Fred A. Rappoport has come full circle in a career that has spanned many decades; he is a producer, writer, and actor. The 77-year-old is an entertainer to be reckoned with, and that is why his work mostly behind the camera has continued to draw attention to him. To give credence to this, he is notable for works like the 1996 Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary, AFI 100 Years…100 Movies: America’s Greatest (1998), and the 2001 I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special.
Apart from a stellar professional career, his private life is another area from which Rappoport has gained popularity. By this, we mean his marriage to one of America’s legendary actresses and comedians, Michelle Lee. They have been married since 1987 and are not showing any signs of slowing down on their loved-up moments, which is quite surprising considering other short-lived celebrity marriages and relationships.
For a man who has a successful professional career and a love relationship, there is so much that is admirable about him, and here are all the details to prove it.
Fred A. Rappoport was Born in New York
Fred A. Rappoport was born on December 11, 1946, in New York. Regarding other details about his biography, he has managed to keep them private. Regardless, he is one of several creatives who are attached to the northeastern state of the US. Other notable entertainers from New York include Clive Davis, Rick Rubin, and David Geffen.
Moving on, a little digging into Fred’s surname suggests he may have Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The name is said to be a variant of the Jewish name Rappaport, which is associated with members of Kohanim, a priestly clan. Moreover, the name has been traced to the 1880s, when the first Rapoport family lived in New York.
Rappoport’s Entertainment Career Can Be Traced to the 80s
For a man who managed to put a tight leash on his background, his career in the entertainment industry started in 1984. One would wonder what he did in the years before he launched out as an entertainer. As it is, we can only assume that he did other things before gaining recognition for his work as a television producer, writer, and actor. According to IMDB, his earliest work is an uncredited one in the 1984 AFI Life Achievement Award TV series. Needless to say, this marked the beginning of other work for Fred.
He has contributed to various television shows by appearing as himself. Apparently, his creativity is not limited to this, as he added to his accolades as a writer and producer in the ’90s. Starting with Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary TV Special, which he wrote, the New York-born continued to expand his career.
Also, he is credited with an acting role in Ghost Stories (1998). Notably, he has not been credited with other movie roles, which suggests that Fred may be more focused on working behind the scenes.
Apparently, this has paid off for him if being nominated four times for an Emmy is anything to go by. His first nomination was in 1997 for an Outstanding Cultural Music-Dance Program for the Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary. He was also nominated for I Love Lucy’s 50th Anniversary as well as AFI 100 Years…100 Thrills.
The New York Native has Been in a Lifelong Marriage with Michelle Lee
Rappoport may be a very private man when it comes to revealing details about his personal life, but he has not been able to hide his lifelong marriage to 82-year-old Michelle Lee. The writer and Lee tied the knot on September 27, 1987. When we do the math, they have been together for 36 years, making it one of the longest-lasting celebrity marriages.
On her own, Michelle is an icon on television, stage, and film. To be specific, her credits cover acting, singing, dancing, producing, and directing. She was born in Long Beach, California, in 1942 and is notable for the 1995 TV show Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story. Also, she is the daughter of the musician, Jack Dusick.
Focusing on Fred and Michelle’s relationship, the Grandma Got Run Over by the Reindeer writer and Lee met in the course of their work. According to Lee, it was while she was on Knots Landing while he was at CBS. After getting to know each other, they made the decision to get married. During the marriage, the pair has remained supportive of each other, as seen in their public appearances.
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He is Not a Father
Fred and Lee never welcomed any children together, and since he has not hinted at having a child in the past, we can infer that he is not a father. Nonetheless, he is the stepfather to Lee’s son David, whom she had with her first husband, actor James Farentino.
Lee and Farentino were married for 15 years, and after they parted ways, they shared a cordial relationship until Farentino’s death.
How Rich is Fred A. Rappoport?
The writer has not revealed his net worth, but it is generally reported that he may have an estimated net worth of over $500,000, which he made from his career as an entertainer. More on his wealth: Rappoport lives comfortably, and this is because he has a supportive spouse. His wife has a net worth of $8 million, and with their combined earnings, the celebrity couple is able to live their dream life.
They are known to acquire and dispose of real estate. In 2013, his wife sold their $7.4 million Los Angeles mansion. This is one of the few instances where they have let on that they are indeed high-net-worth individuals.
