What was Al Molinaro’s Net Worth?
Al Molinaro was an American actor who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in 2015. Al Molinaro was best known for his roles on the ABC television sitcoms “The Odd Couple” and “Happy Days.” Later in his career, he had a main role on the short-lived CBS sitcom “The Family Man.” Among his other credits, Molinaro appeared in episodes of “That Girl,” “The Love Boat,” and “Fantasy Island.”
Acting wasn’t Al’s only source of money. Molinaro moved to California in the 1950s and began working a series of odd jobs until he had enough money to run his own collection agency. He eventually sold the collection agency and poured the proceeds into real estate. His real estates assets were acquired by a larger conglomerate in a transaction that made Al moderately wealthy.
With this new-found financial independence, Al decided to finally peruse his lifelong dream of becoming an actor. He quickly landed small parts on sitcoms such as Bewitched, Green Acres, That Girl and Get Smart.
He landed his big break after taking an improv class that happened to include Penny Marshall. Penny recommended Al to her brother Garry Marshall who hired him to appear on “The Odd Couple.” Later on Gary would hire Al to replace Pat Morita on “Happy Days,” and the rest was history.
Early Life and Education
Al Molinaro was born Umberto Molinaro on June 24, 1919 in Kenosha, Wisconsin as the second-youngest of ten children of Italian immigrants Teresa and Raffaele. His father was a prominent restaurant and hotel owner who financially sponsored hundreds of Italians immigrating to the United States. Molinaro’s siblings included brothers Joseph and George; the former became Kenosha County’s longest-serving district attorney, while the latter served 30 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
In school, Molinaro discovered he had a skill for public speaking. However, he struggled academically, and took an extra year to graduate high school.
(Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Career Beginnings
In 1940, Molinaro left Wisconsin and traveled to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He didn’t have much luck at first, and instead decided to start his own collection agency. Molinaro eventually sold the business and became involved in real estate speculation. One of the properties he invested in ended up being purchased by a conglomerate that used the land to build a shopping mall, giving Molinaro a fortuitous windfall.
The Odd Couple
In an improvisation acting class in the late 1960s, Molinaro met Penny Marshall. She eventually introduced him to her brother, writer and producer Garry Marshall, who then offered Molinaro a role on the ABC television sitcom “The Odd Couple.” Based on the play of the same name by Neil Simon, the show starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman as two divorced men with contrasting personalities who are forced to share an apartment in Manhattan. Molinaro played the supporting character Murray Greshler, a police officer. “The Odd Couple” ran for five seasons from 1970 to 1975.
Happy Days
After the end of “The Odd Couple,” Molinaro joined another sitcom created by Garry Marshall, “Happy Days.” He first appeared on the show in its fourth season in 1976, replacing Pat Morita as the new owner of Arnold’s Diner, Al Delvecchio. Known as “Big Al,” the character was known for his sighing catchphrase “Yep-yep-yep.” Molinaro remained on “Happy Days” for the remainder of the show’s run through 1984.
Other Television Credits
Toward the end of the run of “Happy Days,” Molinaro played Al Delvecchio on the spinoff sitcom “Joanie Loves Chachi,” with Erin Moran and Scott Baio in the titular roles. The show ran for two seasons from 1982 to 1983 before it was canceled due to low ratings. Later, from 1990 to 1991, Molinaro played Joe Alberghetti, the father-in-law of Gregory Harrison’s main character, on the CBS sitcom “The Family Man.”
Among his other television credits, Molinaro appeared in episodes of such sitcoms as “Get Smart,” “Bewitched,” “That Girl,” and “Punky Brewster.” He also appeared in multiple episodes of the romantic dramedy series “The Love Boat” and the fantasy drama series “Fantasy Island.” Molinaro had his final role in a 1992 episode of the sitcom “Step by Step.” However, he continued appearing on television for several years as a commercial spokesman, notably for On-Cor frozen dinners.
Film Credits
Although primarily a television actor, Molinaro did have small parts in some films, including the 1976 Disney film “Freaky Friday,” in which he played Drapery Man. His other film credits included the 1980 title “Gridlock.”
Big Al’s
In 1987, with his fellow “Happy Days” star Anson Williams, Molinaro opened a chain of diners called Big Al’s, inspired by the show. Ultimately, they went out of business.
Personal Life and Death
Molinaro married his first wife, Jacquelin Martin, in 1948. The couple had a son named Michael and eventually divorced in 1980. Molinaro went on to marry Betty Farrell in 1981.
On October 30, 2015, Molinaro passed away in Glendale, California from complications of an infected gallbladder. He was 96.
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