Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Who Is Larry David?
Lawrence Gene David is an American comedian, actor, writer, director, and television producer. He is famous for co-creating the television series, Seinfeld, along with Jerry Seinfeld. In addition to Seinfeld, David also created and stars in the HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Lawrence Gene David |
Popular Name: | Larry David |
Gender: | Male |
Birth Date: | July 2, 1947 |
Age: | 75 years |
Parents: | Mortimer Julius “Morty” David and Rose David |
Siblings: | Ken David |
Birth Place: | New York City, New York |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | Jewish |
Education: | Sheepshead Bay High School and the University of Maryland, College Park |
Marital Status: | Divorced. Previously married to Laurie Lennard (from 1993 to 2007) |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | N/A |
Children: | Cazzie David and Romy David |
Dating: | N/A |
Net Worth: | USD 500 million |
Source of Wealth: | Comedy, Acting, Writing, Television Production, and Other Ventures |
Height: | 5′ 11″ (1.8 m) |
Weight: | 74 kg; In pounds: 165 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Larry David was born on July 2, 1947, in New York City, New York, to Mortimer Julius “Morty” David and Rose David. David discovered his talent for comedy while he was still in college.
After graduating from college, David enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. He accepted several odd jobs, including working as a limo driver and a store clerk during the day and practicing standup comedy at night.
From 1980 to 1982, Larry David became a writer and cast member of ABC’s sketch show, Fridays. The next two years, he became a writer for Saturday Night Live but only got one of his sketches aired. In 1989, Larry David partnered with Jerry Seinfeld to create Seinfeld, which at the time was referred to as The Seinfeld Chronicles. The series ran a total of 180 episodes for the next ten years, out of which David wrote 62.
David’s efforts in co-creating Seinfeld were handsomely rewarded in 1993 when he won two Primetime Emmy Awards, namely:
• Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series and
• Outstanding Comedy Series award
Inspired by the success of Seinfeld, Larry David went on to create yet another sensational series, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Unlike Seinfeld which he co-wrote with Jerry, Curb Your Enthusiasm has almost entirely been written by David himself since the show’s pilot episode in 1999.
Larry David’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Larry David had a net worth of $500 million. His net worth could have been way higher than that, were it not for his expensive divorce to ex-wife, Laurie, in 2007. David reportedly paid his ex-wife 50% of his net worth, which translated to roughly $200 – 300 million at the time. Part of that settlement included future earnings from syndication of both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
As you may have guessed by now, a huge chunk of David’s net worth comes from comedy, particularly his involvement with Seinfeld. When Seinfeld started, Larry and Jerry each enjoyed a 7.5% share of the show’s backend points. However, they renegotiated their ownership deal in the mid-90s when the show was at its peak. Also, around the same time, Larry and Jerry bought out an equity owner who was in financial distress.
The new terms of the deal, coupled with their buying out of an equity owner, saw the duo’s ownership in Seinfeld rise to 15% each. But they were only getting started. Following Seinfeld’s syndication in 1998 for $1.7 billion, Larry and Jerry each took home a whopping $250 million that year alone.
David’s earnings from the show have been declining each year. However, he and Jerry will continue to mint cash from the syndication until the full payment of the $1.7 billion.
Presently, David is believed to be earning between $40 and 80 million annually from syndication as well as merchandise sales, DVD sales, and other royalties. In 2008, he earned $55 million from Seinfeld syndication and other ventures. 2015 and 2019 were some of his most commercially successful years over the past decade.
In 2015, David earned a total of $80 million, much of which came from Hulu’s $180 million payment to purchase Seinfeld’s streaming rights. And in 2019, both Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld took home $75 million after Netflix acquired Seinfeld for $500 million.
In addition to comedy, Larry David also earns from writing, acting, and television production. It’s unclear exactly how much he has earned from his side gigs, especially considering that many of his films haven’t been commercially successful. However, he must have earned some decent cash out of his writing endeavors, as some of his books have become New York Times bestsellers.
In terms of real estate, Larry David sold his 11,272-square-foot estate located in Pacific Palisades, California, in 2014 at a cost of $12 million. He acquired the home in 1998 for $1.26 million. David currently spends most of his time either in New York City or his 70-acre estate located in Martha’s Vineyard.
Lessons from Larry David
1. Start somewhere
Larry David discovered his talents for standup comedy while in college. After graduating, he didn’t mind accepting odd jobs while honing his standup skills.
2. Work on your insecurities
At some point during the nascent years of his career, David went on the stage but reckoned that he didn’t have what it took to make the crowd laugh. He remarked, “This just isn’t going to work,” and left the stage. However, David worked on his insecurities to eventually emerge as one of the most talented standup comedians.
3. Be humble
Despite being half a billion dollar rich, Larry David has always downplayed his real net worth. Whenever the matter comes up during his interviews, he shrugs it off as something not worth discussing.
Famous Quotes by Larry David
“Every relationship is just so tenuous and precarious.”
“If you tell the truth about how you’re feeling, it becomes funny.”
“Trying on pants is one of the most humiliating things a man can suffer that doesn’t involve a woman.”
“Women love a self-confident bald man.”
“You can’t do anything in life. The social barriers in life are so intense and horrific that every encounter is just fraught with so many problems and dread. Every social situation is a potential nightmare.”
Wrap Up
Larry David has created some of the world’s most entertaining comedy series. He enjoys an industry presence spanning more than three decades, which speaks to his hard work and passion for his job. And although he is 75 years, David hasn’t allowed his old age to slow him down.