Ranking the surprising wealth of the Who's the Boss? stars today

Who's the boss in the financial stakes?

One of the biggest sitcoms of the 1980s and early 1990s, Who's the Boss? turned its unlikely household setup into eight seasons of ratings gold.

Tony Danza starred as Tony Micelli, a widowed former baseball player who moves with his daughter Samantha to Connecticut to work as a live-in housekeeper for advertising executive Angela Bower.

Alongside Judith Light, Alyssa Milano, Danny Pintauro and scene-stealing Katherine Helmond, the show became a TV favourite and launched several long careers. But decades later, which of its stars has amassed the biggest fortune?

Click or scroll on to discover the richest Who's the Boss? stars, with wealth estimates courtesy of Celebrity Net Worth.

All dollar values in US dollars

Richest guest stars and cameos

Who's the Boss? attracted some seriously big names during its eight-season run.

Frank Sinatra, estimated to have been worth $200 million (£148m), and music legend Ray Charles, worth $75 million (£55.6m), both appeared as themselves, while Betty White, also worth $75 million (£55.6m) at the time of her death, played TV host Bobbie Barnes.

A young Matthew Perry, years before Friends made him a global superstar, also guest-starred on the sitcom. He was worth an estimated $120 million (£88.9m) when he died in 2023.

Who's the Boss? cast with no reliable estimates

Reliable net worth estimates aren't available for a number of the sitcom's familiar faces.

Shana Lane-Block appeared repeatedly as Samantha's friend Bonnie, while Rhoda Gemignani played Tony's old Brooklyn neighbour Mrs Rossini, Robin Thomas portrayed Angela's boyfriend Geoffrey Wells, and James Naughton appeared as her ex-husband Michael Bower.

Perhaps the most notable is James Coco (pictured), who played Tony's father-in-law Nick Milano, a recurring character whose death was written into the show after Coco passed away in 1987.

8. Danny Pintauro: $300,000 (£222k

Danny Pintauro shot to fame as Jonathan Bower, Angela's young son, appearing throughout all eight seasons of Who's the Boss? from 1984 to 1992. He'd already acted in soap opera As the World Turns and starred in the Stephen King horror movie Cujo before landing the sitcom role.

Pintauro earned several Young Artist Award nominations for playing Jonathan and won one in 1987. His acting career became much quieter after the series ended, and he later worked outside Hollywood in jobs including restaurant management and veterinary care.

7. Nicole Eggert: $500,000 (£370k)

As Samantha's friend Marci Ferguson, Nicole Eggert appeared in seven episodes of the show in the mid-1980s. She went on to become much better known as Jamie Powell in Charles in Charge and lifeguard Summer Quinn in Baywatch, appearing in 44 episodes of the latter.

Eggert has worked extensively in TV movies and reality TV. But her finances have not always been smooth. In 2014, she filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy for the third time and ended up having to sell her luxury LA home to help pay off her debts.

Joint 5. Alyssa Milano: $3 million (£2.2m)

Alyssa Milano was just 11 when she landed the role of Tony's daughter Samantha Micelli, becoming a household name during all eight seasons of the show. She later enjoyed another lengthy TV success as Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed, earning around $90,000 (£67k) an episode at her peak. However, like Nicole Eggert, her finances haven't always been plain sailing.

In 2017, Milano and her husband sued their former business managers for $10 million (£7.4m), alleging years of financial mismanagement that left them in debt. The case was confidentially settled in 2019.

Joint 5. Michael Learned: $3 million (£2.2m)

Before appearing on Who's the Boss?, Michael Learned was already a major TV star thanks to her role as matriarch Olivia Walton on The Waltons, which bagged her three Emmys.

On Who's the Boss?, she played Trish Carlin, a friend of Angela Bower who ran a modelling agency. The character was introduced in a backdoor pilot for the spin-off Living Dolls, which ultimately lasted just 12 episodes.

Learned later won another Emmy for the medical drama Nurse and continued working across TV, film and theatre.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY

4. Katherine Helmond: $5 million (£3.7m)

Katherine Helmond brought plenty of comic bite to Who's the Boss? as Angela's flamboyant, sharp-tongued mother Mona Robinson. She appeared throughout all eight seasons and won a Golden Globe for the role in 1989, as well as receiving two Emmy nominations.

Before that, Helmond had starred as Jessica Tate in Soap, while later roles included Doris Sherman in Coach and Debra's mother Lois Whelan in Everybody Loves Raymond. The much-loved actress died in 2019, aged 89, having amassed an estimated fortune of $5 million (£3.7m).

3. Leslie Nielsen: $10 million (£7.4m)

Best remembered for his brilliantly deadpan performances in Airplane! and The Naked Gun movies, Leslie Nielsen briefly entered the Who's the Boss? universe as Max Muldoon, a love interest for Mona Robinson.

Nielsen had spent decades playing largely serious roles before reinventing himself as one of Hollywood's most distinctive comedy stars. He was worth an estimated $10 million (£7.4m) when he died in 2010 at the age of 84.

2. Judith Light: $16 million (£11.9m)

As high-powered advertising executive Angela Bower, Judith Light formed one half of the show's central will-they-won't-they pairing with Tony Danza. The role followed her acclaimed stint as Karen Wolek on One Life to Live, which secured her two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards.

Light has enjoyed an unusually durable career since the sitcom ended, with memorable performances in Ugly Betty, Transparent and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, as well as two Tony Award-winning Broadway turns.

1. Tony Danza: $40 million (£29.6m)

A professional boxer before stardom came calling, Tony Danza racked up a 9-3 record, with all nine of his victories coming by knockout. A producer spotted him at a New York boxing gym and cast him in Taxi, where he played cab driver and part-time fighter Tony Banta. But Who's the Boss? has been his most defining role.

Danza played Tony Micelli for all 196 episodes, earning multiple Golden Globe nominations. His later CV encompasses TV, film and Broadway, and the multitalented star even spent a year teaching high-school English.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY