ER Cast George Clooney Career Overview
George Clooney played Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama ER from 1994 to 1999, appearing in 184 episodes. He joined the main cast in season 2 and remained a lead through season 6, earning an Emmy nomination in 1995 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. The show was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Television, with Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton among its executive producers. ER consistently ranked among the top 10 series in the U.S. during Clooney's tenure, reaching number 1 in the 1996–1997 season according to Nielsen ratings.
Clooney's role on ER launched his transition from television to film, with his first major movie lead in From Dusk Till Dawn in 1996. He later starred in Out of Sight (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and Traffic (2000), which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The ER experience also gave him producing skills that led to co-founding Smokehouse Pictures and later producing and starring in films such as Argo (2012), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He has since directed and produced projects including The Midnight Sky (2020) and Catch-22 (2019).
ER Cast George Clooney Earnings and Net Worth
During his later seasons on ER, George Clooney earned an estimated $1 million per episode, placing him among the highest-paid television actors of the late 1990s. His total reported earnings from ER over the six-season run are estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, though exact contract figures were not disclosed publicly. By 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $500 million, driven by film salaries, producing profits, and real estate investments.
Clooney's wealth includes stakes in multiple ventures, including Casamigos tequila, which he co-founded in 2013 and sold to Diageo in 2017 for up to $1 billion before taxes. He also owns production company Smokehouse Pictures, which has produced films and series for Warner Bros., HBO, and Netflix. His annual income has included backend participation in major films, with Gravity (2013) alone generating an estimated $100 million in backend profits for Clooney and his producing partners.
ER Cast George Clooney Legacy and Current Projects
George Clooney remains one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood, with a career spanning film, television, and producing. He has been nominated for two Academy Awards as an actor and won two as a producer for Argo (2012) and The Ides of March (2011). He has also received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 2015 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2018.
In recent years, Clooney has focused on producing and directing, with projects including the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show and the film The Boys in the Boat (2023). He continues to appear in select acting roles, including upcoming projects with Netflix and Warner Bros. His long-term partnership with Warner Bros. dates back to ER and includes multiple film and television productions through Smokehouse Pictures.