Timothy Olyphant, 57, is best known for his work in the television shows Justified, Deadwood, and Fargo. And while he’s famous in his own right, Timothy recently revealed he is related to a legendary and an über-wealthy American family.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor shared his familial connections. After Timothy was asked: “Are you really a descendant of the Vanderbilt family? And, if so, have you met Gloria’s son, Anderson Cooper?” he responded: “You’re goddamn right I am, and somebody owes me money.”
“It’s on my to-do list to head to upstate New York and see if I can get the keys to the house,” Timothy continued. “I’ve never met Anderson. I assume that’s just because I keep missing the family reunions due to work and the kids. But now that I’m an empty-nester, I hope we’ll be having drinks soon.”
While Anderson has yet to acknowledge his new relative, Timothy knows the Vanderbilts are an important family in American history. Here’s everything you need to know about the über-wealthy brood.
The Vanderbilts
The Vanderbilts, at one time, were America’s richest family. Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt started the family business – the railroad empire, New York Central – by borrowing $100 from his mother and heading to New York City. He accumulated nearly a $100 million fortune by the time he died in 1877.
William Henry Vanderbilt, Commodore’s son, doubled the family’s wealth to $230 million. His son, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, managed the railroad business until he died in 1899. The family continued gaining wealth and notoriety. The family donated money to Columbia University, the YMCA, and Vanderbilt University.
But, some of the relatives didn’t make the smartest decisions with their millions. George Vanderbilt purchased the 146,000 acre Biltmore estate, which ate into his branch of the family fortune.
The most notable Vanderbilt was Cornelius’ son Reginald “Reggie” Claypool Vanderbilt, who was a well-known gambler and playboy. His daughter was fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt and grandfather to Anderson.
All of that money, which was estimated to be worth $200 billion, evaporated. Anderson never saw the extent of it, and Timothy definitely won’t. At the time of Gloria’s death, her estate was reported to be worth an approximate $1.5 million, which is what Anderson received as his inheritance.
“I view the money as kind of a pathology that infected subsequent generations, because I think they all grew up with this idea that there would always be money there, and there was no need for them to actually work,” Anderson previously told CBS of his family’s famous fortune.
Regardless of the family’s wealth, Anderson went on to be very successful. He became a correspondent for ABC in 1995, eventually landing the role of co-anchor on its show World News Now in 1999. In 2001, he left ABC for CNN, where he remains today and reportedly earns between $15 and $20 million a year. In 2003, he became anchor of CNN‘s primetime news program Anderson Cooper 360º, which he still hosts today after 20 years.
