Sci-Fi Author Michael Crichton Had a Staggering Net Worth Thanks to Books and Movies
More than a dozen of Michael Crichton's books were also adapted into movies, which contributed to his net worth.
Published June 10 2024, 10:38 a.m. ET
Author Michael Crichton was one of the most successful writers of the 20th century. He's perhaps best known for Jurassic Park, which became one of the most successful movies of all time after being an incredibly successful novel.
Michael died in 2008 when he was just 66 years old, but now, many want to learn more about what his net worth was at the time of his death, and more about his personal life. Here's what we know about one of the wealthiest authors in history.
What was Michael Crichton's net worth?
At the time of his death, Michael was estimated to be worth a staggering $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That worth comes chiefly from the works he created, and from selling the rights to those various stories for movies, TV shows, and other merchandise. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and more than a dozen of his books were also adapted into movies.
Michael Crichton
Author
Net worth: $400 Million
Michael Crichton is a best-selling author known for Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, The Great Train Robbery, and Sphere. His books sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. Michael also worked as a film director, writing and directing Westworld among other films. He was also the creator of the hit NBC series ER.
Birthdate: Oct. 23, 1942
Birthplace: Chicago, Ill.
Birth Name: John Michael Crichton
Father: John Henderson Crichton
Mother: Zula Miller Crichton
Who was Michael Crichton's wife?
Michael was married five times during his life, and four of those marriages ended in divorce. He was married to Joan Radam from 1965–1970, Kathleen St. Johns from 1978–1980, Suzanna Childs from 1981–1983, and actor Anne-Marie Martin from 1987–2003. At the time of his death, he was married to Sherri Alexander, who he had married in 2005.
Who are Michael Crichton's children?
Although he was married five times, Michael only had two children. His first, Taylor Anne, was born in 1989 during his marriage to Anne-Marie Martin. Sherri was pregnant with Michael's second child when he died, and John Michael Todd Crichton was born on Feb. 12, 2009, without ever having met his father. Neither John nor Taylor Anne have sought the spotlight in the years since their father's death.
What was Michael Crichton's cause of death?
Michael died in November 2008 after being diagnosed with lymphoma earlier in the year. Michael's cancer wasn't made public until his death, which was due to his overall belief in personal privacy. Michael was undergoing chemotherapy at the time of his death, and his physicians were expecting him to make a recovery when he died.
Following his death, luminaries like Steven Spielberg and Stephen King paid tribute to Michael and the massive legacy that he left behind in the world of storytelling more generally. Few authors in history have had more success than Michael, and his death at such a relatively young age came as a shock to many thanks in part to his own devotion to privacy.