What is Michael Chow's Net Worth?
Michael Chow is a Chinese-American actor, interior designer and restaurateur who has a net worth of $300 million. Michael Chow is best known as the founder of the upscale Mr Chow restaurant chain, which opened its first location in London, England in 1968. Since then, more locations have opened, including three restaurants in London, and multiple shops in New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and Beverly Hills. As an actor, he has appeared in such films as "The Savage Innocents," "Joanna," "Hammett," "Lethal Weapon 4," and the "Rush Hour" trilogy.
Early Life and Education
Michael Chow was born as Zhou Yinghua on March 7, 1939 in Shanghai, China. His father was legendary Peking Opera actor Zhou Xinfang, while his mother came from an affluent tea dynasty family. Chow has a sister named Tsai Chin who is an actress, singer, and director. At the age of 12, Chow was sent to a boarding school in the UK. He went on to attend Saint Martin's School of Art, and then the Hammersmith School of Building and Architecture.
Career Beginnings
Chow made his first foray into entrepreneurship when he opened the London hair salon Smith and Hawes with his business partner Robin Sutherland. Later, the pair sold the business to famed hairdresser Leonard of Grosvenor Square, who renamed it Leonard and Twiggy.
Mr Chow
In early 1968, Chow founded his most successful business, Mr Chow. Serving Pekinese Chinese cuisine, the upscale restaurant opened in the Knightsbridge district of London. To cultivate a ritzy atmosphere, Chow purchased and displayed artwork by such renowned artists as David Hockney, Allen Jones, and Peter Blake. In London, Mr Chow attracted a number of famous diners, notably Federico Fellini, Jeanne Moreau, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles.
Mr Chow opened its first location outside of London in Beverly Hills, California in 1974. There, the restaurant was frequented by such stars as Jack Nicholson, Billy Wilder, and Anjelica Huston. In 1978, another location opened in Manhattan in New York City; like the others, it brought in famous diners, including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Madonna. Mr Chow went on to open restaurants in Miami Beach, Florida; Malibu, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Film Career
Chow made his film acting debut in 1958 in the juvenile delinquent drama "Violent Playground," appearing alongside his sister Tsai Chin. Two years later, he was in Nicholas Ray's adventure film "The Savage Innocents." This was followed by two historical action films, "Marco Polo" and "55 Days at Peking." In 1966, Chow appeared in Joseph Losey's spy comedy "Modesty Blaise," starring Monica Vitti and Terence Stamp. The same year, he appeared alongside his sister in the crime film "The Brides of Fu Manchu." Chow and his sister appeared together again in the 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice." In 1968, Chow was in the dramas "The Touchables" and "Joanna."
After a decade away from the big screen, Chow returned in 1978 with a role in the black comedy mystery film "Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?" Four years after that, he appeared in Wim Wenders' neo-noir "Hammett," based on the eponymous Joe Gores novel. Chow subsequently took another long break from film acting before returning in 1993 for the erotic thriller "Dream Lover." He next appeared as himself in the 1996 biographical drama "Basquiat." Chow followed that with roles in the buddy action films "Lethal Weapon 4," "Rush Hour," and "Rush Hour 2"; he later appeared in "Rush Hour 3." In 2009, he played a doctor in the tearjerker "My Sister's Keeper," based on the Jodi Picoult novel.
Real Estate
In 1991, Michael and his wife Eva purchased a property on South Mapleton Drive in Holmby Hills for $3.5 million. That's the same as around $6.5 million in 2018 dollars. Over seven years, finishing around 2000, the couple built a 30,000 square foot mansion modeled after the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid. That's fitting because Michael and Eva own an extremely impressive contemporary art and furniture collection. In October 2018, they listed the house for sale for $78 million. Nearby neighbors include the Playboy Mansion, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Jimmy Iovine and Diddy.
In parallel with his business and acting careers, Chow has had a prolific career in painting and architecture. He has had numerous gallery shows in London, and has designed all of his own restaurants. Chow also designed the Giorgio Armani stores in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, as well as his home in Los Angeles. In the 2010s, he had solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and Beijing. Beyond his own work, Chow is a major collector of contemporary art and furniture.
Personal Life
Chow married his first wife, Welsh model and Vogue magazine creative director Grace Coddington, in 1968. The couple divorced the following year. In 1972, Chow wed jewelry designer and model Tina Lutz, with whom he had a daughter named China and a son named Maximilian. The pair later divorced in 1989. Chow married his third wife, Eva Chun, in 1992; they had a child named Asia before eventually divorcing in 2017. Two years after that, Chow wed Vanessa Rano, with whom he has two children named Phoenix and Skye.
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