The 15 Richest TV Characters of All-Time

Television characters, just like real people, all come from different classes and backgrounds. There are those who are poorer individuals, those who are more middle class, and then there are the rich characters on TV, who, whether they use their wealth for good or evil purposes, still astound and amaze us with their riches. Throughout TV history, there have been numerous rich characters on the airwaves, but these individuals are some of the most wealthy ones to ever appear on screen. Here are the 15 richest TV characters of all-time.

Photo via HBO

Jed Clampett 

One of the first truly “fish out of water” television shows, The Beverly Hillbillies was also one of the first series out there to feature one of the richest TV characters of all time in Jed Clampett, the patriarch of the Clampett family, who strike oil on their land and then move into a giant mansion in Beverly Hills. Although he makes a fortune after discovering oil on his swamp, Jed’s modest past and strong morals keep him grounded in an area that is incredibly selfish and superficial.

Photo via CBS

Robert Crawley

When you have a title like the Earl of Grantham and the Viscount of Downton, I’d say there’s a good chance that you’re pretty wealthy, and that’s certainly the case with Downton Abbey‘s Robert Crawley, one of the richest TV characters of all-time. While being rich is certainly a main characteristic of Robert, he doesn’t let the wealth go to his head. He treats his servants as if they were family members and is a good father to his three daughters, despite his deep desire for a son.

Photo via PBS

Peter Gregory 

Peter Gregory is one of the richest TV characters of all-time, and he’s also most definitely one of the most eccentric ones on TV right now. The late Christopher Evan Welch’s performance as Gregory on Silicon Valley was pitch perfect, one of the best portrayals of any character on TV this past year. All of Gregory’s oddball quirks were befitting for this tech genius, who had so much money that he had his own self-driving car and, oh yeah, his own private island.

Photo via HBO

C. Montgomery Burns

If Mr. Burns could see himself on this list, I’d hope he would say it’s quite “excellent.” This cartoon billionaire is most certainly one of the richest TV characters of all-time and also one of the funniest. Although he was originally conceived to just be The Simpsons‘ main villain, who would only pop up occasionally, Mr. Burns has become one of the most beloved characters of the entire series and has had plenty of opportunities to show off different sides to his character throughout The Simpsons‘ 25 year run.

Photo via FOX

Tywin Lannister 

One of the richest TV characters of all-time and, without a doubt, one of the most evil, Tywin Lannister of Game of Thrones uses his wealth and power always for purely selfish reasons. If it can help the Lannisters in anyway, Tywin will do it, even if that means mercilessly killing innocents to gain greater control over the kingdom or trapping his children in loveless marriages so that a political union between their family and another can be stronger. In real life, Tywin would be one of the most despised men in the entire world. But in Game of Thrones? He’s incredibly entertaining to watch, even when he’s doing such deplorable things.

Photo via HBO

Lionel Luthor 

For much of Smallville‘s first few seasons, you could certainly compare Lionel Luthor to the likes of Tywin Lannister. Duplicitous, ruthless, and manipulative don’t even begin to describe Lionel’s behavior during Smallville‘s early run, as he used his endless wealth and influence to profit or eliminate any obstacle in his way. Eventually, in the later seasons of the show, Lionel’s more villainous behavior transformed into something resembling heroism, and he found ways to use his money to benefit others instead of only helping himself.

Photo via The CW

Lucille Bluth

It’s almost impossible to pick which character on Arrested Development was the richest, since during the show’s run, the company was always changing hands and the characters almost always appeared to have money, even when they didn’t. One individual, however, remained pretty consistently wealthy during the show’s run, and that would be Lucille Bluth. Lucille could always be found with a cocktail in her hand and her checkbook in the other, ensuring that whatever problem the Bluths were facing never got in the way of her enjoyment of life.

