Lorne Michaels’ wealth mainly comes from creating and producing Saturday Night Live, which has helped launch some of the biggest comedy stars on TV and in movies today.
SNL has made many people very rich, and even though Michaels works behind the scenes, he has become well-known and even a celebrity, sometimes not liking the attention. A source told The New York Post that Michaels doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight, saying, “He’s Canadian.”
One thing Michaels doesn’t avoid, however, is working, particularly producing TV shows and movies. Find out Lorne Michaels’ net worth in 2025 and how he built it.
How did Lorne Michaels become famous?
Michaels was born Lorne David Lipowitz in 1944 in Palestine before his family moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he grew up. He graduated from University College, Toronto, in 1966 with a degree in English. He then began working as a writer and broadcaster for Canada’s CBC Radio.
After about two years working in radio, Michaels moved to Los Angeles in 1968. There, he worked as a writer for Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show.
He soon returned to his Canadian roots, creating a series of specials for CBC. He starred in these shows with his friend and collaborator Hart Pomerantz, called The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour.
In 1975, Michaels, NBC staffer Dick Ebersol, and then-NBC president Herb Schlosser worked together to create NBC’s Saturday Night, which changed its title to Saturday Night Live in 1977.
SNL has been a staple of NBC for generations, launching the careers of Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, John Belushi, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Cecily Strong, Pete Davidson, and many more.
Lorne Michaels’ Net Worth: Is Lorne Michaels leaving SNL?What is Lorne Michaels’ net worth in 2025?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lorne Michaels’ net worth in 2025 is estimated to be $500 million. While there is no solid proof to confirm that number, considering his nearly 50 years as a producer, it’s safe to say he is very wealthy.
Is Lorne Michaels leaving SNL?
Not anytime soon. In September 2022, Michaels told The New York Times, “I have no plans to retire. I’m not a big person for celebrating. Even the 40th [anniversary show], in the end, the only way I got through it was because I knew I was doing a show, and at a certain point, the credits would roll and we’d be off the air.
The 50th will be a big event. We’ll bring everyone back from all 50 years and hosts and all of that. It will be a very emotional and very strong thing.”
He shared on CBS This Morning a year earlier, “I think I’m committed to doing the show until its 50th anniversary, which is in three years. I’d like to see that through and I have a feeling that would be a really good time to leave.”
He repeated this idea in an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the January 15 Emmys. “We’re doing the 50th anniversary show in February of ‘25,” he said. “I will definitely be there for that, and definitely be there until that and sometime before that we’ll figure out what we’re gonna do.”
The 50th season of SNL began in September 2024, and the three-hour anniversary special will air on February 16, 2025.
What is Lorne Michaels’ salary?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Michaels’ salary at $30 million to $40 million a year, though there is no solid reporting to back up that number. Several SNL alumni have been suggested as possible replacements for Michaels when he retires, including Tina Fey and Seth Meyers.
When asked at the January 15 Emmys if Tina Fey might be a good choice to take over for him, Michaels said, “It could easily be Tina Fey. Tina is brilliant and great at everything. She’s a very important person in my life.”
Lorne Michaels’ Net Worth: Is Lorne Michaels leaving SNL?Before that, on January 10, Fey told Today‘s Hoda Kotb, “He’s not gonna retire. No ma’am. He has an elixir and he will live forever.” Meanwhile, Meyers previously told Deadline that while he was flattered by the speculation, “It is not a job for me. I really think everybody underestimates the idea that Lorne Michaels might just be irreplaceable.”
How much does Lorne Michaels make per year?
Celebrity Net Worth reports that Michaels makes around $30 million to $40 million each year, but there’s no clear information to explain where that number came from, so it should be taken with caution.
How Long Has Lorne Michaels Produced SNL?
Michaels first caught the attention of Dick Ebersol, who was NBC’s head of late-night television programming, in the early 1970s. At that time, Michaels was a 29-year-old comedy writer from Toronto, Canada.
He worked as a producer on SNL from 1975 to 1980, then took a five-year break to focus on other projects. Since 1985, he has been in charge of the show.
Michaels has earned 21 Primetime Emmy Awards from 106 nominations and has played a key role in launching the careers of some of the biggest stars in entertainment.
Is Lorne Michaels Married?
Michaels has been married three times. His first wife, Rosie Shuster, was the daughter of his comedy mentor Frank Shuster. They got married in 1971, and Rosie later wrote for SNL. After they divorced in 1980, Michaels married actress Susan Forristal, and they were together from 1981 to 1987.
Michaels met his current wife, Alice Barry, on the set of SNL, where she worked as an assistant. The two started dating in 1991 and got married later that year. They have three children together: Sophie, Henry, and Edward.