Net Worth Ranker
What Is Nancy Reagan’s Net Worth?
At the time of her death on March 6, 2016, Nancy Reagan, the former First Lady of the United States and accomplished actress, had a net worth of $25 million. This wealth was accumulated through her acting career in the 1940s and 1950s and potentially through investments and assets acquired during her marriage to Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States.
Nancy Reagan’s Early Life and Career
Born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921, in Manhattan, New York, Nancy’s early life involved a move to Bethesda, Maryland, where she lived with her aunt and uncle, Virginia and C. Audley Galbraith, while her mother, Edith Luckett Robbins, pursued her acting career. Her mother eventually married Loyal Davis, a prominent Chicago neurosurgeon, which allowed Nancy to attend the Girls’ Latin School in Chicago. Nancy later studied drama at Smith College, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1943. Following her graduation, she worked as a salesclerk at a Marshall Fields Department store in Chicago and as a nurse’s aide before beginning her acting career under the name Nancy Davis.
Nancy’s acting career began with a non-speaking role in a touring company production of “Ramshackle Inn.” This play eventually led to a minor role in the 1946 musical “Lute Song,” starring Yul Brynner and Mary Martin. In 1949, Nancy secured a seven-year contract with MGM Studios. During her time with MGM, she appeared in films such as “The Doctor and the Girl” (1949), alongside Glenn Ford, and “East Side, West Side” (1949), which featured Barbara Stanwyck. Her filmography includes notable titles like “Donovan’s Brain” (1953), “Night into Morning” (1951), and “Hellcats of the Navy” (1957). “Hellcats of the Navy” is particularly significant as it co-starred her future husband, Ronald Reagan. Her acting roles diminished when she was mistakenly placed on the Hollywood blacklist, which was intended to warn studios of individuals suspected of communist involvement. After contacting Ronald Reagan, then president of the Screen Actors Guild, to clarify the misunderstanding, the two began a relationship and married on March 4, 1952.
Nancy Reagan: First Lady and Beyond
When Ronald Reagan was elected as the governor of California, Nancy became the first lady of the state. After serving two terms as governor, Ronald Reagan ran for president of the United States in 1976 but lost the republican bid to nominee Gerald Ford. He was eventually elected as president in 1980, making Nancy the First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. During her time as First Lady, Nancy Reagan launched the “Just Say No” campaign to raise drug abuse awareness, leading to new legislation and the “National Crusade for a Drug Free America” act, which President Reagan signed into law in October 1986. In 1988, she addressed the United Nations General Assembly, advocating for stronger international drug interdiction and trafficking legislation.
After her time as First Lady, Nancy Reagan established the Nancy Reagan Foundation to support after-school drug prevention programs. Following Ronald Reagan’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994, Nancy and Ronald lent their support to the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute in Chicago. For the next decade, Nancy served as her husband’s primary caregiver, making limited public appearances in Los Angeles. After Ronald Reagan’s death in 2004, Nancy became a public advocate for stem-cell research, a stance that differed from then-President George W. Bush. For her extensive work, Nancy received numerous awards and honors, including the Order of the White Eagle from the government of Poland and an honorary degree from Eureka College.
Nancy Reagan’s Real Estate
In 1989, the Reagans retired to a home located at 668 Saint Cloud Road in Bel Air, Los Angeles. The property was 1.5 acres and included a 7,200 square-foot mansion. A group of friends purchased the home for the Reagans in 1986 for $2.5 million, which is equivalent to approximately $6 million today. Ron and Nancy leased the home with an option to buy at the $2.5 million purchase price. They exercised that option in 1989 upon leaving the White House. Their next-door neighbor was movie producer Jerry Perenchio, whose property, Chartwell, was famous for being used in the opening credits of the original “Beverly Hillbillies” television show.
After Nancy Reagan’s death in 2016, Jerry Perenchio acquired the Reagan mansion for $15 million and incorporated it into Chartwell. Jerry razed the Reagan house to the ground to expand his gardens. Jerry died in May 2017. In August 2017, his heirs listed Chartwell for $350 million. They ultimately had to reduce the price several times before selling in December 2019 to Newscorp heir Lachlan Murdoch. The final sale price was $150 million, which temporarily set the record for the most expensive home sold in Los Angeles history. His record was broken two months later when Jeff Bezos paid $165 million for a Beverly Hills estate. The sale of the Bel Air property following Nancy Reagan’s death, coupled with her prior real estate holdings, contributed significantly to her overall net worth of $25 million.
