Larry David Net Worth

Seinfeld, the proverbial “show about nothing,” has earned more than a little something for its creators, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. Even a quarter-century after the show stopped production, syndication rights continue to earn both men enormous amounts of money. So how much is Larry David worth?

What is Larry David’s Net Worth?

As of this writing, Larry David’s estimated net worth is at least $400 million and could be as much as $900 million.

Larry David earned his money from writing two hit television series, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Syndication rights for both shows earned Larry David massive pay-outs when signed, and continue to generate a steady income for David to this day. His income may have been as high as $55 million in 2008.

Who is Larry David?

Larry David was born on July 2, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Rose and Mortimer Julius David.  His early life was unremarkable and gave no hint of his future success as a writer, actor, and television producer. David graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School. He then attended the University of Maryland at College Park and earned a bachelor’s degree in history.

After college, Larry David began doing standup comedy and worked a series of odd jobs to make ends meet. David enlisted in the United States Army Reserve, and held jobs as a limousine driver and store clerk, in addition to his efforts as a standup comedian.

Between 1980 and 1982, Larry David was a writer and cast member for ABC’s Fridays, alongside Michael Richards, who would later play Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld. The character of Cosmo Kramer was inspired by a neighbor of David’s, Kenny Kramer when they both lived in a federally-subsidized apartment building in Manhattan.

Between 1984 and 1985, David was a writer for Saturday Night Live. During his stint on SNL, he met Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was a cast member of the show. David’s tenure on Saturday Night was not a success. In two years, he was only able to have one routine accepted, which ran at the very end of a show.

How did Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld co-create Seinfeld?

In 1989, David partnered with Jerry Seinfeld as co-creator of The Seinfeld Chronicles, a pilot episode for NBC. The pilot subsequently became the comedy series Seinfeld. The television series would become one of the most popular and successful television shows in history, earning the top spot on TV Guide’s list of the 50 greatest TV shows of all time. Entertainment Weekly called the television series the third-best TV show of all time.

Larry David wrote 62 episodes of the show, including “The Contest,” a 1992 episode that earned him the first of two Primetime Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Writing of a Comedy Series. Seinfeld also won the award for Outstanding Comedy Series that year.

In addition to serving as the head writer of the series he co-created, David made occasional appearances on the show as an actor, playing a lawyer, and providing the voice of George Steinbrenner. He also served as the primary inspiration for the character George Costanza.

In 1996, David left Seinfeld on good terms, but wrote the series finale in 1998, and continued working for the show as a voice actor for Steinbrenner.

How did Larry David create Curb Your Enthusiasm?

In 1999, HBO broadcast Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm, a one-hour comedy special starring David. This was quickly followed in October 2000, by the HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Each episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm traces the life of a fictionalized Larry David as he struggles to find a meaningful life after having made his fortune from Seinfeld.

The fictionalized David commits so many social blunders and gaffes that the phrase “Larry David moment” has passed into pop culture as a byword for any accidental boorishness or lack of social grace. Well-known actors of the 1980s and ’90s, like Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have made appearances. The cast of Seinfeld, including Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jerry Seinfeld have also appeared occasionally.

How Did Seinfeld’s Syndication Increase Larry David’s Net Worth?

Seinfeld’s syndication made Larry David a very wealthy man, as he contracted for a percentage of the revenue. The original Seinfeld syndication deal called for a payment of $1.7 billion dollars. In 1998, Larry David netted approximately $250 million. Over time, payments decreased, but David earned $55 million in 2008 from the Seinfeld deal, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and DVD sales.

What Awards Has Larry David Earned?

David’s work has also gained consistent critical acclaim. He has 27 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Emmy Awards. He also has three Golden Globe Awards. In a 2004 British poll of comedians and entertainment professionals, he was picked as the 23^rd best comedy star ever, in “The Comedian’s Comedian” award. In 2010, the Writers’ Guild of America honored him with the Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement.

During the American Presidential elections of 2016 and 2020, Larry David made multiple guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, impersonating Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders. David, a Democrat, subsequently said on Late Night with Stephen Colbert, that while a Sanders win would be great for the country, it would be terrible for him personally, as he would need to keep flying back to Los Angeles to continue his appearances.

What About Larry David’s Personal Life?

Larry David lives in Los Angeles, California, in the Pacific Palisades district. David has been married twice. His first marriage, to Laurie Lennard, lasted from 1993 to 2007. The couple had two children, Cazzie David and Romy David.

The couple’s divorce in 2007 led to considerable speculation over the division of David’s substantial net worth with his ex-wife Laurie since California is a community property state. David has occasionally said, since his divorce, that reports of his wealth are overstated.

In 2017, David met Ashley Underwood, a producer, at the birthday party of Sacha Baron Cohen. The couple married in 2020.

Larry David is a sports buff and supports the New York City teams, the Yankees, Knicks, Rangers and Jets.

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