Kirk Kerkorian Wiki Biography
Kirk Kerkorian, of American Armenian descent, was born on June 6, 1917, in Fresno, California, and died on June 16, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. He was a philanthropist, investor, and businessman best known as the CEO and chairman of Tracinda Corporation.
Kirk established the Lincy Foundation in 1989, with the primary goal of assisting in the reconstruction of Armenia following the earthquake; it is known that Kerkorian transferred more than $1 billion through this foundation. In 2004, he was named Armenia’s National Hero. Kirk Kerkorian’s net worth remained unknown. The businessman’s net worth was reported to be $4.1 billion at the time of his death.
Kirk Kerkorian Net Worth $4.1 Billion
To begin with, Kirk Kerkorian was born into an impoverished household, so much so that he dropped out of college to aid his family by taking odd jobs. He won 29 of 33 contests as an amateur boxer before retiring from the sport. Kerkorian went on to get his pilot’s license and work as a flying instructor. He was a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II.
Kirk Kerkorian became involved in the aviation business after the war, renovating and selling outdated military aircraft transporters and earning significant sums of money. Kerkorian purchased 32 hectares of land overlooking the Las Vegas Strip in 1962, and the tycoon erected three hotels there that were among the world’s largest hotels.
He first opened the International Hotel in 1969, which had 1,512 rooms, and then the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in 1970. Kerkorian purchased Mirage Resorts in the year 2000. Kirk Kerkorian’s net worth grew significantly as a result of his business dealings in Las Vegas.
Furthermore, in 1969, Kerkorian purchased 40% of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and ten years later, he mounted a takeover bid and acquired control of the corporation. Kerkorian bought a 25% stake in Columbia Pictures in 1978, and he bought United Artists in 1981. Because the Justice Department initiated an antitrust investigation to prevent him from acquiring control of a second studio, the businessman sold his Columbia stock in 1981. For several years, he maintained an interest in film studios.
In addition, Kerkorian acquired a shareholder in Chrysler in 1990, and in 1995, he conducted a hostile takeover of the company with the help of Lee Iacocca. When the American carmaker amalgamated with Daimler-Benz in 1998, he sold his shares, allowing him to treble the value of his original investment. In 2005, the billionaire purchased 9.9% of General Motors and attempted to persuade the company’s executives to get rid of non-profitable brands and develop a partnership with Renault-Nissan. He sold his shares after they refused. He did, however, invest in Ford, owning up to 6% of the company, but quickly sold to limit his losses.
Finally, in his personal life, businessman Kerkorian kept his private life private, rarely giving interviews or appearing in public. He was married three times throughout his life. Hilda Schmidt (1942–1952) was his first marriage, followed by dancer Jean Maree Hardy (1954–1984), with whom he had two daughters, and tennis star Lisa Bonder (1999–1999), whose daughter was not shown to be Kerkorian’s. The 98-year-old businessman died in June 2015.
Full Name | Kirk Kerkorian |
Net Worth | $4.1 Billion |
Date Of Birth | June 6, 1917, Fresno, California, United States |
Died | June 15, 2015, Beverly Hills, California, United States |
Profession | Businessperson, Investor, Financier, Philanthropist, CEO and chairman of Tracinda Corporation |
Education | Morton Air Academy |
Nationality | American, Armenian |
Spouse | Lisa Bonder (m. 1998–1998), Jean Maree Hardy (m. 1954–1983), Hilda Schmidt (m. 1942–1951) |
Children | Tracy Kerkorian, Linda Kerkorian |
Parents | Ahron Kerkorian, Lily Kerkorian |
Nicknames | Kerkor Kerkorian , Rifle Right Kerkorian |
IMDB | www.imdb.com/name/nm1310375 |
Awards | Honorary citizen of Armenia (1998), National Hero of Armenia (2004) |
Movies | purchased the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio (1969) |