Barbara Billingsley Net Worth - Pulptastic

What is Barbara Billingsley’s Net Worth?

Barbara Billingsley, an actress of the screen and stage, had a net worth of $12 million at the time of her death in 2010. She was best known for her role as mother June Cleaver on the television sitcom “Leave it to Beaver” and its sequel “The New Leave it to Beaver.”

Billingsley also appeared in numerous films including “Three Guys Named Mike,” “Woman in the Dark,” “The Careless Years,” and “Airplane!” She lent her voice to the character Nanny on the animated television series “Muppet Babies.”

Early Life of Barbara Billingsley

Barbara Billingsley, born Barbara Lillian Combes on December 22, 1915 in Los Angeles, California, was the daughter of Robert and Lillian. She had an older sister named Elizabeth. Her parents divorced when she was young.

Billingsley’s Early Career

Barbara Billingsley began her career on stage performing in the revue “Straw Hat.” She later became a fashion model in New York City. In 1945, Billingsley signed a contract with MGM and moved back to Los Angeles the following year. She landed a string of uncredited roles in motion pictures, including “Up Goes Maisie,” “Two Sisters from Boston,” “Three Wise Fools,” “Undercurrent,” “The Sea of Grass,” and “The Unfinished Dance.”

Television Career

In the early 50s, Billingsley appeared on several television shows such as “Rebound,” “The Abbott and Costello Show,” “Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson,” and “City Detective.” She continued to guest star in popular shows like “Four Star Playhouse,” “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars,” and “Cavalcade of America.” In 1955, she landed her first main role on “Professional Father,” which was short-lived. Billingsley appeared in various episodes of “You Are There,” “Matinee Theater,” “The Loretta Young Show,” “General Electric Summer Originals,” and “The Ford Television Theatre.” From 1956 to 1957, she had a recurring role on the sitcom “The Brothers.”

Barbara Billingsley’s Role as June Cleaver on “Leave it to Beaver”

Barbara Billingsley became a household name for her portrayal of June Cleaver, the mother of the Cleaver family, on the hit sitcom “Leave it to Beaver.” Alongside Hugh Beaumont as Ward Cleaver and child actors Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow as Theodore and Wally Cleaver, respectively, Billingsley’s character often did household chores wearing earrings and her signature pearls. Despite debuting with lackluster ratings on CBS in 1957, the show moved to ABC and became a major success, running for six seasons and 234 episodes.

Decades after the show’s end, Billingsley and the surviving cast reunited for the television film “Still the Beaver” in 1983, followed by the sequel series “The New Leave it to Beaver,” which aired from 1985 to 1989. Billingsley also made appearances as June Cleaver on other shows, including “Amazing Stories,” “Baby Boom,” and “Hi Honey, I’m Home!”

Acting Career

After the end of “Leave it to Beaver,” Billingsley struggled to find acting jobs. Her only television credit during the 70s was the police drama series “The F.B.I.” She returned to the small screen in the early 80s with appearances on “Mork & Mindy” and “The Love Boat,” as well as a role in the television film “High School U.S.A.”

In 1984, Billingsley voiced the character Nanny on the animated series “Muppet Babies,” a role she continued through the show’s end in 1991. Throughout the 90s, she made appearances on sitcoms such as “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose,” “Empty Nest,” “The Mommies,” “Murphy Brown,” and “Roseanne.”

In the new millennium, Billingsley guest-starred on the science-fiction series “Mysterious Ways.” Her final television credit was the television film “Secret Santa,” which aired in 2003.

Barbara Billingsley’s Film Career

Barbara Billingsley’s film career began with uncredited roles, but she received her first screen billing in the 1948 film noir “The Argyle Secrets.” She also had a prominent role in the Western “The Valiant Hombre.” In the following years, Billingsley appeared in various films, including “Shadow on the Wall,” “Pretty Baby,” and “Three Guys Named Mike.”

Billingsley continued to appear in many uncredited parts in films such as “The Tall Target,” “Invitation,” “The Bad and the Beautiful,” and “Invaders from Mars.” One of her biggest film roles came in 1957 in Arthur Hiller’s “The Careless Years.”

Billingsley made a return to the big screen 23 years later in the parody film “Airplane!” where she sent up her wholesome persona by playing a jive-talking lady. She rarely appeared on film after this, with her only other credit in the 80s being a brief part in “Back to the Beach.” Billingsley made her final appearance on film in the 1997 big-screen adaptation of “Leave it to Beaver.”

Barbara Billingsley’s Marriages and Death

Billingsley was married three times in her life. Her first husband was Glenn Billingsley, a restaurateur, whom she married in 1941. The couple had two sons before divorcing in 1947. In 1953, Billingsley married English filmmaker Roy Kellino, with whom she stayed until his death in 1956. Her third and final husband was William Mortensen, whom she married in 1959. They remained together until his death in 1981.

At the age of 94, Billingsley passed away from polymyalgia at her residence in Santa Monica, California, in October of 2010.

Barbara Billingsley’s Malibu Home

In the 1960s, Barbara Billingsley purchased an oceanfront home in Malibu for $30,000. She would rent it out when she wasn’t using it. Over the last two decades, the home was rented out for $20-40,000 per month.

In September 2021, Joe Montana purchased the home from Barbara’s heirs for $7.4 million.

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