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Jay Leno is a well-known comedian and television show host with a regular annual income of $15 million and an estimated net worth of $400 million. The host earns most of the money from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC. Last 2010, Forbes estimated that his show attracted an audience of more than 4 million people. That made him one of America's most popular TV hosts.
Jay was born with the name James Douglas Muir Leno in New Rochelle during the 1950s. He began his career by taking up acts in nightclubs and then broke into television on March 2, 1977, for his maiden The Tonight Show. In 1973, he launched into comedy. Because of his ability to attract a large viewership, Jay became the first priority to substitute Johnny Carson. He was ahead of David Letterman on NBC's late night program.
In 1992, he eventually permanently took over from Carson and made an estimate of $1 million that year. In 1994, his earnings from the TV show tripled to $3 million. He first retired from television in 2009. However, he surprised the people with a triumphant comeback. He increased his earnings to $24 million by revamping the Tonight Show. However, in 2012, his annual income went down to $15 million.
Unlike most showbiz personalities who invest in businesses, Jay Leno opted to put his money into his hobby of collecting antique cars and motorcycles. He currently boasts a collection of 90 bikes and over 100 cars all valued at approximately $50 million. He writes about automobiles on his blog jaylenosgarage.com. After 22 years in the media and entertainment industry, Jay Leno would officially retire from NBC in the spring of 2014 and give way to his successor Jimmy Fallon. He married Mavis Leno in 1980 but they have no children. Some of his earnings are directed to the campaign to fight against gender apartheid in Afghanistan through Feminist Majority.
Earnings & Financial Data
|
Date |
Category |
Description |
Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Donation of a 2018 Corvette Carbon 65 Edition for a charity that benefits military veterans |
$1,400,000 |
|
2017 |
Asset |
Purchase value of Jay Leno's 2017 Ford GT |
$450,000 |
|
2016 |
Asset |
Current value of Jay Leno's McLaren F1 car |
$12,000,000 |
|
2016 |
Asset |
Purchase value of Jay Leno's 1951 Hudson Hornet and McLaren F1 car |
$850,600 |
|
2015 |
Box Office Sales |
Worldwide box office sales of the movie Ted 2 |
$216,690,000 |
|
2013 |
Box Office Sales |
Worldwide box office sales of the movie Delivery Man |
$49,980,000 |
|
2013 |
Asset |
Estimated value of Jay Leno's car collection |
$46,580,000 |
|
2013 |
Salary |
Annual salary as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show |
$30,000,000 |
|
2012 |
Earnings |
Payment for Jay Leno to step down from “The Tonight Show” months before his contract with the network expires |
$15,000,000 |
|
2012 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Auction price of his Fiat 500 with all the proceeds going to a charity that helps wounded war veterans recover by providing them with temporary housing |
$385,000 |
|
2010 |
Salary |
Annual salary as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show |
$24,000,000 |
|
2009 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Donation to a scholarship fund at Salem State College |
$100,000 |
|
2001 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Donation to the Feminist Majority Foundation's campaign to stop gender apartheid in Afghanistan |
$100,000 |
|
1994 |
Salary |
Annual salary as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show |
$3,000,000 |
|
1992 |
Salary |
Annual salary as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show |
$1,000,000 |