Frank Whaley Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

What is Frank Whaley’s Net Worth?

Frank Whaley is a versatile American actor, director, and screenwriter boasting a net worth of $3 million. He gained fame for his performances in films like “Field of Dreams,” “The Doors,” “Career Opportunities,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Swimming with Sharks.” Additionally, Frank has made notable appearances in various television films and series, including recurring roles in “Ray Donovan” and “Marvel’s Luke Cage.” His talents extend to screenwriting and directing, with works such as “Joe the King” and “Like Sunday, Like Rain.”

Early Life and Education

Born on July 20, 1963, in Syracuse, New York, Frank Whaley is the son of Josephine and Robert Sr. After completing his education at Anthony A. Henninger High School in 1981, he pursued higher studies at the State University of New York at Albany.

Film Acting

Whaley launched his film career in 1987, portraying a younger version of Jack Nicholson’s character in “Ironweed.” He quickly followed this with roles in “Field of Dreams,” “Little Monsters,” and Oliver Stone’s “Born on the Fourth of July,” all released in 1989. As the 1990s began, he appeared in “The Freshman” and “Cold Dog Soup.” In 1991, he partnered with Oliver Stone again for “The Doors,” where he played guitarist Robby Krieger. That same year, he starred alongside Jennifer Connelly in the John Hughes-written romcom “Career Opportunities.” His subsequent filmography includes titles like “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “A Midnight Clear,” “Hoffa,” and “Swing Kids.” Whaley gained further recognition in 1994 for his roles in “Pulp Fiction” as Brett and “Swimming with Sharks” as Guy. The following year, he featured in “Homage” and “Cafe Society.” In the latter part of the 1990s, his film credits extended to “Broken Arrow,” “The Winner,” “Retroactive,” “Glam,” and “It All Came True.”

During the early 2000s, Whaley was seen in films like “Pursuit of Happiness,” “Chelsea Walls,” and “A Good Night to Die.” As the decade progressed, he took on roles in “World Trade Center,” “The Hottest State,” “Cherry Crush,” and “Vacancy,” among others. At the dawn of the 2010s, he was cast in the crime thriller “As Good as Dead” and the dramatic film “Janie Jones.” He continued with roles in the crime dramas “Aftermath” and “Rob the Mob.” In 2016, Whaley acted in “Cold Moon” and “Monster Trucks,” followed by performances in the teen comedy “The Outcasts” and the horror film “Against the Night” the next year. He wrapped up the decade with roles in “Hustlers,” “Wish Man,” and “The Shed.” In the early 2020s, his projects included the mystery crime drama “Death on the Border” and the comedy horror thriller “Saint Clare.”

Screenwriting and Directing

Whaley made his directorial debut in 1999 with “Joe the King,” a film he also penned, inspired by his childhood. It features a strong cast, including Noah Fleiss, Max Ligosh, Val Kilmer, Karen Young, John Leguizamo, and Ethan Hawke, and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. His second film as a writer and director, “The Jimmy Show,” was released in 2001, featuring him alongside Carla Gugino and Ethan Hawke, and based on the play “Veins and Thumbtacks.”

In 2007, Whaley released his third feature, “New York City Serenade,” which stars Freddie Prinze Jr. as an aspiring filmmaker alongside Chris Klein, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and Ben Schwartz. He further showcased his talents in 2014 with “Like Sunday, Like Rain,” which he wrote and directed, focusing on the relationship between a cello prodigy and his caretaker in New York City, featuring Leighton Meester, Debra Messing, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Julian Shatkin.

(Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic)

Television Acting

Whaley commenced his television career in 1987, coinciding with his film debut. That year, he featured in episodes of “Spenser: For Hire,” “CBS Schoolbreak Special,” and “ABC Afterschool Special.” Throughout the 1990s, he predominantly appeared in television films, including “Unconquered,” “Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald,” “To Dance with the White Dog,” and “When Trumpets Fade.” He also participated in the miniseries “Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story” in 1999. From 1998 to 2000, Whaley starred in the CBS crime drama series “Buddy Faro.” Following this, he had a recurring role in “The Dead Zone” from 2003 to 2004 and guest appearances on “NCIS,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Psych,” and “Boston Legal,” alongside television films like “Detective,” “Mrs. Harris,” and “Ruffian.”

In the early 2010s, Whaley made guest appearances on several notable shows including “Ugly Betty,” “Burn Notice,” “Medium,” “Alcatraz,” and “Blue Bloods.” He played the recurring role of FBI Agent Van Miller in the inaugural season of “Ray Donovan,” eventually appearing in “The Blacklist,” “Gotham,” “Under the Dome,” and “Chicago Med.” In 2016, he portrayed Harry M. Markopolos in the miniseries “Madoff” and took on the role of Detective Rafael Scarfe in “Marvel’s Luke Cage,” remaining part of the cast until 2018. He also guest-starred in various other shows like “Elementary,” “Divorce,” “Empire,” “Bull,” “Gone,” and “Sneaky Pete,” returning to “Bull” for another guest appearance in 2020.

Personal Life

In 2001, Whaley married actress and author Heather Bucha. The couple shares two children, Buster and Tallulah.