Jay Leno – Bio, Net Worth, Wife, Age, Car Collection, Facts, Height

James Douglas Muir Leno, excellently known as Jay Leno is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. He is well recognized for hosting “The Tonight Show” from 1992 to 2014 and gained additional fame for his exquisite car collection. He is also known for his prominent jaw, which has been described as mandibular prognathism. He provided the voice of Vorb in the 1993 animated film We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story and Fast Tony in “Ice Age: The Meltdown”. He began a primetime talk show, titled “The Jay Leno Show”, which aired weeknights at 10:00 pm ET, also on NBC since September 2009. But it was canceled on January 2010 due to host controversy after which he returned to host “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on 1st March 2010. Moreover, Jay has hosted the third revival of the game show “You Bet Your Life” since its premiere in the fall of 2021. In 2022, he will be appearing as Ed Sullivan in an upcoming British biographical film “Midas Man”.

Jay Leno Famous For

• Jay is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. 
• He writes a regular column in “Popular Mechanics” showcasing his car collection and giving automotive advice.

Where is Jay Leno from?

Jay Leno stepped for the very first time into the world on 28th April 1950 in New Rochelle, New York, U.S. He was born with the real name of James Douglas Muir Leno in a Christian religious family. He is American by nationality and mixed by ethnicity as he has Italian ancestry on his father’s side and is of Scottish descent on his mother’s side. Jay celebrated his 72nd birthday in 2022 and as per his birthdate, his star sign is Taurus. His mother, Catherine Leno who was a homemaker was born in 1911 and died in 1993 whereas his father, Angelo Leno, an insurance salesman was born in 1910 and died in 1994. Jay had one sibling an older brother named Patrick Leno who was a Vietnam War veteran and became an attorney. He sadly died of cancer in 2002 at the age of 62.
Moving to Jay’s education, he graduated from Andover High School and obtained a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy from Emerson College, where he started a comedy club in 1973.

Jay Leno Career

• Jay Leno conceived his career performing a comedy routine on “The Tonight Show” on 2nd March 1977 after which he was seen in the 1976 episode “J.J. in Trouble” of “Good Times”, and the same year in the pilot of “Holmes & Yo-Yo”. 
• He starred in three weeks of the short-lived NBC game show “Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour” in 1983 and 1984.
• He was also a regular substitute host for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show” where he started in 1986.
• Then he signed a contract extension with NBC in 2004 to retain him as host of “The Tonight Show” until 2009, as well as Conan O’Brien, signed a contract with NBC in the same year to become the show’s host in 2009, replacing Leno at that time.
• He was accused of violating WGA guidelines by writing his own monologue for “The Tonight Show” during the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike.
• He checked himself into a hospital with an undisclosed illness on 23rd April 2009 which Leno later told People magazine that it was to exhaustion.
• Later he was initially not allowed to tell jokes about Jackson or the case, which had been a fixture of “The Tonight Show’s” opening monologue in particular.
• Subsequently, on 29th May 2009, he left “The Tonight Show” and on the 14th September of the following year, his new show, “The Jay Leno Show”, debuted.
• It was announced on 21st January 2010 that NBC had struck a deal with O’Brien: He would leave “The Tonight Show” as his final episode aired on Friday, 22nd January 2010. Jay returned as host of The Tonight Show following the 2010 Winter Olympics on 1st March 2010.
• Apparently, Variety reported on 1st July 2010 that total viewership for Leno’s “Tonight Show” had dropped from 5 million to 4 million for the second quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009.
• Also, NBC announced on 3rd April 2013 that Jay would leave “The Tonight Show” in spring 2014 as his final show as the host of The Tonight Show was on 6th February 2014, with guests Billy Crystal.
• Likewise, Leno has starred on the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers”, and was a guest on the finale of “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”.
• As well, he hosted a one-hour “Jay Leno’s Garage” special on CNBC, and the show has aired as a primetime series on the cable channel since 2015.
• Jay has hosted the third revival of the game show You Bet Your Life since its premiere in the fall of 2021.
• Besides it, he also does voice acting, such as The Crimson Chin on “The Fairly Odd Parents” from 2001 to 2016 and Billy Beagle of “Mickey and the Roadster Racers”.
• Furthermore, Jay can be seen in films and TV series as well. He has starred in numerous films and TV series such as “Underdog”, “Igor”, “I’m Still Here”, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”, “Gilbert”, “Sesame Street”, “The Larry Sanders Show”, “Friends”, “Entourage”, “The Muppets”, “Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures”, “T.O.T.S.”
• In 2022, he will be appearing as Ed Sullivan in an upcoming British biographical film “Midas Man”.

Politics

Jay Leno remained resolutely apolitical and the general public never knew for whom he voted. While hosting the 2014 Genesis Prize award ceremony in Jerusalem, he made jokes mocking then-President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State John Kerry, accusing Obama of “trying to break” the U.S.’s relationship with Israel.

Awards and Achievements

• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
• TV Guide Award for Favorite Late Night Show
• TV Guide Award for Favorite Late Night Show
• Hollywood Walk of Fame
• People’s Choice Award for Favorite Late-Night Talk Show Host
• Hasty Pudding Man of the Year
• Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

Who is Jay Leno married to?

Jay Leno is a married man. He tied the knot with his beautiful wife, Mavis Leno who is an American philanthropist. The actor has remained loyal to his wife and we are unaware of his previous divorce as well as his ex relationships. The pair has no children yet. They both seem extremely happy in their domestic life and hope it will remain as same in the future too. Talking about Jay’s sexual orientation, he is straight.
Additionally, Jay is dyslexic and he claims to need only four or five hours of sleep each night. He does not consume alcohol, smoke, or gamble as he spends much of his free time visiting car collections and working in his private garage. Unfortunately, Jay suffered “serious burns” to his face and hands when a vehicle at his Los Angeles garage burst into flames on 12th November 2022.

How much is Jay Leno’s Net Worth?

Jay Leno has a net worth of $450 million as of 2022 and he earns a salary of around $15 million per year. He has claimed that he has not spent any of the money he earned from The Tonight Show, but lives off of his money from his stand-up routines. He reportedly earned $32 million in 2005 whereas, in 2001, he and his wife donated $100,000 to the Feminist Majority Foundation’s campaign. Also, he donated $100,000 to a scholarship fund at Salem State College. He auctioned his Fiat 500 in August 2012, which was sold for $385,000 with all the proceeds going to a charity that helps wounded war veterans recover by providing them with temporary housing. In addition, Jay’s major source of income is his television host, comedian, writer, and actor career. He has also been cast in TV commercials for “Doritos chips”, “Tostitos Gold chips”,” Acura NSX automobile”, “Shell Oil Company”, and “Burger King”.

Vehicle collection (Cars, and Motorbikes)

Jay owns approximately 286 vehicles (169 cars and 117 motorbikes) as well as he has a website and a TV program called Jay Leno’s Garage, which contains video clips and photos of his car collection in detail, and other vehicles of interest to him. He opened his garage to Team Bondi which is the company that developed the 2011 video game L.A. Noire, which is set in Los Angeles in the late-1940s.

What is the Height of Jay Leno?

Jay Leno stands at an ideal height of 5 ft 11 in or 180.5 cm with a balanced body weight of 80 kg or 176.5 lbs. He has gray hair and blue eyes color. Jay’s body build type is average. At the age of 72 as well, he has kept his body maintained fit and fine which is so awesome to look at.