Legendary actress and singer Mitzi Gaynor died on Thursday, October 17, at 93. Gaynor had been a stalwart of the acting industry for decades, starring in 1950s Hollywood musicals like South Pacific and There's No Business Like Show Business before switching to television and acting in a series of Emmy-winning creatives.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mitzi Gaynor's net worth is estimated at $50 million. Born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber, Gaynor had a singing, dancing, and acting career that spanned over 70 years. Her management team shared the news of her demise via a post on X, which stated that the actress died of natural causes.
How did Mitzi Gaynor amass her net worth? Looking back at her professional career
Mitzi Gaynor's $50 million net worth comes majorly from her acting and singing career. Gaynor was one of the most sought-after heroines during her time, garnering awards and lucrative contracts for her efforts. After working for decades as an actress, she slowly became a singer.
At just 17, Gaynor signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. Her big screen debut came with the 1950 musical My Blue Heaven, starring Dan Dailey and Betty Grable. She also appeared in several films, including Take Care of My Little Girl, Golden Girl, We're Not Married!, and Bloodhounds of Broadway.
In 1953, she started in the biopic of the legendary Canadian singer and entertainer Eva Tanguay in the film The I Don't Care Girl. After that, she played the female protagonist in the 1954 movie Three Young Texans.
However, one of her biggest breaks came when Gaynor did the hit musical There's No Business Like Show Business alongside Donald O'Connor, Dan Dailey, and Johnie Ray. In 1954, Gaynor married PR manager and talent agent Jack Bean.
Gaynor grew in popularity in the 1960s with several high-profile films alongside big stars. One of the highlights of her acting career came in 1958 when Gaynor starred in South Pacific alongside Rossano Brazzi, Juanita Hall, and John Kerr. She also earned a Golden Globe nomination for her work.
In 1967, Gaynor appeared in her first television special on NBC. She starred in nine more specials and won sixteen Emmy Awards. In the later part of her career, Gaynor performed at nightclubs in Las Vegas as a singer.
She also released two albums via Verve Records—Mitzi and Mitzi Gaynor Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin. During the 1990s, she worked as a featured columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. Gaynor returned to the stage in 2009 for her one-woman show called Razzle Dazzle: My Life Behind the Sequins.
In 2009, she was also honored with lifetime achievement awards from Boston Youth Moves and Chapman University. The actress and singer received the Bob Harrington Lifetime Achievement Award a year later. Finally, she was inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame in 2017.`
Mitzi Gaynor's managers shared the news of her demise via a note
Mitzi Gaynor's managers, Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda, announced the news of her demise via a post on X. According to the post, the actress died of natural causes on the morning of October 17.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved friend and client Mitzi Gaynor. She passed away peacefully today of natural causes at the age of 93," wrote her managers on X.
The post went on to talk about her personal and professional life,
"For eight decades she entertained audiences in films, on television and on the stage, She truly enjoyed every moment of her professional career and the great privilege of being an entertainer. Off stage, she was a vibrant and extraordinary woman, a caring and loyal friend, and a warm, gracious, very funny and altogether glorious human being."
Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda also noted gratitude for Gaynor's fans, friends, and the countless people she had entertained in her career. They further stated that Gaynor would describe her audiences as "the sunshine of my life." The note ended with a message for the readers, asking them to keep Gaynor in their thoughts and prayers.