Melissa Francis Net Worth, Biography, Career, Husband and Kids

Melissa Francis Net Worth    $8 million

Formerly a popular actress who was loved by her fans for her confident way of handling almost any given role, Melissa Francis now serves as a commentator for Fox News (FNC) and the Fox Business Network (FBN).

Her acting credits include television shows and films like ‘The Dictator’, ‘Morningstar/Eveningstar’, and ‘Little House on the Prairie’. A California native, Melissa is a graduate of Harvard University whose career started on the small screen as a six-month-old child who had a role in a Johnson & Johnson shampoo advert.

At age five, she made her acting debut in the film ‘The Ghost of Flight 401’. In 1979, she debuted on the big screen in Michael Schultz’s comedy movie ‘Scavenger Hunt’. As an actress, Melissa was highly active in the 1980s but in the next decade, the roles started to dwindle down and she decided to move on to other things.

Her last film was the satirical comedy movie ‘The Dictator’ in 2012. In 2005, she was hired to anchor CNBC’s show ‘On the Money’, and it marked a turning point for her career wise. At present, she is a commentator for Fox News (FNC) and the Fox Business Network (FBN), and also a co-host of FBN’s ‘After the Bell’.

If you want to know many other things about Melissa Francis and also discover intriguing facts about her that you may have never seen anywhere before, including information on her family, works, earnings and accomplishments, then you should probably consider carrying on with reading everything we have penned down here for you. We’ve got you covered.

Melissa Francis’ Biography

Melissa Ann Francis was born in Los Angeles, California, in the United States of America, on December 12, 1972. Her father owned a small business and her mother was a homemaker, and they worked hard together to raise Melissa and her older sister Tiffany.

As a child, she experienced a semi-Hollywood life. Her mother would devote her time to make her and her sister successful child actresses. They were taught skiing and riding, and were enrolled at the top-rated schools that their parents could afford. She has described her relationship with her mother as ‘complex’.

According to Melissa, her mother was domineering, mercurial, but also devoted as well. Upon her graduation from high school, Melissa joined Harvard University, from which she graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics.

While studying at Harvard, Melissa played sports and even captained the school’s polo team. She was at one time the executive editor of Harvard College Economist Magazine.

Melissa Francis’ Career

Her career started when she was a six months old baby with an appearance in a shampoo commercial. She went on to appear in several other commercials as a child, and eventually appeared in her first television project, a telefilm titled ‘The Ghost of Flight 401’.

She soon had her big screen debut in the film ‘Scavenger Hunt’. In 1980, she appeared in an episode of the ABC sitcom ‘Mork & Mindy’ where she shared screen space with Robin Williams. Between 1979 and 1980, she was seen in eleven episodes of NBC’s sitcom ‘Joe’s World’ in which she played the role of Linda Wabash.

In 1981, she was cast as Cassandra Cooper Ingalls in the NBC drama series ‘Little House on the Prairie’. She appeared in twentyone episodes of the series before leaving in 1982. She portrayed Sarah Bishop in the 1986 CBS family-drama series ‘Morningstar/Eveningstar’.

In 1983, Francis was seen in Dick Richards’ drama ‘Man, Woman and Child’. She had a small role in the horror thriller ‘Bad Dreams’ in 1988, and was last seen as an actress in the 2012 comedy ‘The Dictator’ alongside Adam Sandler.

When she stopped getting much acting roles, Melissa Francis took a bold step and decided to try her hands at other things, including hosting and appearing on shows and publishing books. She was hired by CNBC in 2005 to host the show ‘On the Money’.

She later served as the host on three ‘CNBC Business News’ episodes. Furthermore, she was also an employee at CNET before she moved to Fox Business Network in January 2012. Between2012 and 2013, she was the guest host of two episodes of ‘Lou Dobbs Tonight’.

She has also served as a judge on 25 episodes of ‘America Live’. For five years until 2018, she was a co-host of FNC’s ‘Happening Now’, and since 2015, she has been co-hosting the FBN show ‘After the Bell’ alongside David Asman. She also appears regularly on FNC’s afternoon talk program ‘Outnumbered’.

Melissa Francis released her first book, a non-fiction book titled ‘Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir’, in November 2012. In April 2017, she released her second book titled ‘Lessons from the Prairie’.

While her first book was based on her relationship with her parents, her second book is centered on her experiences on the set of shows and the life lessons she has accumulated.

Personal Life & Family

In 1997, Francis tied the knot with American financier and asset manager Wray Thorn. They have been living in harmony for over two decades and the media is yet to get any negative vibes about their union. They are the proud parents of three children: a daughter, Gemma, and sons Thompson and Greyson.

The former actress has been diagnosed with Factor V Leiden, a rare inherited condition which makes pregnancy dangerous for her. The birth of her sons had been quite difficult.

When Melissa told the doctor that she and her husband wanted a third child, the couple were informed that it may possibly lead to her death. Eventually, they had their daughter with the help of a surrogate mother.

Melissa Francis net worth

A former actress now turned television journalist and writer, Melissa Francis net worth is $8 million. She has come very far in her career. From appearing in commercials as a six-month-old baby to having her first big break as a child actress and television personality eventually, Melissa Ann Francis has not left any stones unturned on her journey towards accomplishing her goals, and the reward for her efforts and steadfastness is the successful life she now enjoys today. She is a real mentor and role model to the youth.