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David Crane Net Worth - $400 Million For 'Friends' And Others

American writer and TV producer David Crane net worth is about $400 million. He is known by most people as the other half of the team that made the famous TV show Friends.

Author:Alex Mercer
Reviewer:Nathanial Blackwood
Jan 04, 2023
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267.6K Views
David Crane and Marta Kauffmanbecame very rich by coming up with the idea for Friends, which is about six friends in their twenties trying to figure out life in New York City. In 2022, David Crane net worthis likely to go up even more if he keeps making amazing and funny films and shows.
Some reports say that the stars and people who made the show "Friends" made about $1.4 billion from it. With each new season, the show became more popular and made more money. The main actorsbecame well-known, and the movie also made them very, very rich.
Not just them, but even more than them, it made the people who helped make it very rich. Crane has worked on a number of other projects as a producer, which has added to his net worth.

Quick Facts About David Crane

NameDavid Crane
BirthdayAugust 13, 1957
ProfessionFilm and TV producer
Net worth$400 million

Who Is David Crane?

Smiling David Crane wearing eyeglasses and black polo
Smiling David Crane wearing eyeglasses and black polo
David Crane was born in Philadelphia, PA, on August 13, 1957. He was raised in a Jewish family by his mother Joan and his father Gene, who was a newsanchor in Philadelphia.
David went to Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. After he graduated in 1975, he went to Brandeis University and got a degree in 1979.
Crane's first writing credit was for the CBS sitcom "Everything's Relative," which aired in 1987. In 1990, he co-created the show "Dream On," which ran for six seasons and 120 episodes. In 1991, he wrote for the CBS show "Sunday Dinner."
The next year, David and Marta came up with the idea for the two-season NBC show "The Powers That Be." They also worked together to make the sitcom "Family Album" in 1993, and Crane was an associate producer on the TV movie "Couples" in 1994.

David Crane Career

'Friends' Co-Creator David Crane Looks Back On Most Memorable Thanksgiving Moments | TODAY

Friends

The first episode of "Friends" aired on NBC in September 1994. The show ran for 10 seasons and 236 episodes, making it one of the most popular sitcoms of all time.
The series was ranked #21 on "TV Guide's" list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." More than 52 million people watched the series finale in 2004, making it the most-watched TV episode of the decade.
In 2004, Crane wrote and made the special "Friends: The One Before the Last One – Ten Years of Friends." Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer got back together for "Friends: The Reunion," which was made more than 15 years after the show ended
It was also called "The One Where They Get Back Together." "Friends: The Reunion" was supposed to come out on May 27, 2020, during the launch of HBO Max. However, filming had to be put off twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it didn't start until April 2021.

After Friends

David wrote the short film "Crashendo" in 1996, and Kauffman and Crane created and wrote for the NBC sitcom "Veronica's Closet." David was an executive producer for "Veronica's Closet" and "Jesse."
In 2006, he co-created and co-wrote for "The Class," which he also executive produced. "The Class" had 19 episodes and starred Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jason Ritter, Lizzy Caplan, and Andrea Anders, who was also in the "Friends" spin-off "Joey," which Crane and Kauffman did not work on.
In 2011, Crane worked on the Showtime/BBC Two show "Episodes" with "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc. The show ran for five seasons and had 41 episodes. It was nominated for four Primetime Emmys.
LeBlanc played a made-up version of himself on the show and won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series for his performance. Through their company, CraneKlarik, Crane and Klarik made "The Class" and "Episodes."

David Crane's Net Worth

David Crane is said to have a net worth of $400 million because the sitcom was so popular and did so well. David made a lot of money with his longtime friend and co-creator Marta Kauffman. As a writer and executive producer, he was very involved with the show for the whole time it was on.
Even though he made a lot of money from the show, he has also worked on other shows. He made the Emmy-nominated BBC show Episodes with his life partner, Jeffrey Klarik. Matt LeBlanc also stars in the show.
In 2006, the couple also made a group sitcom called The Class. David Crane made more than the main actors, who also made a lot of money.

How Much Money Did He Make On Friends?

Some reports say that the stars and the people who made the show made about $1.4 billion from it. With each new season, the show became more popular and made more money. The main actors became well-known, and the movie also made them very, very rich.
Not just them, but even more than them, it made the people who helped make it very rich. Crane has worked on a number of other projects as a producer, which has added to his net worth.
Even though the sitcom was losing money, Crane, Marta, and Kevin Bright, the people who made it, got very rich. Over the 10 years of the show, the producersgot about $70 million in fees. But when syndication came into the picture, that's when the real money came in.
Warner Bros. has made about $4.8 billion over the years by selling repeats to cable networks and streaming services. As more and more streaming services buy the rights to the show, the cast and creators continue to get paid.
The cast reportedly got $5 million each to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary. We can assume that the creators made at least as much, if not more. It just shows how much the show has helped them get rich.
Forbes says that Crane, Kauffman, and Kevin Bright all made at least $550 million before taxes. Crane has made a lot of money from the show, to say the least.

