John Derek Net Worth

Derek Delevan Harris was born on the 12th August 1926, in Los Angeles, California USA, and was an actor, director and photographer. Under his stage name of John Derek, he is most noted for his roles in the movies All the Kings Men (1949), The Ten Commandments (1956), Exodus (1960) as well as the Frontier

John Derek Wiebers net worth is
$5 Million

John Derek Wiebers Wiki Biography

Derek Delevan Harris was born on the 12th August 1926, in Los Angeles, California USA, and was an actor, director and photographer. Under his stage name of John Derek, he is most noted for his roles in the movies “All the King’s Men” (1949), “The Ten Commandments” (1956), “Exodus” (1960) as well as the “Frontier Circus” western TV series. John is also “responsible” for launching Bo Derek’s acting career, his 30-years younger wife. John passed away in 1998.

Have you ever wondered how much wealth John Derek accumulated for life? How rich John Derek was? According to sources, it is estimated that the total size of John Derek’s overall net worth, as of late 2016, would be around $5 million. It was acquired through his 47 year-long career in the moviemaking industry which ended in 1990.

John Derek Net Worth $5 million

John was born in Hollywood, into the family of Dolores Johnson, an actress, and Lawson Harris, an actor and director, so it is no wonder that he managed to make a successful acting career. His acting talent as well as his handsomeness caught the attention of Oscar-winning producer David O. Selznick and Hollywood talent agent Henry Willson, which led to John Derek’s first acting engagements. He debuted in the short fantasy movie “The Nest” in 1943, but under the name Dare Harris. In 1944, he joined the US Army forces in the Philippines, witnessing the last days of World War II. Upon his return to the states, he approached the legendary Humphrey Bogart who cast him for the role of Nick Romano (Pretty Boy) in Nicholas Ray’s 1949war drama “Knock on Any Door”. Bogart also renamed him John Derek. These ventures provided the basis for John Derek’s wealth as well as helped him to establish himself in the world of acting.

Later that year, John Derek appeared in another motion picture, as Tom Stark in Robert Rossen’s drama movie “All the King’s Men”, after which John’s talent and dedication were recognized, and he started getting more prominent roles. The New York Time’s description of him as “plainly an idol for the girls” also contributed to Derek’s popularity and acting career. In 1956, he starred as Joshua in Cecil B. DeMille‘s classic “The Ten Commandments”; the role of Taha in the 1960 historical war drama “Exodus” was one of John Derek’s notable roles, as well as his appearance in the western TV series “Frontier Circus” in 1961 and 1962, in which he starred as Ben Travis. It is certain that all these roles helped John Derek to gain an impressive amount of wealth.

However, during the mid-1960s, John Derek became dissatisfied with his acting career and his roles of heroes and villains, and decided to turn to directing. He debuted as a director in 1965 with “The 26th Cavalry”, a war movie in which he also played the leading role. Later that year, John directed and appeared in the crime drama “Nightmares in the Sun”, but as a director, he is probably most remembered for his adaptation of the legendary jungle man novel – “Tarzan the Ape Man” – in which the role of Jane Parker was played by his wife, Bo Derek. His last project was the 1990 comedy/fantasy movie “Ghosts Can’t Do It”, after which he officially retired. Doubtlessly, all these ventures contributed to the overall amount of John Derek’s net worth.

When it comes to his personal life, John Derek was married four times. In 1948 he married Pati Behrs Eristoff, prima ballerina of Turkish descent, with whom he had two children. Between 1957 and 1966 John was married to Swiss actress Ursula Andress, and from 1968 to 1975, to another actress, Linda Evans. In 1976, John Derek married Bo Derek with whom he remained ’til his death at the age of 71 due to cardiovascular disease, on the 22nd May 1998 in Santa Maria, California, USA. It is an interesting fact that John, as an accomplished photographer, shot the nude pictures of the last three of his four wives for the Playboy magazine.

In 1960, John Derek was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Full NameJohn Derek
Net Worth$5 Million
Date Of BirthAugust 12, 1926
DiedMay 22, 1998
Place Of BirthHollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
Height1.85 m
ProfessionActor, Cinematographer, Screenwriter, Film director, Film producer, Film Editor, Photographer
NationalityAmerican
SpousePati Behrs (m. 1948–1956), Ursula Andress (m. 1957–1966), Linda Evans (m. 1968–1974), Bo Derek (m. 1976–1998)
ChildrenSean Catherine, Daughter Russell Derek
ParentsLawson Harris, Dolores Johnson
IMDBhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001135/
MoviesTarzan, the Ape Man, Bolero, The Ten Commandments, Knock on Any Door, All the King's Men, Ghosts Can't Do It, Once Before I Die, Rogues of Sherwood Forest, The Adventures of Hajji Baba, Exodus, Nightmare in the Sun, Fury at Showdown, Run for Cover, Mask of the Avenger, I'll Be Seeing You, Ambush at ...
TV ShowsFrontier Circus
#Fact
1Daughter Sean Catherine Derek wrote a memoir in 1982 titled "Cast of Characters" about her troubled relationship with him and about her famous stepmothers, Linda Evans being the only stepmother she had an affinity for.
2Left first wife Pati Behrs for second wife Ursula Andress, who spoke almost no English when they met and eventually left him for Jean-Paul Belmondo. He left third wife Linda Evans for fourth wife Bo Derek after directing her in Fantasies (1981) (shot in 1973) when she was just 16, but they remained together for the rest of his life.
3In 1944 he was drafted into the United States Army and serviced in the Philippines during the last days of World War II.
4Son, Russell Derek, was paralyzed from the chest down due to a motorcycle accident in 1969.
5Father, with Pati Behrs, of Russell Andre Derek (1950-1999) and Sean Catherine Derek.
6Son of Lawson Harris and Dolores Johnson.
7Photographed the last three of his four wives for Playboy magazine.
8In voting for 1981's RAZZIE Awards for Worst Achievements in Film, Derek's direction of Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) (starring his wife Bo Derek) and Michael Cimino's direction of the legendary debacle Heaven's Gate (1980) ran neck-and-neck. A mere handful of late ballots threw the Worst Director nod to Cimino.

