Introduction
Tracy Morgan is an Emmy-nominated actor and one of the most popular comedians of his generation. He is best known for being a long-time Saturday Night Live performer and his Emmy-winning role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC hit show 30 Rock.
He continued the tradition of stand-up comedians like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Jim Carrey, and Martin Lawrence breaking into the entertainment industry after building their own huge fanbases.
Unfortunately, a fatal truck accident nearly ended his life in 2014 and forced him to put the brakes on a career that was cruising at top speed.
In this article, we’ll cover the highs and lows of Tracy Morgan’s life, and how he rose to greater heights after winning a settlement with Walmart to cover his injuries and losses.
Our team of experienced Georgia accident lawyers here at Monge & Associates have won hundreds of lawsuits to compensate truck accident victims for their injuries and damages. You don’t need to have deep pockets like Tracy Morgan to win a huge settlement though. In fact, you don’t even have to pay us until we win.
Early Life and Career of Tracy Morgan
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Tracy Morgan was born in a family that struggled to make ends meet. He was stuck living on welfare and ended up dropping out of high school to pursue his passion of stand-up comedy. His father passed away early, but he had made a name for himself in the world of stand-up comedy by then to support his family.
Tracy Morgan made his TV debut in 1992 playing Hustle Man in fellow comedian-actor Martin Lawrence’s show Martin. He got his first big break becoming an Saturday Night Live cast member, which opened the door for many more movie and TV opportunities. But his biggest break came when he was cast in his Emmy-nominated role on the NBC hit show 30 Rock.
Tracy Morgan on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is one of the longest running popular American late-night live television shows. Light-hearted entertainment is the heart of the show. There’s a mix of sketch comedy, musical performances, and celebrity hosts. It was home for a natural-born entertainer like Tracy Morgan when was casted as a regular member on SNL from 1996 to 2003.
He quickly became a fan favorite doing hilarious impressions of OJ Simpson and Mike Tyson. Soon, his unique delivery and in-your-face comedic style became a weekly highlight as he went on to invent memorable characters like Brian Fellows, Woodrow, and Uncle Jemima.
Some of his popular skits like “Super Bass-o-matic” and “Taco Town” are still getting thousands of views even today.
Tracy Morgan’s earned a handsome $75,000 per episode when he was on SNL. SNL salary when he was on SNL was reported to be around $75,000 per episode.
Tracy Morgan on 30 Rock
30 Rock was a modern-day comedy classic series about the behind-the-scenes workings of a fictional comedy show. This NBC show was a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the struggles of running a comedy series on NBC. It ran from 2006 to 2013 and ended up becoming the show that made Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, and Tracy Morgan into household names.
Tracy Morgan played the role of Tracy Jordan – an exaggerated version of his real-life persona. He played a loudmouth movie star with a reputation for odd behavior while network executives struggled to keep him in line.
It was clear he didn’t have to try too hard to inject his unique energy and natural humor into this role. The audience instantly clicked with his brand of humor and the industry took notice of his growing star value. He was nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe, and winning a Screen Actors Guild Award for his outstanding performance in a comedy series.
Although he was initially cast as a guest, the rave reviews and fan favorite status with fans of 30 Rock earned him a permanent role and a great salary hike. Morgan started off with a salary of $50,000 per episode in the first season. However, it was increased to $150,000 per episode as his popularity took the world by storm.
Tracy Morgan’s Net Worth
Tracy Morgan has an amazing net worth of over $70 million. He learned about the importance of building a brand and diversifying investments from fellow artists and actors early on in his career.
Let’s take a look at Tracy Morgan’s biggest sources of income and investments:
- Acting in TV shows and movies like SNL, The Tracy Morgan Show, 30 Rock, The Longest Yard, Cop Out, Rio 2, and The Last O.G.
- Stand-up comedy specials and tours
- Working as an executive producer
- Real estate investment in properties all across America
- An exotic car collection
However, the biggest payout that boosted his net worth came out of something really unexpected, something really unfortunate – a fatal car accident.
Tracy Morgan’s Car Crash
Tracy Morgan was arguably hitting his prime in 2014 when his life turned upside down overnight. In June 2014, a Walmart tractor trailer slammed into Morgan’s limo bus on the New Jersey Turnpike as he was coming home from a stand-up gig.
One of his closest friends and fellow stand-up comic James McNair was killed in the crash. Multiple others were severely injured in the truck accident.
Morgan went into a coma for eight days. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a broken leg, broken ribs, and a damaged nose.
Morgan was eventually transferred to a rehab facility after his condition stabilized. His brain injury was so severe that he had to relearn how to walk and talk again
He decided to sue Walmart to get compensated for his injuries and trauma. It was found that the truck driver who rammed into his limo bus was fatigued by his back-to-back shifts. In fact, he hadn’t slept for more than 24 hours.
Walmart decided to settle out of court after Morgan’s legal team had gathered enough momentum to make his claim undeniable. The compensation settlement was supposed to be confidential, but many sources reported that it was around $90 million.
The settlement helped Morgan cover all his medical expenses, rehab, lost earnings, trauma counseling, and still have enough left over to not work another day in his life if he wants.
Although he’s enjoyed a remarkable career comeback, he still struggles with memory issues and recurring headaches since the accident.
Tracy Morgan’s Properties
Tracy Morgan is a savvy real estate investor who owns properties in New Jersey, Chicago, LA, Indiana, and other cities. But his $13.9 million mansion in Alpine, New Jersey that he bought in 2015 is surely the crown jewel of his properties. It has seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
This massive property is spread across two acres with a home theatre, basketball court, customized gym, bar, bowling arena, swimming pool, and spa. It’s like owning a private neighborhood. The only thing missing is a grocery store.
Morgan made this investment sometime after his $90 million truck accident settlement was finalized.