What was John Langley's net worth? Inside 'Cops' creator's $3.5M California home amid death at 78
John Langley, the creator and executive producer of 'Cops', died on Saturday at the age of 78 in Baja, Mexico, after an apparent heart attack during the Coast to Coast Ensenada-San Felipe 250 off-road race, family spokeswoman Pam Golum said.
Langley joins the growing list of celebrity deaths this year. In May, Samuel E Wright who gave the voice of Sebastian from 'The Little Mermaid' died. Other recent celeb demises include Robert Hogan, 'Gone Girl' and Broadway actress Lisa Banes and 'Deliverance' star Ned Beatty,
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When it premiered in 1989, 'Cops' was one of the first reality shows on television, and it went on to become an institution over the course of 32 seasons. Langley and his co-producer Malcolm Barbour had been shopping the concept for years before landing it on the nascent Fox network. Here's what's to know about the creator's net worth.
John Langley, who created the long-running TV show “Cops” which helped usher in the reality TV era, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack in Baja, Mexico. He was 78 https://t.co/7VqLEPwYSt pic.twitter.com/lqDEZZnI6g
— Variety (@Variety) June 27, 2021
What was John Langley's net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth pins John Langley's net worth at a whopping $200 million. He is most recognized for inventing and executive producing the TV show 'Cops,' which premiered on March 11, 1989. In 1991, it was elevated to primetime with two back-to-back episodes at 8 pm. 'Cops' would go on to show 1,072 episodes over 31 seasons in the three decades between 1989 and 2019. It has been syndicated on many networks all over the world. The show was originally canceled by Fox in 2013, but Spike TV swiftly picked it up.
Because of 'Cops' exceptionally long-running success, Langley is frequently described as the "Godfather of Reality Television." Prior to becoming an entertainment entrepreneur, he served in the United States Army's intelligence unit. Cal State Dominguez Hills awarded him an English degree, followed by a Master's degree in literature and composition.
R.I.P. John Langley, creator of Cops and "godfather of reality TV" https://t.co/ERlC2e1SVl pic.twitter.com/ul3wOSglFb
— The A.V. Club (@TheAVClub) June 27, 2021
Awards
Langley has received numerous accolades for his work on 'Cops', including an American Television Award and four Emmy Award nominations. The documentary Cocaine Blues also won the Cine Golden Eagle and was a winner at the Houston International Film Festival.
In the mid-1990s, when he created Real Entertainment and pioneered the reality DVD business with VHS releases of many reality titles like 'Cops: Too Hot for TV and The Amazing Video Collection', his DVDs earned various accolades for biggest sales records. During this time, Langley invented and trademarked the phrase 'Too Hot for TV,' which he utilized in marketing until he sold the company. In 2011, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6667 Hollywood Boulevard. For 'Cops', Langley has received four Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Informational Series.
'Cops' creator John Langley dies during road race in Mexico https://t.co/9ilZ8BMtr4 #10TV pic.twitter.com/3zYiCSDqwx
— 10TV (@10TV) June 28, 2021
Real estate
John Langley owns a facility in Santa Monica where 'Cops' is produced. Langley Productions is located in Santa Monica at 1111 Broadway. The property was purchased for $1.9 million by Langley in 2004. The property is now most likely worth $10 million. Langley and his wife Maggie, whom he has been married to for over 40 years, own multiple houses in Manhattan Beach, California. They paid $400,000 for a coastal property in 1994.
They finally bought the next-door lot and erected a large home that would sell for $15-20 million today. In October 2018, they paid $4.9 million for another Manhattan Beach home. The Langleys purchased a seven-bedroom property in Ojai, California, for $3.5 million in 2005. In 2015, John and Maggie posted their Santa Monica property for $2.1 million on the market.
His and his wife's restaurants are located in Manhattan Beach and Ojai, respectively. They also have their own Argentinian wine line. Maggie Langley, Langley's wife, filed for divorce in 2012. She eventually revoked the filing.