Tom Clancy | Author and Film Producer | $300 Million

Most of us might know Tom Clancy as the author of various thrillers, but did you know that his ventures in video game creation and movie production have all been quite successful as well? He had multi-million stakes in the Baltimore Orioles and owned a collection of military memorabilia, which he kept in his estate in Maryland. He was, after all, known technically for his detailed espionage and accuracy in military-science storylines.

In fact, seventeen of his novels are bestsellers and sold more than 100 million books. His writing works were so successful they were adapted into films and became blockbuster successes. These adaptations include Patriot Games, The Hunt for Red October, and The Sum of All Fears. Before finding his luck in writing, Tom worked with an independent insurance agency founded by his wife’s grandfather. In 1980, he purchased the agency from his in-laws and wrote novels on the side while managing it.