Inger Stevens Net Worth 2023: Facts And Bio
If you love films and television shows from the 50s and 60s, the name Inger Stevens is very familiar. Inger is best known for her role as a Swedish maid “Katy Holstrum” in the TV series The Farmer’s Daughter. Inger Stevens died at age 35 but accumulated a net worth of $1.1 million during her acting career, although some sources say it could be as much as $5 million.
Inger Stevens, born Inger Stensland on 18 October 1934, is a Swedish-American film and television star famous for her role in The Farmer’s Daughter. Inger Stevens best estimated net worth is $1.1 million, which was passed on to her second husband, Ike Jones after she died in 1970.
Award-winning actress Inger Stevens acted in various films and TV shows since her debut in 1954 and death in 1970. Inger was married twice, and her interracial marriage to her second husband, Ike Jones, was kept secret to protect her career. Her life is one of courage, determination, and success, for which she was honored during her 16 years as an actress.
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Inger Stevens’ Net Worth
Inger Stevens; was born Inger Stensland on 18 October 1934. During Inger’s short but successful acting career, she accumulated a net worth of between one and five million dollars, according to IMDb and Forbes. Most online sources set Inger Stevens’ net worth closer to $1.1 million.
During Inger’s short but successful career, she made numerous appearances as a stage, television, and movie actress. The Swedish–American film star had a short and successful career until she passed away on 30 April 1970 at 35. After her death, the court awarded Inger’s second husband, Ike Jones, ownership of her assets.
Inger Stevens accumulated most of her fortune through acting, and she is best known for her role in the TV series The Farmer’s Daughter. Inger Stevens played the role of Katy Holstrum, who provided hours of funny and captivating moments throughout the series.
Inger Stevens’ Bio
Inger Stevens was born Ingrid Stensland in Sweden on 18 October 1934. The Swedish-American Golden Globe actress was well-known for her films and stage appearances.
Early Life
Inger Stevens, the only daughter of Per Gustaf and Lisbet Stensland, was born in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden. Inger’s mother left her husband Per, son Ola and six-year-old Inger, only taking Inger’s youngest brother Peter.
After Inger’s mother abandoned them, her father relocated to America. Inger’s father left her and Ola with the family housemaid and later sent them to Lidingö to live with their aunt. When Inger was 10, both kids went to the US to live with their newly married father and his second wife.
Inger’s father lived in NYC, where he was finishing his Ph.D. at Columbia University. In 1947 Inger’s father moved to Manhattan, Kansas, where she attended high school, and her father became a teacher at the State University.
When Inger was 15, she ran off to Kansas City to perform in burlesque shows and returned to NYC’s Garment District when she was 18 and became a chorus girl. While Inger worked as a chorus girl, she attended Actors Studio for acting classes.
Professional Career
Inger Stevens’ career started in the late 1950s when she appeared in commercials, TV, and plays until her screen appearance Starring Bing Crosby in the movie Man on Fire.
After Man on Fire, Inger starred in studio films, including a role in The World, opposite Harry Belafonte and the Flesh and the Devil. Many consider Inger’s greatest achievement her role as Katy Holstrum in The Farmer’s Daughter. The famous TV series The Farmer’s Daughter raised Inger’s stardom when she played alongside William Windom from 1963 until 1966.
Inger Stevens made numerous appearances, including Bonanza, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Route 66, Sam Benedict, The Eleventh Hour, The Twilight Zone, and The Aquanauts. In 1966 The Farmer’s Daughter was canceled, but it was not the end of Inger’s career. Inger appeared in films like Hang ‘Em High, A Guide for the Married Man, Madigan, and 5 Card Stud.
Personal Life
After a tough childhood where Inger’s mother abandoned her and the family, Inger’s father left them in Sweden and moved to the US. First, Inger and her brother stayed with their maid; then, they moved to her aunt until she was 10. Inger’s father brought Inger and her brother to New York City to live with him and his new wife, where she found a love for acting.
Not much is known of Inger’s time with her father in New York, but at 15, she went to Kansas City to work in burlesque shows. Three years later, Inger returned to New York to become a chorus girl, where her path to stardom began.
Inger was determent to become famous and sought the help of Anthony Soglio, who became her agent and whom she married in 1955 and two years later divorced.
Inger’s successful acting career opened other opportunities away from the big screen where she could make a difference. California’s Council for Retarded Children appointed Steven as chairman, and in 1966, California’s governor Edmund G Brown gave Inger a seat on The UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute’s board.
In a time when interracial marriages were frowned upon, Inger secretly married her second husband, Ike Jones, in Mexico. Ike studied at UCLA and was the first African American to graduate from film, theater, and television at UCLA.
Inger and Ike married in 1961, but Ike only revealed their marriage after she died in 1970, and a 1968 photo reveals the two attending a banquet together.
Because Inger and Ike were married in Mexico, Ike could not produce a marriage certificate, and many doubted the validity of their marriage. To protect Inger’s acting career, the two kept their tax, homes, and maintenance on the books separate as single persons.
There was a lot of controversy surrounding Ike and Inger’s relationship after her death. Still, her estate was finally settled in court when Inger’s brother confirmed the legitimacy of their marriage. A Los Angeles Court ruled in favor of Ike Jones’s claim to their marriage and named Jones executive to her estate.