Interesting Facts About David Crane

  • Crane was born on August 13, 1957, in the town of West New York in the state of New Jersey.
  • He went to Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, and Brandeis University, where he got his bachelor's degree in theater in 1979.
  • Crane and Marta Kauffman made the show Friends together in 1994. He was the show's executive producer for the whole time it was on, and he and Kauffman wrote a few episodes together.
  • Crane is best known for his work on TV shows that make people laugh. He often works with his husband. The ensemble sitcom The Class and the American-British comedy show Episodes were both made by the two of them. Matt LeBlanc was in Episodes. He was also in Friends.
  • He is married to another TV producer, Jeffrey Klarik, and they have two kids together, Clancy and Blaine. They live in Los Angeles, California, together.
  • David Crane has been nominated for eleven Primetime Emmys: six for "Friends" as Outstanding Comedy Series (which won in 2002), four for "Episodes" as Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and one for "Dream On" as Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series.
  • David's show "Episodes" has also been nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Situation Comedy and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Comedy and Best New Series.
  • David and Marta also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical "Personals," which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical in 1986.
  • Forbes says that the team of David, Marta, and Kevin made about $70 million in producer fees over the show's 10-year run. But the big money started coming in after syndication sales, which the magazine says made the creative team $475 million.

People Also Ask

How Much Did David Crane Make From Friends?

Forbes says that David, Marta, and Kevin made an estimated $70 million in producer fees over the show's 10-year run.

How Did Marta Kauffman And David Crane Meet?

"Friends" was co-created and executive produced by Kauffman and David Crane '79. They met at Brandeis when they were cast in a student production of Tennessee Williams' "Camino Real." The show ran for 10 years, was nominated for 62 Emmys, and is still a huge hit with new generations thanks to streaming services.

How Much Did Netflix Pay The Friends Franchise?

In 2015, Netflix paid $100 million for the streaming rights to Friends. According to Nielsen, Friends is the second most streamed show on Netflix. In July, however, WarnerMedia, which owns HBO, outbid Netflix in a huge $500 million deal to get the streaming rights to the show.

Conclusion

David Crane has a net worth of $400 million thanks to the huge success of Friends. He worked on the TV show as a writer and executive producer for the whole ten years it was on the air.
Even though a show like Friends doesn't come along very often, David Crane is still working on different projects in Hollywood. He and his life partner, Jeffrey Klarik, made the BBC show Episodes, which was nominated for an Emmy and starred Friends star Matt LeBlanc. In the show, LeBlanc played himself.
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Alex Mercer

Alex Mercer

Author
Alex Mercer is a seasoned author and analyst specializing in wealth research, with a keen focus on evaluating the net worth of individuals across various industries. With over a decade of experience in financial analysis and wealth assessment, Alex has developed a nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to an individual's financial status, from investments and assets to market trends and economic policies. His work involves in-depth reviews and analyses, providing insightful observations on wealth accumulation, management strategies, and the socio-economic implications of wealth distribution. Throughout his career, Alex has become known for his ability to distill complex financial data into understandable and engaging narratives, making the subject of wealth and net worth accessible to a broad audience. His expertise is not just in numbers but in telling the stories behind them, highlighting the journeys, strategies, and decisions that lead to financial success or challenges. Alex's contributions to the field of wealth research are valuable resources for anyone looking to understand the dynamics of wealth in today's world, offering a unique perspective that bridges the gap between financial analysis and human interest.
Nathanial Blackwood

Nathanial Blackwood

Reviewer
Nathanial (Nate) Blackwood is a distinguished financial journalist with a decade of experience in net worth analysis. He holds an Economics degree from the University of Finance and a Data Analysis certification, enabling him to blend thorough insights with engaging storytelling. Nate is known for making complex financial information accessible to a wide audience, earning acclaim for his precise and reader-friendly analyses. Beyond his writing, Nate is dedicated to financial literacy, actively participating in educational forums and workshops. He is the founder of PureNetWealth, a platform that demystifies the financial achievements of public figures by exploring the strategies and decisions behind their fortunes. Nate's work bridges the gap between intricate economic concepts and the general public, inspiring a deeper understanding of wealth dynamics. Follow Nathanial Blackwood for essential insights into the financial narratives shaping our world.
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