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• Wayne Knight (Newman)

• John O'Hurley (J. Peterman)

• Patrick Warburton (David Puddy)

• Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer)

• Jason Alexander (George Costanza)

• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes)

• Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld)

Highlights

• Seinfeld was a grown-up sitcom that initially struggled to find an audience, but grew popular over time.
• Characters on Seinfeld had unique plots, making the show more intriguing.
• Despite initial career hurdles, Seinfeld cast members like Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus amassed impressive net worths.

The beginning of the 1990s was an era of family and youth-oriented sitcoms — shows like The Wonder Years, Family Matters, Full House (and later, Friends) reigned supreme on broadcast television.

Amid this regime of family-friendly television, a 35-year-old rising star in comedy – and his comedian friend Larry David – dared to introduce a decidedly grown-up sitcom, Seinfeld, to the TV landscape of the day.

Unlike many popular sitcoms of the 1990s, Seinfeld didn't see immediate success. However, now a ten-time Emmy winner, Seinfeld found its footing (and its audience) with time.

After a first-year slump, Seinfeld improved with the second season — but it achieved recognition in the third season, and by the fourth season, it had exploded onto the scene.

Infamously known as a "show about nothing," Seinfeld is now considered one of the greatest sitcoms in television history.

When Seinfeld hit the scene in the 1990s, sitcoms typically involved what are known as A, B, and C plots, explained by a screenwriting resource as follows:

"The 'A story' will be the primary focus of your story ... The 'B story' is generally a parallel storyline headed by more secondary characters.

"The 'C story' (and deeper in the alphabet), also called a 'runner,' are about ongoing/macro stories that pay off long-term (or, in the case of some comedies, quick gag scenes)."

However, Seinfeld broke with tradition and gave every character a plot, making each witty in their own way — which made the ensemble more interesting.

Each character on the Seinfeld cast had a unique personality and tumultuous relationships, often changing love interests, all of which added significant intrigue to the show's narrative.

Seinfeld is currently a hot topic, as Larry David's acclaimed follow-up, Curb Your Enthusiasm, recently concluded.

Viewers inevitably drew comparisons between the endings of both of David's hit shows, which share notable similarities, and David said the finale of Curb was a pointed reference to Seinfeld's famously divisive ending.

After leaving an indelible mark on television, Seinfeld's finale aired in 1998, but its run and its last episode remain a topic of debate and sustained interest in pop culture.

Fans still adore Seinfeld and frequently discuss the characters, episodes, and its many catchphrases.

Let's take a look at what the Seinfeld cast is up to now, how their careers have evolved since the finale aired, and how wealthy they've become.

2:17

The Lost Cast: Their Net Worths, And What They're Up To Now

7 Wayne Knight (Newman)

Wayne Knight's Net Worth (Estimated): $10 Million

Jerry's sworn nemesis on Seinfeld, Newman, was portrayed by actor Wayne Knight.

Knight's Newman character openly envied Jerry Seinfeld, and his rampant jealousy and cunning schemes against Jerry (and the other main characters) were hilarious.

The veteran actor began his career in 1985 with two episodes of the television series Assaulted Nuts.

After notable roles in Dirty Dancing, Everybody's All-American, and Square One, he landed this career-defining role among the Seinfeld cast.

After Seinfeld, Wayne Knight expanded his career into various television and film projects, including Rat Race, Toy Story 2 (voice), Hail, Caesar!, Kung Fu Panda (voice), The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, and 12 Mighty Orphans.

Knight's most recent project is How To Be A Bookie, in which he appeared for two episodes.

In his upcoming projects, Them and Among Us, he is set to act in one episode of each.

Due to his outstanding 39-year career and involvement in 127 acting projects, Wayne Knight amassed an estimated $10 million net worth.

6 John O'Hurley (J. Peterman)

John O'Hurley's Net Worth (Estimated): $12 Million

John O'Hurley is often recognized for his role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld.

O'Hurley portrayed the sophisticated businessman (with a flair for delivering metaphor-filled dialogues) with absolute seriousness — yet his lines often provided the audience with a uniquely funny perspective against the cast's wider dynamics.

