Michael Crichton Created the Iconic 'Jurassic Park' Franchise and TV Show 'ER'; Here's His Net Worth

Michael Crichton sold the rights for his book "Jurassic Park" to be made into a movie for $1.5 million.

PUBLISHED NOV 18, 2023

Michael Crichton | Getty Images | Photo by Leonardo Cendamo

Name	Michael Crichton
Net worth	$400 million
Sources of income	Writing, production
DOB	13 October 1942
Age	66 (at the time of his death)
Gender	Male
Nationality	American
Profession	Writer, producer

What was Michael Crichton's net worth?

Author, director, and producer, known for laying the groundwork for hits such as the "Jurassic Park" franchise and sci-fi classic "Westworld" Michael Crichton had earned an estimated net worth of $400 million by the time of his death in 2008, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Crichton is also best known for writing successful novels like "Congo", "Sphere," and "Rising Sun". His books have sold over 200 million copies and several of his novels have been adapted into films. He also created the hit TV show “ER” which successfully ran for 15 seasons.

Michael Crichton at the 16th Annual Producers Guild Awards | Getty Images | Photo by SGranitz

What were Michael Crichton's sources of income?

Crichton made most of his money from writing as well as film production. He graduated from Harvard Medical School earning an M.D. However, he realized that he hated the course, and wrote novels on the side during his graduation. His first novel, "Odds On” came out in 1966 while he was still a student.

After his graduation, Crichton released "The Andromeda Strain" in 1969. It became his first best-seller and was later adapted into a movie, establishing Crichton as a creative force in Hollywood at the age of 27 years.

Crichton then released 10 more novels between 1969 and 1990, when he released the iconic "Jurassic Park,” which went on to become an enormous success. It was also adapted into a movie of the same name in 1993, after Crichton sold the rights for $1.5 million and made another $500,000 to consult during production. The film directed and produced by Steven Speilberg went on to earn over $1 billion at the box office on a budget of $63 million, and held the record for the highest-grossing film till 1997. He wrote several other novels which turned into movies including his 1995 novel "The Lost World".

Crichton also forayed into TV, and created the medical drama series "ER" in 1994, using his medical knowledge. The show went on to become a huge hit that ran for 15 successful seasons and became one of the most successful series in TV history. It aired for 331 episodes through 2009, and as per Celebrity Net Worth, the show has generated over $4 billion in syndication revenue.

Real estate and total Assets

Crichton owned a massive estate in Hawaii. The large compound is located on Kauai’s Hanalei Bay. After his death, Danny Errico, co-founder of the Equinox gym chain bought the property for $21.75 million in multiple transactions, as per Mansion Global. The five-bedroom main house of the estate measures about 5,500 square feet.

Crichton collected art throughout his life and even served on the board of the Los Angeles County Museum Of Art. He owned the works of Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. In 2010, Christie's organized an auction of roughly 100 pieces of Crichton’s collection, which fetched $93 million.

Personal life

Crichton was married five times in his life. While four of his marriages ended in divorce, his fifth wife Sherri, was with him at the time of his death. He had one child with his fourth wife, and at the time of his death, Sherri was six months pregnant with their son John Michael.

Sherri Crichton and Michael Crichton at the 'George Gershwin Alone' premier | Getty Images | Photo by Chad Buchanan

Crichton was first diagnosed with lymphoma in early 2008 which later developed into throat cancer. Despite receiving treatment, he died on November 4, 2008, at the age of 66.