Harvey Pekar Net Worth

August 2024 · 6 minute read

Harvey Pekar net worth is
$12 Million

Harvey Pekar Wiki Biography

Harvey Lawrence Pekar was a comic book writer, media personality and music critic, born on 8th October 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio USA, and was probably best known for his autobiographical comic series “American Splendor”, which was an inspiration for the 2003 film adaptation of the same name. He was described as the “poet laureate of Cleveland”. Harvey passed away in 2010.

Have you ever wondered how rich Harvey Pekar was? According to sources, it has been estimated that Harvey Pekar’s overall net worth was $12 million, accumulated by developing a successful writing career, and achieving great publicity among readers. He was an awarded and reputable writer, whose net worth rose significantly during his career which spanned nearly four decades.

Harvey Pekar Net Worth $12 Million

Pekar was born into a Jewish family, who immigrated from Poland after World War II. He claimed his childhood was difficult since he was often physically abused by his peers, since he was one of the few remaining white children in his neighborhood. After graduating from Shaker Heights High School, Harvey enrolled at Case Western Reserve University, but dropped out after the first year to serve in the US Navy. He then worked various odd jobs before getting a job at Cleveland’s Veteran’s Administration Hospital as a file clerk, a job he held until his retirement, refusing all promotions even after becoming famous. Through their mutual love of jazz, Harvey met cartoonist and musician Rober Crumb, and their friendship eventually led to him creating an autobiographical comic book series – “American Splendor”.

However, his career really started in the early ‘70s, when Pekar showed some of his stories to Crumb and artist Robert Armstrong, who were so impressed they offered to illustrate them. Soon, Pekar & Crumb’s “Crazy Ed” was published becoming Harvey’s first published work of comics. More work followed such as “A Mexican Tale”, “It Pays to Advertise”, “Ain’ It The Truth” and other. Harvey’s first issue of “American Splendor” series appeared in 1976, and documented his daily life in the Cleveland neighborhoods. It was illustrated by Crumb, Budgett, Dumm and Brian Bram and some of the stories were later collected into many books and anthologies. These formed the base of his net worth.

In 2003, directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman, a film adaptation of “American Splendor” was released and included Harvey’s personal appearance in the movie. One of Pekar’s notable biographies includes “American Splendor: Unsung Her”(2003) which portrays the experience of one of his co-workers in the Vietnam War. His other work includes “The Quitter”(2005), “Ego&Hubris:The Michael Malice Story”(2006), “Students for a Democratic Society: A Graphic History”(2008), “The Beats”(2009), “Studs Terkel’s Working: A Graphic Adaptation”(2009), and “The Pekar Project”(2010). All contributed steadily to his net worth.

Privately, Harvey married three times, firstly to Karen Delaney (1960-72), then to Helen Lark Hall (1977-81), and thirdly to writer Joyce Brabner with whom he worked on the creation on the novel autobiography “Our Cancer Year”, which described his successful treatment for lymphoma. The couple lived with their foster daughter Danielle in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he died on 12th July 2010.


Full NameHarvey Pekar
Net Worth$12 Million
Date Of BirthOctober 8, 1939
DiedJuly 12, 2010
Place Of BirthCleveland, Ohio, United States
ProfessionScreenwriter, Actor, Cartoonist, Author
EducationShaker Heights High School, Case Western Reserve University
NationalityAmerican
SpouseJoyce Brabner (m. 1984–2010), Helen Lark Hall (m. 1977–1981), Karen Delaney (m. 1960–1972)
ChildrenDanielle Pekar
SiblingsAllen Pekar
IMDBhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0670688
AwardsAmerican Book Awards, Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame
Movies, American Splendor, HypaSpace
TV ShowsHypaSpace
#Quote
1"Life is about women, gigs, an' bein' creative." (Epitaph on his headstone)
2As a matter of fact, I deliberately look for the mundane, because I feel these stories are ignored. The most influential things that happen to virtually all of us are the things that happen on a daily basis. not the traumas. Yet, because they are common, writers ignore them as not being fit to write about. I take the opposite point of view. I think you can find all the elements that you can find in great literature in mundane experiences. You can find heroism everyday, like guys working terrible jobs because they've got to support their families. Or as far as humor, the things I see on the job, on the street, are far funnier than anything you'll ever see on TV.
3I very frequently get letters from people that say, "Yea, I went through that myself, and I really got a lot of comfort from your story." That makes me feel good. People who've had lousy experiences like to read about somebody else going through the same crap, so they find out they're not the only ones. Misery loves company. There's a lot to that.
4(On friend and collaborator R. Crumb (aka Robert Crumb): "He has a good eye and ear for the way people are and the way they talk. And he draws better than just about anybody in the world".
5(On first meeting Paul Giamatti): "You'd better be the man your father was". (Bart Giamatti, who was a professor of Renaissance Literature at Yale and was Commissioner of Baseball when Pete Rose was banned from the game).
#Fact
1According to his widow, Joyce Brabner, his ashes will be interred in Cleveland, Ohio's Lakeview Cemetery, next to Elliot Ness. [2010]
2Retired from his job as a filing clerk in a Veteran's hospital. [2003]
3Died on the exact same day as counter-culture poet and musician Tuli Kupferberg.
4At the time of his death, he had been suffering from prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression.
5He and his wife, Joyce Brabner, are the legal guardians of teenager Danielle Batone.
6Paid $100 for his first appearance on Late Show with David Letterman (1993). He joined AFTRA some time afterward and was paid $600 for his final appearance.
7Contributing columnist for the Cleveland Free Times
8Wrote a comic book called American Splendor. Various artists drew the artwork for the comic book scripts Harvey writes.
9Worked as a file clerk to support himself.
10Politically Harvey has described himself as "a strident leftist".
11Lived in Cleveland, Ohio.
12Wrote about jazz and books for various publications.
13Radio commentator for WKSU-FM in Kent, Ohio.
14Winner of the 1987 American Book Award for his autobiographical comic book American Splendor.

All pictures

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Hero Tomorrow2007Voice of the Squid
All That You Love Will Be Carried Away2004ShortHotel Clerk
American Splendor2003Real Harvey

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Harvey Pekar's Teo Macero2015Documentary short writer
American Splendor2003comic book series American Splendor

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Bird of Steel!special thanks filming

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE and the Changing Face of Comics2009Video documentaryHimself
The Comic Book Lady2008Himself
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations2007TV Series documentaryHimself
HypaSpace2006TV Series documentaryHimself
Genuine Nerd2006Video documentaryHimself
Mondo Thingo2004TV SeriesHimself
I, Curmudgeon2004DocumentaryHimself
Charlie Rose2003TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Festival Pass with Chris Gore2002TV Series documentaryHimself
Vinyl2000DocumentaryHimself
Late Show with David Letterman1994TV SeriesHimself
Late Night with David Letterman1986-1993TV SeriesHimself
Comic Book Confidential1988DocumentaryHimself

Archive Footage

Known for movies


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