A notable comedian, O'Hurley began his acting career with a recurring role as Greg Schaeffer in The Edge Of Night in 1983.

In addition to Seinfeld, O'Hurley has been part of many other impressive series and films.

His credits include The X-Files, Lost on Earth, Over The Top, Cursed, and the film 7 Days Of Vegas.

Seinfeld's J. Peterman is a multi-talented guy — not only is he a comedian and actor, he is also a pianist, an author, and a game show host.

After hosting game shows like To Tell The Truth and The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee, O'Hurley became the host of one of the most popular game shows in the world, Family Feud, for four seasons (from 2006 to 2010).

O'Hurley is also a venture capitalist; he has invested in many profitable businesses, and is a co-owner of the J. Peterman Company.

In the April 1998 Seinfeld episode "The Frogger," O'Hurley's character purchases a slice of historical wedding cake for $29,000.

When adjusted for inflation, the wedding cake in question would cost $55,739.25 today.

Due to his many talents, Seinfeld star John O'Hurley's net worth is estimated at a cool $12 million.

2:08

The Truth Is Out There: The X-Files Cast's Net Worths, And What They're Up To Now

5 Patrick Warburton (David Puddy)

Patrick Warburton's Net Worth (Estimated): $20 Million

Despite appearing in just ten episodes out of 180 in Seinfeld, Patrick Warburton's David Puddy is deemed one of Seinfeld's most interesting characters.

Puddy was the on-and-off boyfriend of Elaine Benes, a main character on Seinfeld.

His deliberate monotone style of delivering dialogues, nonchalant attitude, and humorous one-liners are extremely popular among fans.

Warburton's most notable projects include Dave's World, Scream 3, Joe Somebody, Family Guy (voice), Get Smart, and The Venture Bros.

A Daytime Emmy nominee, Patrick Warburton is known in particular for his distinctive and captivating voice, which has translated into lucrative voice acting work.

He has achieved fame as a prominent voice actor in projects for Carrier Corporation, American Express, and Horizon Air.

With an extensive acting portfolio, 193 roles to his credit to date, and various endorsement deals, Warburton has earned a substantial fortune, estimated at $20 million.

4 Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer)

Michael Richards' Net Worth (Estimated): $30 Million

Cosmo Kramer, a main character played by Michael Richards, is one of the funniest and most beloved characters on the Seinfeld cast.

Kramer is depicted as a loyal and amiable sort who endeavors to help his friends — but his strange way of doing so and his frequent misdeeds often led to uproarious laughter from the audience.

Unsurprisingly, Richards is the only Seinfeld cast member to have won an Emmy three times in the "Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series" category, outpacing the other stars in terms of wins.

Unfortunately, one of the most talented actors on Seinfeld lost his way after it drew to a close, and was unable to keep his career on track.

After Seinfeld, his project The Michael Richards Show failed, and Bee Movie didn’t achieve the success expected of it.

As early as 1995, the specter of typecasting was raised, due to the zany nature of Kramer and Richards' popular portrayal — but typecasting is not the primary reason Richards' career stalled.

In late 2006, Richards notoriously devolved into a racist rant targeting audience members during a set at The Laugh Club, which ignited widespread outcry among fans, and massively hindered his career.

Richards immediately apologized for the set (and later described the controversy as a "reality check"), but the damage had been done, and the incident still comes up alongside his name in the news.

A three-time Golden Globe winner, Richards has acted in many movies and shows — but since 2019, he hasn't secured any work.

Despite his declining public profile, Michael Richards has an impressive estimated net worth of $30 million, most of which he earned from Seinfeld.

2:06

Johnny Knoxville's Net Worth: How A Former Extra Turned Stunts Into Millions

3 Jason Alexander (George Costanza)

Jason Alexander's Net Worth (Estimated): $50 Million

A debate rages to this day over which member of the Seinfeld cast was the "best character," George Costanza or Cosmo Kramer.

Though Kramer has a lot of fans, many also insist Jason Alexander's George Costanza (also known as "Art Vandelay") deserves the title.

