Net Worth Ranker
What Is Spencer Tracy’s Net Worth?
Spencer Tracy, a prominent figure of Hollywood’s Golden Age, possessed a net worth of $6 million at the time of his death in 1967. Taking inflation into account, this sum is equivalent to approximately $50 million in today’s dollars. This fortune was amassed throughout a career marked by critical acclaim and commercial success.
Spencer Tracy’s Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on April 5, 1900, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was the son of Caroline and John Tracy. His early life included periods under the care of Dominican Order nuns starting at age nine. As a teenager, he attended various Jesuit academies, where he developed his interest in the dramatic arts. In 1917, during World War I, Spencer Tracy enlisted in the U.S. Navy along with his friend Pat O’Brien, though the war ended before he saw any action. After his brief military stint, Tracy attended Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he was a popular student and actively involved in stage productions and the debate team. His early involvement in theater at Ripon College set the stage for his later career.
In 1922, Tracy’s pursuit of acting led him to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) in New York City, where he secured a scholarship. He graduated from AADA in 1923. Tracy’s Broadway debut came in the play “R.U.R.” with a small, wordless role. He then obtained a more significant, although still minor, part in the comedy “A Royal Fandango.” Seeking more consistent work, he joined a struggling stock company in New Jersey and later moved to a company in Winnipeg, which eventually closed. His breakthrough came in 1926 with George M. Cohan’s “Yellow,” marking a turning point in his early career. Subsequently, he achieved success in two more Cohan productions, “The Baby Cyclone” and “Whispering Friends.” These early stage performances laid the foundation for his transition to film.
Spencer Tracy’s Film Career in the 1930s
Tracy’s transition to film began in 1930 with his debut in John Ford’s “Up the River.” During the early years of his film career, Tracy appeared in a series of movies, including “Quick Millions,” “Disorderly Conduct,” and “Me and My Gal.” While these roles provided exposure, they did not catapult him to widespread fame. He gained more recognition for his performance in the prison drama “20,000 Years in Sing Sing.” However, it was in 1933 that Tracy began to garner significant critical acclaim for his role in “The Power and the Glory.” This film, while not an immediate box office success, marked a turning point in his career and demonstrated his acting range.
In 1935, Tracy’s contract with Fox concluded due to his drinking habits impacting his professional life. He then signed with MGM, which proved to be a turning point in his career trajectory. At MGM, Tracy starred in “The Murder Man.” Tracy’s career at MGM gained momentum with roles in “Whipsaw” and “Riffraff,” leading to his role in Fritz Lang’s “Fury,” which garnered widespread acclaim. “Fury,” released in 1936, saw Tracy receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the disaster film “San Francisco” (1936). He further solidified his reputation with a role in the screwball comedy “Libeled Lady.”
In 1937, Tracy achieved considerable success with the adventure film “Captains Courageous,” an adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling novel. For his role as a Portuguese fisherman, he won his first Academy Award for Best Actor. Following this, Tracy starred in “Big City,” “Mannequin,” and “Test Pilot,” further cementing his status as a leading man. In 1938, Tracy won his second consecutive Academy Award for his role as Father Edward J. Flanagan in the biographical drama “Boys Town.” After a short break from the screen, Tracy returned to Fox on loan to star in the adventure film “Stanley and Livingstone,” showcasing his versatility and appeal across different studios.
Spencer Tracy’s Film Career in the 1940s and 1950s
Spencer Tracy continued his Hollywood dominance into the 1940s, beginning the decade with roles in “I Take This Woman,” “Northwest Passage,” “Edison, the Man,” and “Boom Town.” He also reprised his role as Father Flanagan in “Men of Boys Town” and starred in the horror film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” In 1942, Tracy began his partnership with Katharine Hepburn in the romantic comedy “Woman of the Year,” marking the start of their iconic on-screen collaboration. Their other films together during the decade included “Keeper of the Flame,” “Without Love,” “The Sea of Grass,” “State of the Union,” and “Adam’s Rib.”
Throughout the 1940s, Tracy also took on significant roles in “A Guy Named Joe,” “The Seventh Cross,” “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo,” and “Malaya.” In 1950, Tracy earned his fourth Academy Award nomination for his role in “Father of the Bride,” followed by a reprisal in “Father’s Little Dividend” the next year. Subsequently, he appeared in “The People Against O’Hara,” “Pat and Mike,” “Plymouth Adventure,” “The Actress,” and “Broken Lance.” In 1955, Tracy delivered one of his most acclaimed performances in the neo-noir Western “Bad Day at Black Rock,” winning Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival and receiving his fifth Academy Award nomination. Following this success, Tracy left MGM to work as an independent actor.
As an independent actor, Tracy starred in “The Mountain,” “Desk Set,” “The Last Hurrah,” and “The Old Man and the Sea,” earning another Academy Award nomination for the lattermost film. These roles showcased his enduring appeal and ability to tackle diverse characters. Tracy’s career during this period demonstrates a keen sense for choosing compelling roles that resonated with audiences and critics alike. “The Old Man and the Sea” (1958) allowed Tracy to demonstrate depth in his acting capabilities. Tracy’s career, spanning the 1940s and 1950s, showed his adaptability to various genres and roles, contributing significantly to his financial success and net worth.
Spencer Tracy’s Final Years on Film
In the final decade of his career, Spencer Tracy began with a role in Stanley Kramer’s 1960 adaptation of the play “Inherit the Wind.” He garnered his eighth Academy Award nomination for his performance as lawyer Henry Drummond. Tracy then starred in “The Devil at 4 O’Clock.” His last three films were all directed by Stanley Kramer: “Judgment at Nuremberg,” “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” “Judgment at Nuremberg” earned critical acclaim. The latter film, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” became the highest-grossing film of his career. Katharine Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress, while Tracy received a posthumous nomination. These final performances solidified his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most talented and respected actors.
Spencer Tracy’s Personal Life and Death
In 1923, Spencer Tracy married actress Louise Treadwell. Together, they had a son named John, who was deaf, and a daughter named Susie. In 1933, Tracy left his family and engaged in a public affair with actress Loretta Young. Although he later reconciled with his wife, they remained separated. He had several extramarital affairs, including with his costars Joan Crawford, Ingrid Bergman, and Myrna Loy. Tracy’s longest and most significant relationship was with Katharine Hepburn, lasting until his death. Throughout his life, Spencer Tracy faced challenges related to his health. Tracy’s health deteriorated significantly due to alcoholism, chain-smoking, pill-popping, and obesity. In 1963, he was hospitalized for pulmonary edema and severely high blood pressure. Two years later, he was diagnosed with hypertensive heart disease. Tracy spent most of his final two years at home in Beverly Hills with Hepburn, where he dedicated his time to painting, reading, and listening to music. In June 1967, approximately 17 days after completing his final film role, Tracy died from a heart attack at the age of 67, marking the end of a remarkable life and career. His health struggles impacted the roles he could take towards the end of his acting career and, subsequently, his earnings during that period.
