Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was born on the 30th November 1918 in New York City, New York, USA of Russian and Romanian ancestry, and passed away on the 2nd May 2014 in Solvang, California, USA, of natural causes at the age of 95. He is best known to the world for being an actor, and one of the most recognizable voice actors of all time. He was an active member of the entertainment industry for over 60 years.
Have you ever wondered how rich Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was? It is estimated that the overall size of Efrem Jr.’s net worth was $5 million. The main source of this amount of money came from his successful professional career as an actor, who starred in a number of TV series and films.
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. Net Worth $5 Million
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was the son of Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., who was a violinist, and Alma Gluck, who was an opera singer. They raised him as a Christian, rejecting their Jewish heritage. After graduation from the Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts, he attended Yale University, and through his studies, he went to acting classes at the Yale School of Drama, where he showed his acting skills. Side by side with his education, Efrem started to earn money as a page for the NBC radio station in New York City. Besides that, he served in the US Army during World War II, receiving several leg wounds at Huertgen Forest, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
Efrem`s acting career began as early as 1945, when he appeared on Broadway in “The Rugged Path”, alongside Spencer Tracy. Efrem had a successful career on stage, appearing also in “Androcles And The Lion” (1946), “Hedda Grabler” (1948), and “The Consul” (1950) among others, increasing his net worth steadily.
He also tried himself as a producer and director, winning the Pulitzer Prize for music used for the play “The Consul”.
Before he moved to Hollywood, Efrem made his acting debut on TV screens, in “Concerning Miss Marlowe” (1954-1955). In 1956, Efrem signed a contract with Warner Bros. and made a move to Hollywood; where he first experienced the glory of Hollywood in the TV series “Maverick” in 1957, portraying the gambler Dandy Jim Buckley. After t hat, Efrem was cast in the action TV series “77 Sunset Strip”, the popular series in several countries lasting from 1958 until 1964, and considerably enhancing his net worth. His net worth also increased in 1958 from his appearances in the films “Girl On The Run” (1958), and “Violent Road”.
In 1965, Efrem was chosen for the lead role of Inspector Lewis Erskine in the popular TV crime drama series “F. B. I.”, ,which became the main source of his net worth in the following years, since the series was shown until 1974.
Meantime, in 1967 Efrem starred in the film “Wait Until Dark”, alongside Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin. He was already a big name in the film industry; he lined up role after role in high profile films and TV series, including “Airport 1975” (1974), “The Best Place To Be” (1974), “Beyond Witch Mountain” (1982), “The Avenging” (1982), and “Remington Steele” (1983-1987).
In 1990, Efrem`s net worth increased by a large degree, as he was selected for the role of Don Alejandro De La Vega in the remake of “Zorro”. Furthermore, he played King Arthur in the TV series “The Legend Of The Prince Valiant” (1991-1993).
Before his retirement in 2008, Efrem had several more noteworthy roles, such as being the voice of Alfred in the animated TV series “The New Batman Adventures”; he had already been the voice of Dr. Octopus in the animated TV series “Spider-Man” from 1995-1997. Efrem repeated his role of Alfred in the TV series “Justice League” from 2003 to 2004.
His last role before retirement, was that of Dr. Engel in the short fantasy film entitled “Delivery”, which also contributed to his net worth.
When it comes to his personal life, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was married twice. His first wife was Emily Munroe McNair, and they had a son and a daughter. After Emily’s death, Efrem married Loranda Stephanie Spaulding in 1956, with whom he had a daughter. Efrem was a big supporter and practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.