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Janus1994TV SeriesTrainer
Flair1990TV Mini-SeriesBarman Pub No. 2
Once Before I Die1966Bailey
Nightmare in the Sun1965Hitchhiker
The 26th Cavalry1965
Frontier Circus1961-1962TV SeriesBen Travis
Zane Grey Theater1957-1961TV SeriesChet Loring / Andy Todd
Exodus1960Taha
Prisoner of the Volga1959Alexej Orloff
Il corsaro della mezzaluna1959Nadir El Krim / Paul de Vellenera
High Hell1958Craig Rhodes
Omar Khayyam1957Young Prince Malik
The Flesh Is Weak1957Tony Giani
Fury at Showdown1957Brock Mitchell
Massacre at Sand Creek1956TV MovieLt. Norman Tucker
Playhouse 901956TV SeriesLt. Norman Tucker
The Ford Television Theatre1953-1956TV SeriesJim Hawk / Allan Malone
The Ten Commandments1956Joshua
The Leather Saint1956Father Gil Allen
Run for Cover1955Davey Bishop
An Annapolis Story1955Anthony J. 'Tony' Scott
Prince of Players1955John Wilkes Booth
The Adventures of Hajji Baba1954Hajji Baba
The Outcast1954Jet Cosgrave
Lux Video Theatre1954TV SeriesGeorge Eastman
Sea of Lost Ships1953G.R. 'Grad' Matthews
Mission Over Korea1953Lt. Pete Barker
The Last Posse1953Jed Clayton
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap1953Kid
Prince of Pirates1953Prince Roland
Thunderbirds1952Lt. Gil Hackett
Castle in the Air1952John Derek (uncredited)
Scandal Sheet1952Steve McCleary
The Family Secret1951David Clark
Saturday's Hero1951Steve Novak
Mask of the Avenger1951Capt. Renato Dimorna
Rogues of Sherwood Forest1950Robin, Earl of Huntington
All the King's Men1949Tom Stark
Knock on Any Door1949Nick Romano
A Double Life1947Police Stenographer (uncredited)
I'll Be Seeing You1944Lt. Bruce (as Dare Harris)
Since You Went Away1944Minor Role (uncredited)
The Nest1943ShortBoy Friend (as Dare Harris)

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ghosts Can't Do It1989
Bolero1984
Tarzan the Ape Man1981
Fantasies1981
Love You!1979
Childish Things1969
A Boy... a Girl1969
Once Before I Die1966
Nightmare in the Sun1965
The 26th Cavalry1965

Cinematographer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ghosts Can't Do It1989photographed by
Bolero1984
Tarzan the Ape Man1981
Fantasies1981
Love You!1979
Childish Things1969
A Boy... a Girl1969

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ghosts Can't Do It1989by
Bolero1984
Fantasies1981
A Boy... a Girl1969writer

Camera Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ghosts Can't Do It1989camera operator

Editor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ghosts Can't Do It1989

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Once Before I Die1966producer

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Playboy Video Magazine, Vol. 11983TV Series documentaryHimself
The Barbara Walters Summer Special1980TV SeriesHimself
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Stars to Remember1954ShortHimself
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood's Mr. Movies1952Documentary shortHimself
Screen Snapshots: Meet Mr. Rhythm, Frankie Laine1952Documentary shortHimself
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Awards1951Documentary shortHimself

Archive Footage

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1991Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst DirectorGhosts Can't Do It (1989)
1985Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst DirectorBolero (1984)
1985Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst ScreenplayBolero (1984)
1984Sour AppleGolden Apple Awards
1960Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameTelevisionOn 8 February 1960. At 6531 Hollywood Blvd.
1951Golden AppleGolden Apple AwardsMost Cooperative ActorTogether with William Holden

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1991Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst ScreenplayGhosts Can't Do It (1989)
1982Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst DirectorTarzan the Ape Man (1981)
1981Stinker AwardThe Stinkers Bad Movie AwardsWorst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!)Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

Known for movies


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