Beverly D’Angelo has $20 million in the bank. The 72-year-old actress made most of her money playing Ellen Griswold in the Vacation movies, but she’s been way smarter about money than people realize.
Beverly D’Angelo Net Worth
D’Angelo grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Her parents were musicians – dad played bass, mom played violin. She started as a cartoonist in New York before acting took off.
Her first big break came in 1980 with “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” She played country legend Patsy Cline and got a Golden Globe nomination. The movie paid her $50,000.
The Vacation Money Machine
“National Lampoon’s Vacation” changed everything in 1983. D’Angelo played Clark Griswold’s wife Ellen. The movie cost $15 million and made $61 million worldwide.
Her Vacation paychecks grew with each movie:
- Original Vacation (1983): $100,000
- European Vacation (1985): $200,000
- Christmas Vacation (1989): $400,000
- Vegas Vacation (1997): $600,000
But the real money comes from reruns. “Christmas Vacation” alone brings in $20 million yearly in TV licensing. D’Angelo gets residual checks every time it airs. During Christmas season, the movie plays on 15-20 networks. She makes about $500,000 per year just from that one film.
Netflix added the movie in 2019. Viewership jumped 300%. More viewers mean bigger residual payments.
Smart Career Moves
D’Angelo took different types of roles to avoid getting stuck as just a comedy wife. “Hair” paid $75,000 and let her sing. “American History X” brought $150,000 and showed she could do serious drama.
TV work became steady money. “Law & Order: SVU” episodes paid $25,000 each. “Entourage” guest spots brought $15,000. These shows still air in reruns, sending monthly residual checks.
Voice acting added more income. Animation projects pay $10,000-30,000 and often include toy royalties.
Real Estate Wins
D’Angelo bought her Beverly Hills house in 1985 for $650,000. It’s worth $3.2 million today – a 392% gain.
Her property portfolio:
- Beverly Hills mansion: $3.2 million
- Malibu condo: $1.8 million (rented for $8,000/month)
- Manhattan apartment: $900,000
The Malibu rental generates $96,000 yearly. Real estate makes up 30% of her total wealth.
Personal Life and Money
D’Angelo dated Al Pacino from 1996-2003. They had twins in 2001. Pacino pays child support, but D’Angelo never needed his money. She earned her own.
She married Italian duke Don Lorenzo Salviati in 1981. The 14-year marriage didn’t change her finances much. D’Angelo kept working and controlling her money.
Current Income Streams
D’Angelo still acts but picks her projects. Recent Netflix work pays $50,000-100,000 per project.
Fan conventions bring $5,000-10,000 per appearance. Vacation fans pay $50 for autographs, $100 for photos. She does 8-10 conventions yearly, earning $80,000 from fan events.
Cameo videos pay $200 each. She records 20-30 monthly for $4,000-6,000 extra income.
How She Stacks Up
D’Angelo’s $20 million beats most character actresses:
- Catherine O’Hara: $8 million
- Annie Potts: $6 million
- Bonnie Hunt: $12 million
Chevy Chase has $50 million, but he starred in more blockbusters. For a supporting actress, $20 million is major league money.
The Money Lessons
D’Angelo got rich through consistency, not stardom. She worked steadily for 45 years without long career breaks.
Residuals became her gold mine. Most actors get paid once. D’Angelo still gets checks from movies made 40 years ago.
Real estate protected her wealth. Her $650,000 house became worth $3.2 million with zero effort.
She built multiple income sources. Movies, TV, voice work, real estate, and fan events all pay her. When one dries up, others keep flowing.
D’Angelo proves you don’t need to be the biggest star to get rich. Work steady, pick smart projects, invest in property, and negotiate for residuals. That’s how a middle-class Ohio girl built $20 million.