Photo via FOX

Caleb Nichol

Part of me would have loved to have put Sandy and Kirsten Cohen on here, but we all know that on The O.C., Caleb Nichol was the wealthiest character and he was also one of the richest TV characters of all-time. Corrupt, harsh, and sometimes downright cruel, Caleb was definitely not the perfect father to Kirsten, husband to Julie, or stepfather to Marissa. He often used his wealth as a way to manipulate others, and although he did show signs of humanity throughout his time on the show, Caleb was easily the closest thing that The O.C. ever had to a real villain, aside from Oliver and Volchok. And come on, no one wants to talk about Oliver and Volchok.

Photo via FOX

Oliver Queen

Even though season two of Arrow saw Oliver Queen losing his company as part of Slade Wilson’s elaborate scheme to ruin his life, when season three of the hit CW show rolls around, I’m sure he’ll have some sort of control of it again, ensuring that he remains one of the richest characters on TV today. Oliver’s also easily the most heroic “rich character” on television. He doesn’t simply use his money for good by donating to charities or spending it on family members. He literally uses almost all of his funds help him protect his city from any and all sorts of evil. I mean, all those different types of fancy arrows have to cost a pretty penny, right?

Photo via The CW

Nucky Thompson

Lots of people were wealthy during the 1920s, but few were as wealth as Nucky Thompson is depicted to be on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. However, even though the Atlantic City gangster overlord is one of the wealthiest bootleggers around, he’s certainly not the most liked. Throughout Boardwalk’s four seasons, Nucky has had to dodge numerous attempts on his life, as he struggles to keep his business (along with his personal life) straight. He was this close to leaving the gangster life behind at the end of season four, before getting arrested, and we’ll have to see just what awaits him when Boardwalk Empire returns for its fifth and final season this September.

Photo via HBO

J.R. Ewing

Between Tywin, Lionel, and Caleb (along with at least one more character on this list), it’s pretty clear to me that a lot of the richest TV characters of all-time are also some of the cruelest, most evil men in TV history. J.R. Ewing is certainly on that list. Whether it was during the original run of Dallas, back during 1978 through 1991, or during the series’ revival on TNT, J.R. was always consistently manipulative, egotistic, and almost psychopathic. Unlike Jed Clampett, J.R. used the money he got from oil for his own evil and selfish purposes, instead of more noble and moral goals.

Photo via TNT

Conrad Grayson

The best way to describe Conrad Grayson would be to mash Tywin Lannister and Caleb Nichol together and throw that creation into the Hamptons. Conrad is easily one of the richest TV characters of all-time, and he’s also one of the most despicable fathers and husbands to ever appear on screen. He murders or imprisons people to ensure his secrets stay hidden, pays people off to keep them quiet, and he has no qualms about cheating on his wife and or ruining his children’s relationships. All the money in the world couldn’t turn Conrad into Father of the Year material.

Photo via ABC

Phillip Banks

The whole idea behind Fresh Prince of Bel Air (poor kid from Philly moves into the magical world of wealthy, upper class California) would not have worked if Will’s Uncle Phil had been just your average California citizen, so that’s why Phillip Banks is one of the richest TV characters of all-time. However, unlike so many of the other patriarchs on this list (excluding Jed Clampett), Uncle Phil uses his money selflessly throughout Fresh Prince for the good of his family. He’s a man who has worked hard for his money but never lets the wealth go to his head, always remaining a great role model for his children and nephew.

Photo via NBC

Roger Sterling

Roger Sterling may not have had as much money Burt Cooper, but since Burt passed away in the season seven finale of Mad Men, that easily makes Roger the show’s wealthiest character now. And Roger certainly doesn’t mind flaunting his money. Even if you look past the nice suits and the endless supply of booze and cigarettes that Roger has, he’s always tried to use his money as a solution to his problems. Whenever an issue arises, his follow up question is almost always “How much will this cost me?” instead of “How can I help?”

Photo via AMC

Walden Schmidt 

On Two and a Half Men, Ashton Kutcher, a millionaire actor, plays Walden Schmidt, an internet billionaire. Walden came on the show to replace Charlie Sheen’s Charlie Harper in the season nine premiere, and although the transition between the two characters wasn’t perfectly smooth, Kutcher, Walden, and Walden’s incredible wealth have all become integral parts to the later seasons of Two and a Half Men, which will start its final season this fall.

Photo via CBS