What Was Jean Stapleton's Net Worth?
Jean Stapleton was an American actress who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of her death in 2013. Jean Stapleton was best known for her Emmy-winning performance as Edith Bunker on the CBS sitcom "All in the Family" (1971–1979). Jean had more than 70 acting credits to her name, including the films "Damn Yankees" (1958), "Klute" (1971), "Michael" (1996), and "You've Got Mail" (1998), the TV movies "Tail Gunner Joe" (1977), "Isabel's Choice" (1981), and "Baby" (2000), and the television series "Archie Bunker's Place" (1979), "Bagdad Cafe" (1990–1991), and "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" (1994). Stapleton also performed on Broadway, appearing in productions of "In the Summer House" (1953–1954), "Damn Yankees" (1955–1956), "Bells Are Ringing" (1956–1959), "Juno" (1959), "Rhinoceros" (1961), "Funny Girl" (1964–1967), and "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1986–1987). In 2002, Jean was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Stapleton died of natural causes in May 2013 at the age of 90.
Early Life
Jean Stapleton was born Jeanne Murray on January 19, 1923, in New York City. She was the daughter of opera singer Marie A. Stapleton and billboard advertising salesman Joseph E. Murray. Stapleton's older brother, Jack, was a stage actor who inspired Jean to pursue an acting career, and her uncle, Joseph E. Deming, was a vaudevillian performer.
Career
Stapleton's career began in summer stock theatre in 1941, and she made her onscreen debut in the early '50s, appearing on "Starlight Theatre" (1951), "Robert Montgomery Presents" (1952), and "Lux Video Theatre" (1953). Her first Broadway show was a 1953 production of "In the Summer House," then she played Sister Miller in a 1955 production of "Damn Yankees." Jean reprised the role in the 1958 film adaptation, which would be her first movie. The film earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical and a Laurel Award nomination for Top Musical. Her next film was 1960's "Bells Are Ringing," in which she reprised the role of Sue from the 1956 Broadway production of the same name. Next, Stapleton appeared in the films "Something Wild" (1961) and "Up the Down Staircase" (1967) and guest-starred on "Naked City" (1961–1963), "Dr. Kildare" (1961), "Dennis the Menace" (1962), "The Nurses" (1962), "The Defenders" (1962), "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1962), "Route 66" (1963), "My Three Sons" (1964), and "The Patty Duke Show" (1964).
From 1971 to 1979, Jean starred as Edith Bunker on the CBS sitcom "All in the Family" alongside Carroll O'Connor, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner, earning three Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes for her performance. The series aired 205 episodes over nine seasons and was ranked #4 on "TV Guide's" 2002 list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." Stapleton reprised her role in five episodes of the spin-off "Archie Bunker's Place" in 1979. In the '70s, she also appeared in the films "Cold Turkey" (1971) and "Klute" (1971), the TV movies "Acts of Love and Other Comedies" (1973), "Tail Gunner Joe" (1977), "You Can't Take it With You" (1979), and "Aunt Mary" (1979), and the television series "The Muppet Show" (1978). Over the next decade, Jean guest-starred on "Captain Kangaroo" (1981), "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1983; 1985), "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" (1984), "Great Performances" (1985), "The Love Boat" (1986), and "Trying Times" (1989), and she appeared in the film "The Buddy System" (1984) and the TV movies "Angel Dusted" (1981), "Isabel's Choice" (1981), "Something's Afoot" (1982), "A Matter of Sex" (1984), "Dead Man's Folly" (1986), and "Tender Places" (1987). She received nominations from the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1982 TV movie "Eleanor, First Lady of the World."
From 1990 to 1991, Jean played Jasmine Zweibel on the CBS sitcom "Bagdad Cafe" alongside Whoopi Goldberg, and in 1994, she starred in the title role on the children's show "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle," which was based on a series of books by Betty MacDonald. She co-starred with John Travolta and Andie MacDowell in 1996's "Michael" and with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in 1998's "You've Got Mail," and she voiced Mrs. Jenkins in the 1998 animated Disney film "Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World." "Michael" grossed $119.7 million at the box office, and "You've Got Mail" brought in $250.8 million. Stapleton guest-starred on "The Ray Bradbury Theater" (1992), "Grace Under Fire" (1994), "Caroline in the City" (1995), "Murphy Brown" (1996), "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996), "Beakman's World" (1996), "Style & Substance" (1998), and "Touched by an Angel" (2000), and she appeared in the TV movies "Fire in the Dark" (1991), "The Habitation of Dragons" (1991), "Ghost Mom" (1993), "Lily Dale" (1996), "Chance of a Lifetime" (1998), and "Baby" (2000). In 2001, Jean appeared in her final film, "Pursuit of Happiness," and her final TV movie, "Like Mother Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes."
Personal Life
Jean married William Putch on October 26, 1957, and they welcomed two children, son John and daughter Pamela. John is an actor, director, producer, and writer, and Pamela is an actress and producer. Stapleton and Putch remained married until William's death in November 1983. Putch spent three decades directing plays for Totem Pole Playhouse, a summer stock theater in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, and Stapleton regularly starred in plays there. Jean was a member of the Christian Science church, an advocate of the Equal Rights Amendment, and a participant in the 1977 National Women's Conference.
Death
On May 31, 2013, Jean passed away from natural causes in her Manhattan apartment at the age of 90. She was laid to rest at Lincoln Cemetery in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. "All in the Family" creator Norman Lear said of her death:
"No one gave more profound 'how to be a human being' lessons than Jean Stapleton. Goodbye Edith, darling."
Stapleton's "All in the Family" co-star Rob Reiner stated:
"Jean was a brilliant comedienne with exquisite timing. Working with her was one of the greatest experiences of my life."
On June 5, 2013, Broadway marquee lights were dimmed for two minutes in Stapleton's honor.
Awards and Nominations
Stapleton was nominated for 10 Primetime Emmys, winning Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series (1971 and 1972) and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1978) for "All in the Family." She also earned nominations for the series in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, and 1979, and her other nominations were for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for "Eleanor, First Lady of the World" (1982) and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for "Grace Under Fire" (1995). Jean received nine Golden Globe nominations, taking home the prize for Best TV Actress – Comedy or Musical for "All in the Family" in 1973 and 1974. She also earned nominations for the show in 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, and 1981, and she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for "Eleanor, First Lady of the World" in 1983 and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for "Fire in the Dark" in 1992.
Stapleton was inducted into the Online Film & Television Association Hall of Fame, for Actors and Actresses in 2004 and for Character in 2021, and she earned a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Recording for the "All In The Family" album in 1973. In 1985, she was honored with a Humanitarian Award from the Women in Film Crystal Awards, and in 1997, she won a Lone Star Film & Television Award for Best TV Supporting Actress for the television film "Lily Dale." Jean also received five CableACE Award nominations: Actress in a Dramatic or Theatrical Program for the "Faerie Tale Theatre" episode "Jack And The Beanstalk" (1984), Actress in a Comedy Series for the "Faerie Tale Theatre" episode "Cinderella" (1985) and for "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" (1995), Actress in a Theatrical or Dramatic Special for the "Great Performances" episode "Grown-Ups" (1987), and Actress in a Dramatic Series for "Let Me Hear You Whisper" (1991).
