12 Dumbest Classic TV Stars Who Bankrupted Themselves Part 2

Overview

The video counts down 12 classic TV stars it portrays as having squandered fortunes through gambling, extravagant lifestyles, risky ventures, or refusing to adjust when their fame and income faded. Its recurring punchline is that actors who played shrewd or practical characters often made remarkably impractical decisions with their own money.

The 12 Stars

1. Jan-Michael Vincent — At the height of Airwolf, he was reportedly earning $250,000 a week. The video says erratic behavior and legal and substance problems strained production until he was fired. Rather than cut back, he kept spending, while legal costs, accidents, and settlements added to his financial troubles.

2. Hervé Villechaize — As Tattoo on Fantasy Island, he reportedly earned about $70,000 an episode. He demanded pay equal to co-star Ricardo Montalbán’s and was dismissed; the show carried on with a replacement. The video says he then held on to an expensive ranch while waiting for another big role, eventually taking smaller jobs, including a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial.

3. Phil Silvers — The Sergeant Bilko star’s real-life reputation for gambling provided an ironic contrast to his on-screen hustler. His wagers reportedly ranged from conventional games to absurd bets, such as which raindrop would reach the bottom of a window first. The video says he kept gambling as his career income dwindled and later took low-paying roles to make ends meet.

4. Telly Savalas — The Kojak star is described as a Las Vegas high roller who lost huge sums at casinos but refused to give up his luxury lifestyle. He reportedly lived for nearly 20 years in an expensive suite at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. The video’s joke is that the detective famous for spotting a bluff failed to face his own financial reality.

5. Don Adams — Despite Get Smart salary and syndication income, Adams reportedly poured money into horse racing and speculative real estate, while also facing the costs of three divorces. The video says he spent his later years doing voice work, including Inspector Gadget, and that friends helped with his funeral expenses.

6. Fred Berry — Known as Rerun on What’s Happening!!, Berry allegedly believed his popularity made him indispensable and pushed for more money. The video links the show’s end and his later financial decline to lavish spending, partying, and the costs of six marriages. It describes him as eventually facing poverty and periods of near homelessness.

7. Jack Klugman — The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E. star invested heavily in thoroughbred horses, including an 800-acre California equestrian facility. When one of his horses placed third in the Kentucky Derby, the video says he took it as encouragement to invest even more. He later admitted he kept working partly to support the horses and pay the farm’s debts.

8. Ernie Kovacs — The comedy innovator is accused of repeatedly failing to file tax returns while maintaining an extravagant lifestyle. He died in a car accident in 1962, leaving a substantial tax debt behind. His widow, Edie Adams, then spent years working to pay it off—one of the video’s starkest examples of financial trouble affecting a family.

9. Nell Carter — The Give Me a Break! star reportedly used her income to support friends and relatives and ignored warnings from accountants. After filing for bankruptcy in 1995, she continued spending in much the same way and filed again in 2002. The video sums up the pattern as an inability to say no to people around her.

10. Johnny Weissmuller — Famous as Tarzan and later for Jungle Jim, Weissmuller backed ventures including a pink, flamingo-themed hotel in Acapulco and a Florida golf-course company. The video says risky investments and the costs of five marriages depleted his wealth; he eventually worked greeting visitors at Caesars Palace.

11. Edd Byrnes — The 77 Sunset Strip teen idol, known as Kookie, reportedly received 15,000 fan letters a week. When he demanded a raise and a larger role, he left the set, expecting the studio to give in. Instead, Warner Bros. suspended him and continued without him. While out of work, he allegedly bought an expensive Jaguar, and his career never regained its earlier momentum.

12. Dana Plato — The Diff’rent Strokes star struggled financially after the show ended. The video says that, rather than find more ordinary work, she continued living beyond her means. In 1991, she robbed a Las Vegas video store with a BB gun and took $164; the arrest badly damaged her prospects for a comeback.

Personalities Mentioned

Featured: Jan-Michael Vincent, Hervé Villechaize, Phil Silvers, Telly Savalas, Don Adams, Fred Berry, Jack Klugman, Ernie Kovacs, Nell Carter, Johnny Weissmuller, Edd Byrnes, and Dana Plato.

Other notable figures: Ricardo Montalbán and Edie Adams.