Where Did Her Wealth Come From?
Inger Stevens started her career in the 1950s on television and appeared on numerous shows. Inger’s first big break happened when she showcased her talents in 1957 alongside Bing Crosby in the drama A Man of Fire. Inger reportedly charged $500 per week for A Man of Fire. Inger appeared in Carry Terror, where her weekly income increased to $600.
Inger earned around $20,000 per month, but with her fame rising, she increased her annual income to $500,000. By the time Inger was 30, she was a high-paid actress and one of the most famous in the industry.
Inger married her agent Tony Soglio in 1955 but separated six months later and finally divorced in 1958. Because there was no community property, Tony received 5% of Inger’s income for seven years. Inger’s fame increased, and she became an influencer causing her wealth to increase even more.
Television Shows
A big part of Inger’s success and wealth came from Tv shows, which added to her net worth. Inger Stevens played various characters, including 101 episodes on the famous TV series The Farmer’s Daughter. Inger accumulated a small fortune in many Tv shows, including:
• Playhouse 90 (1956 to 1960)
• The Twilight Zone (1959 to 1964)
• Golden Showcase (1961)
• Follow the Sun (1961 to 1962)
• The Farmer’s Daughter (1963 to 1966)
• The Pat Boone Show (1967)
• The Most Deadly Game (1970 to 1971)
TV Advertisement
Inger Stevens’ career on television quickly made her a prominent face in the industry, and she soon became an influencer. Inger’s stardom allowed her to endorse and appear in numerous advertisements for which she was highly paid.
Movies Career
Since Inger Stevens’ first appearance on television, the film industry has recognized her beauty and acting skills, and she has showcased her talents in various films. One of her best performances was in the 1967 film A Guide for the Married Man, but others included:
- Man on Fire -1957
- Cry Terror -1958
- The Buccaneer -1958
- The World -1959
- The New Interns -1964
- The Borgia Stick -1967
- A Guide for the Married Man -1967
- A Time for Killing -1967
- Firecreek -1968
- Madigan -1968
- 5 Card Stud -1968
- Hang ‘Em High -1968
- House of Cards -1968
- A Dream of Kings -1969
Most of Inger Stevens’ wealth came from her movie career, and the 1958 Top New Female Personality category nominated her for the Laurel Award.
Financial Achievements Of Inger Stevens
Inger Stevens’s short but explosive acting career has produced some of the best performances on Television and film. The 16 years that Inger graced fans with her beauty earned the actress nominations and awards, but nothing as memorable as the roles she played.
In 1958 Inger was nominated for Top New Female Personality at the Laurel Awards. Other nominations included Outstanding Single Performance in 1962 for her leading role on the NBC anthology series The Dick Powell Show.
One of Inger’s most recognized achievements was her portrayal of the Swedish housekeeper Katy Holstrum in the television series The Farmer’s Daughter. ABC ran the series for three seasons from 1963 until 1966, totaling 101 episodes making Inger Stevens a household name. In 1964 Inger’s role in The Farmer’s Daughter won her:
- 1964 Golden Globe Award for Best Female TV Star.
- 1964 TV Guide and Emmy Award for Favorite Female Performer.
- 1964 Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series nomination for a leading role.
In 1966 California Governor Edmund G. Brown added Inger Stevens to UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute Advisory Board. Inger Stevens was appointed Chairman of the California Council for Retarded Children. Inger achieved a lot during her short career, and since her passing in 1970, her fame still echoes in the film industry with those remembering her beauty.
Inger Steven’s Death
35-year-old actress Inger Stevens was found by her roommate and close friend Lola McNally on the kitchen floor on 30 April 1970. McNally called out to Inger in her final moments, who says that She opened her eyes but was unable to speak.
Stevens passed away before the ambulance reached the hospital. Dr. Thomas Noguchi, Los Angeles County Coroner, said that Inger’s death resulted from acute barbiturate poisoning and eventually ruled her death suicide.
According to friends, Inger never indicated that she struggled, although she attempted suicide in 1958 after a New Year’s Eve party. Inger Stevens’s life was filled with near-death experiences, including monoxide poisoning during the filming of Cry Terror and as a passenger of a crash-landed jet.
Lesson To Learn From Inger Stevens’ Life
Inger Stevens did not have the opportunity to live a long life, but the 35 years she did and the 16 years she shared her talent with the world showed determination. Inger often spoke of the hardship she experienced coming from a broken home but used it to motivate her success.
After a failed marriage to her agent, Inger had an interracial marriage which she kept secret. Steven’s marriage to Ike showed her determination to find happiness wherever it appeared. Juggling an interracial marriage, acting career, and the spotlight shows that Inger Stevens did not let anyone control her happiness.
Inger is a great example that every day is special and that you should focus on the here and now, not tomorrow’s unknowns.
Wrap Up
Inger Stevens, born Inger Stensland on 18 October 1934, is a Swedish-American film and television star famous for her role in The Farmer’s Daughter. Inger debuted in 1954 and amassed a net worth of $1.1 million over 16 years of acting until her death on 30 April 1970.
Inger had an interracial marriage with Ike Jones, who inherited her fortune after she died in 1970.
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