Dick Wolf is a producer and writer who has created several high-profile television shows. The most famous of these are the Law & Order and Chicago franchises.
He has won an Emmy Award for his work and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Wolf’s net worth is approximately $600 million.
| Name | Richard Anthony Wolf (Dick Wolf) |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | December 20th, 1946 (75 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Manhattan, New York |
| Height: | 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters) |
| Profession: | Producer, writer, director |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Children: | 5 |
| Parents: | George Wolf (father), Marie G. Wolf (mother) |
| Net Worth Estimate: | $600 million |
Net Worth
It is unclear what Wolf’s exact net worth is. However, it is speculated to be around $600 million, with Forbes estimating that it must be at least “more than $550 million” (1).
Most of Wolf’s earnings come from his television writer, producer, and creator work. According to Forbes, he was one of the highest-paid earners in entertainment after receiving approximately $86 million. This has contributed to increasing his net worth (2).
Wolf created the Law & Order television media franchise, estimated to be worth approximately $550 million (3). This has greatly increased his net worth.
Wolf was also granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (4) and the title of Honorary Consul General of Monaco (5). Both of these achievements have substantially increased his net worth.
Company
Wolf is the CEO and chairman of Wolf Entertainment, a production company he founded in 1988. The company’s exact revenue is unclear, although the company has helped to create several notable television franchises.
One of the most famous franchises is Law & Order, which has been estimated to have a value of roughly $550 million. In 2021, Wolf signed a deal with NBCUniversal to guarantee that he would stay with the studio for five years, along with streaming rights for several franchises. The deal was valued at approximately $1 billion and was one of the largest in television history (6).
This is a marked increase from 2003, when the franchise was valued at roughly $4 million. During this time, sources indicated that the franchise faced a loss (7).
Wolf also created franchises such as Chicago and its various spin-offs through Wolf Entertainment. However, the franchise’s value is unknown, although it is known to be part of the $1 billion deal that Wolf Entertainment signed with NBC Universal (8).
Wolf Entertainment created the FBI TV franchise. As the franchise was not part of the earlier deal, it is unclear how much the television franchise is worth (9).
Earnings
According to speculation, Wolf earns approximately $10 to $15 million per month for his television work (10). Wolf is known to get additional income as residual earnings from reruns of his franchises, for example. However, the exact figure is unknown (11).
Alternatively, Forbes states that Wolf’s earnings are at $86 million for 2022, indicating that he earns less than $10 million per month (12).
Real Estate
In 2003, Wolf bought a home on Mount Desert Island, Maine, for $10.5 million, a record sales price in this state (13). The exact details of the property’s size and features are unclear.
In 2019, Wolf purchased a home for his ex-wife in Hope Ranch, California, for $14.8 million. The property is 11,200 square feet across 2.3 acres of land and features a bocce ball court, art studio, pool, spa, and cactus gardens (14). In 2022, his wife sold the house for $18.2 million (15).
Wolf is known to have another house in Montecito, California, although the address is unknown. The property is valued at more than $20 million and is 16,000 square feet across approximately 5 acres (16).
Early Life
Wolf was born on December 20th, 1946, in Manhattan, New York. Wolf’s father, George, and his mother, Marie G., worked at the NBC television studio when they met.
Career
Wolf initially worked as a copywriter for Benton & Bowles and was responsible for several famous advertising campaigns, including Crest Toothpaste and National Airlines. After moving to Los Angeles, Wolf focused solely on screenwriting and production.
Wolf created several television series before establishing his company, Wolf Entertainment, in 1988. Through this organization, Wolf created several hit television shows and wrote several books.
Wolf is working on a show, The Church, about a satanic cult and an unknown shot revolving around an insurance investigator.
Career Highlights
- In 1988, he created Wolf Entertainment
- Wolf created numerous franchises like Law & Order, Chicago, FBI, Cold Justice, and Criminal Confessions
- Wolf wrote a few books, including The Ultimatum, The Execution, and The Intercept
Personal Life
Wolf has been married three times. His first marriage was to Susan Scranton from 1970 to 1983. In 1983, he married Christine Marburg, and the pair had three children: Elliot, Sarina, and Olivia.
They divorced in 2003. In 2006, Wolf married Noelle Lippman and had two children, Zoe and Rex. The pair divorced in 2019, and Wolf agreed to pay Lippman $100,000 monthly as spousal support as part of the proceedings.
Wolf was brought up Jewish, although it is unclear if Wolf follows this religion himself.
Interesting Facts
- Wolf went to the same school as former president George W Bush (17).
- During Wolf’s second divorce, his ex-wife received $17.5 million in cash from Wolf and spousal support for $2 million (18).
- Wolf is a close friend of Mariska Hargitay, one of the stars of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (19).
- Another of Wolf’s friends is the rapper Ice-T, who presented Wolf with the Leadership Award at the Saban Community Clinic (20).
- Throughout his career, Wolf has been nominated for 23 awards and won 17 of these, including 2 Emmy Awards. He has also won a Grammy Award (21).
Summary
Dick Wolf is a producer, creator, and writer, who has created several hit television franchises. He has worked in this industry since 1988 and has received worldwide recognition.
He is most famous for creating the Law & Order and Chicago franchises. Wolf has a net worth of approximately $600 million.