Death of Dr. Ruth: How much was the sex therapist’s fortune?

July 13, 2024

Ruth Westheimer, the famous sex therapist who revolutionized conversations about sexuality, has died at the age of 96.

Westheimer, who rose to fame as “Dr. Ruth,” was a groundbreaking radio host turned sex guru. Westheimer was in her 50s when she began answering questions from readers on WYNY, a New York public radio station. The radio show eventually ran for 10 years and made Westheimer an overnight sensation.

From hosting one of the most popular call-in radio shows to publishing nearly 50 books about sex, Westheimer’s net worth before her death was estimated at $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer died at the age of 96 in her home in Manhattan (Getty Images for Tribeca Film Fe)

Initially broadcast every Sunday at midnight, “Sexually Speaking” was attracting 250,000 listeners each week just one year after its debut on WYNY. In 1983, Westheimer’s show was voted one of the most successful radio programs in New York.

Westheimer then started a television show, The Dr Ruth Showwhich attracted two million viewers per week until 1985. She also hosted several other television series – including Ask Dr. Ruth, the brand new Dr. Ruth Showa teen advice show called What’s up, Dr. Ruth?and another call-in show, You are on air with Dr. Ruth.

As Westheimer became a household name, she soon began appearing regularly on many late-night television shows, especially The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and meDinner with David Letterman.

Over the course of her decades-long career, Westheimer has published an incredible 45 books on sex and sexuality, including the bestseller Sex for Dummies And Sexually speaking: What every woman needs to know about sexual health.

Westheimer’s success came after she spent her early years in Germany. She was born Karola Ruth Siegel to religious Jews in 1928. Her father, Julius Siegel, was arrested by the Nazis and at age 10 she was sent to an orphanage in Switzerland.

She lost her entire family during the Holocaust and moved to British-controlled Palestine in 1945 at the age of 16. She later served as a sniper in a Jewish paramilitary group in Jerusalem.

Thanks to her television show, books, and other sources of income, Dr. Ruth had an estimated net worth of $3 million at the time of her death. (Getty Images for Hulu)

In 1950, at the age of 22, Westheimer moved to France to study psychology at the Sorbonne. Six years later, she emigrated to the United States and earned a master’s degree in sociology from the New School. In 1970, at the age of 42, Westheimer received a doctorate in education from Columbia University before training as a sex therapist at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.

She continued her commitment to sex education while training at Planned Parenthood in Harlem, which encouraged her to educate others about sexuality. Westheimer has taught at several universities, including Lehman College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, and New York University.

Westheimer was married three times. While her first two marriages were short, her third marriage to Holocaust survivor Manfred “Fred” Westheimer lasted 36 years until his death in 1997.

She leaves behind two children – daughter Miriam Yael Westheimer and son Joel Westheimer – and four grandchildren.