Alexander's George is a hilarious misanthrope, with a remarkably low level of empathy, and a consistent "I don't care" approach to everything.

Costanza's brazen, cowardly demeanor and his frustrating view of the world make the character a standout among the Seinfeld cast, and Alexander racked up an amazing seven Emmy nominations for his portrayal.

Jason started his career in 1980, and a decade later he landed a career-making role on Seinfeld, which made him a household name worldwide.

Like Michael Richards, Alexander's career was on the decline after Seinfeld, and the series' massive profile likely exacerbated that.

After the finale, fans called this the "Seinfeld Curse," which Entertainment Weekly described in 2023:

"In the years following the game-changing success of Seinfeld, its three non-titular stars (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards) all failed to launch new sitcoms with them as leads.

"This led many to believe they were plagued by the 'Seinfeld curse,' which postulated it was impossible for the actors to find similar success on another show."

Though Jason struggled to maintain mainstream success post-George, he persevered, and took on recurring roles in various projects.

The reward for his persistence manifested as a busy career on TV and in film in recent years, earning him a decent amount.

Jason Alexander's net worth is estimated at a massive $50 million, primarily earned through his acting career.

2 Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Net Worth (Estimated): $250 Million

The only female member of the core Seinfeld cast but the most powerful character (Elaine Benes) was portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Golden Globe winner Louis-Dreyfus' Elaine exhibits a blunt, short-tempered, no-nonsense attitude, and she appears to be the sanest person in the chaotic world of Seinfeld.

Also an eleven-time Emmy winner today, Louis-Dreyfus started her career in 1982, on Saturday Night Live.

After working on major projects like Hannah And Her Sisters and Day By Day, Julia landed the most popular role of her career, Elaine Benes.

As mentioned above, Louis-Dreyfus' career faltered for several years after Seinfeld, again sparking discussions about the "Seinfeld Curse."

However, Louis-Dreyfus disproved the Seinfeld Curse theory after winning an Emmy for her role as Christine Campbell in The New Adventures Of Old Christine.

But Veep was the series that revived her Seinfeld-like glory, earning her nine Emmys as a producer and lead actress.

She also appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and she's working on another Marvel project, Thunderbolts.

Rumors have circulated claiming Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a billionaire; her wealthy father, Gerard Louis-Dreyfus, was a billionaire.

Gerard Louis-Dreyfus passed away in 2016, and Julia has denied receiving a massive inheritance.

The Seinfeld star, ostensibly without backing from her wealthy father, built her own empire, and today, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' net worth is estimated at $250 million.

2:01

Bet You're Loving This: The Umbrella Academy Cast, Ranked By Net Worth 

1 Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld)

Jerry Seinfeld's Net Worth (Estimated): $900 Million

One of the greatest sitcoms in broadcast history, Seinfeld, revolves around a fictionalized version of the real-life stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

The character Jerry was known for (among other things) breaking up with girlfriends over the most minute frustrations, and the character of Jerry had 73 girlfriends on the show.

Notably, he was a less "funny" character than his supporting stars; Jerry's presence united the characters, and he derived humor from the mischievous characters and their outlandish actions.

Jerry Seinfeld started his acting career in 1980, in the series Benson. However, for the ensuing decade, he only secured two other acting projects: Square Pegs and The Ratings Game.

But Seinfeld achieved "legend" status on the stand-up comedy circuit, and became one of the most popular stand-up comedians in the late 1980s.

By the last season of Seinfeld, Jerry was the highest-paid actor on television, and the first ever to earn a million dollars per episode.

Golden Globe winner Jerry Seinfeld is now the richest comedian on the planet. According to some estimates, he's raked in $100 million from his touring alone.

Seinfeld's salary added more than $50 million to his net worth, due to massive syndication rights earnings (as co-creator), and a 15 percent stake in its profits.

Seinfeld brought in more than $3 billion in syndication, which suggests Jerry received a gigantic $465 million paycheck.

Seinfeld is the primary reason Jerry Seinfeld's net worth is currently estimated just short of $1 billion, at $900 million.