, these roles solidified her status as a major Hollywood star, significantly contributing to her overall net worth. In 1936, she starred opposite Gary Cooper in “Desire.” Later credits include “Destry Rides Again,” “Stage Fright,” and “Witness for the Prosecution.” Exact earnings for these individual films are not publicly available; however, these films consistently added to her income.
In addition to her film career, Dietrich earned significant income through her stage performances. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, she toured the globe as a live show performer. Her act was eventually transformed into a one-woman show by her musical arranger, Burt Bacharach. While details about her performance fees are not accessible, these tours likely generated substantial revenue, contributing to her $10 million net worth.
Marlene Dietrich’s Early Life and Career Beginnings
Marie Magdalene Dietrich was born on December 27, 1901, in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia. Her mother, Wilhelmina, came from a wealthy family and owned a clock-making and jewelry company. Her father, Louis, was a police lieutenant. Dietrich attended the August-Viktoria Girls’ School and graduated from the Victoria-Luise-Schule. While these schools didn’t directly contribute monetarily to her net worth, her upbringing and education provided a foundation for her future success.
Dietrich’s career began as a chorus girl with Guido Thielscher’s Girl-Kabarett vaudeville shows and in Rudolf Nelson revues. In 1923, she made her feature film debut with a small part in “The Little Napoleon.” She also appeared in “Tragedy of Love” that same year. During the 1920s, she was active in both stage and film. Her stage credits included “Pandora’s Box,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” and “Misalliance,” as well as musicals and revues like “Es Liegt in der Luft” and “Zwei Krawatten.” In the latter half of the decade, she played significant roles in films such as “Café Elektric” and “The Ship of Lost Souls.” While the exact income from these early roles is not documented, they were crucial steps in her career and financial growth.
Marlene Dietrich’s Later Career and Final Years
In 1950, Dietrich had a notable role in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Stage Fright.” She also appeared in “No Highway in the Sky,” “Rancho Notorious,” “Around the World in 80 Days,” and “The Monte Carlo Story.” Some of her most famous later roles were in Billy Wilder’s “Witness for the Prosecution” (1957) and Orson Welles’ “Touch of Evil” (1958). She appeared in films only sporadically in the 1960s, including “Judgment at Nuremberg” and “Paris When it Sizzles.” Dietrich’s final film role was in “Just a Gigolo” (1978), a West German film. Later, she contributed to the 1984 documentary “Marlene,” a biography of her life. Although the specific compensation for these later roles isn’t available, they were instrumental in preserving her fame and financial status.
Dietrich’s stage career continued throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s as a cabaret artist. She performed live in theaters worldwide, with her act evolving into an ambitious one-woman show under the direction of her musical arranger, Burt Bacharach. Dietrich also performed on Broadway in 1967 and 1968. Her show business career ended in 1975 when she fell off the stage during a performance in Australia and broke her thigh bone. The exact financial impact of these stage performances on her net worth is not publicly documented.
Marlene Dietrich’s Personal Life and Legacy
Marlene Dietrich was married only once, to assistant director Rudolf Sieber, in 1923. They had a daughter named Maria and remained married until Sieber’s death in 1976. While her personal life and relationships may have indirectly influenced her career, there are no specific details available regarding how they directly affected her net worth.
Marlene Dietrich passed away on May 6, 1992, from kidney failure at her Paris flat. She was 90 years old. Her estate, including the assets that comprised her $10 million net worth, was likely passed on to her heirs, primarily her daughter Maria. Specific details about the distribution of her estate are not publicly available.
