This article will answer every question you have about Ben Stein. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about him.
- What does Ben Stein do for a living?
- Who are Ben Stein’s parents and siblings?
- What are Ben Stein’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Ben Stein married or does he have a girlfriend?
- Does Ben Stein have any children?
- Where is Ben Stein now?
- How tall is Ben Stein?
- How much money does Ben Stein earn?
- What is Ben Stein’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Ben Stein?
Ben Stein is an American writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on political and economic issues. He began his career as a speechwriter for U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford before entering the entertainment field as an actor, comedian, and game show host.
He is best known on-screen as the economics teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as the host of Win Ben Stein’s Money, and as Dr. Arthur Neuman in The Mask and Son of the Mask. Stein co-wrote and starred in the 2008 documentary Expelled, which portrays the pseudoscience of intelligent design creationism as if it were a scientifically valid alternative to Darwinian evolution and alleges a scientific conspiracy against those promoting intelligent design in laboratories and classrooms. Stein is the son of economist and writer Herbert Stein, who worked at the White House under President Nixon. As a character actor, he is well known for his droning, monotonous delivery. In comedy, he is known for his deadpan delivery. Stein has made many controversial comments over the years such as claiming that President Obama was “the most racist president there has ever been in America”.
Ben Stein’s Career
Legal and academic career
He was first a poverty lawyer in New Haven, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. before becoming a trial lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission. Stein’s first teaching stint was as an adjunct professor, teaching about the political and social content of mass culture at American University in Washington, D.C. He subsequently taught classes at the University of California, Santa Cruz on political and civil rights under the United States Constitution. At Pepperdine University Stein taught libel law and United States securities law and its ethical aspects. He was a professor of law at Pepperdine University Law School from about 1990 to 1997.
Writing career
Stein writes a regular column in the conservative magazines The American Spectator and Newsmax. He has also written for numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Penthouse, Los Angeles Magazine, and Barron’s Magazine. He wrote a regular biweekly column for Yahoo! Finance online, with his last article dated August 7, 2009. His bestselling books (with investment advisor Phil DeMuth) include Yes, You Can Retire Comfortably; Can America Survive?; and Yes, You Can Time the Market. In 2009, he published a collection of essays, The Real Stars.
Stein was fired from his position as a Sunday Business columnist at The New York Times in August 2009 owing to a policy prohibiting writers from making product endorsements or advertising. Stein had recently become an advertising spokesman for credit information company Freescore.com and, according to a Times statement, had assumed there would be no conflict provided that he did not discuss credit scoring in general or FreeScore.com itself in his column.
However, the publication felt that it would be inappropriate for him to write for them while he was involved in advertising and terminated his contract. Writing in The Spectator, Stein states his belief that the real reasons for his firing were budget cuts at the Times, his criticism of President Obama, and pressure from those critical of Expelled, who “bamboozled some of the high pooh-bahs at the Times into thinking there was a conflict of interest”.
Political career
Stein began his political career as a speechwriter and lawyer for President Richard Nixon, and later for President Gerald Ford. On May 3, 1976, Time magazine speculated on the possibility of Stein having actually been Deep Throat. Stein responded over the years not only by denying he was Deep Throat but by going further and accusing journalist Bob Woodward of falsifying the famous secret source. In the May 14–21, 1998, edition of the Philadelphia City Paper, Stein is quoted as saying, “Oh, I don’t think there was a Deep Throat. That was a fake. I think there were several different sources and some they just made up.” After Mark Felt’s identity as Deep Throat was revealed, Stein stated that Richard Nixon would have prevented the rise to power of the Khmer Rouge if he had not been forced to resign.
Career in the media
Stein acted as the monotonous economics teacher in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. In one scene, he lectures on the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930 and the then-current debate over supply-side economics. Stein played similarly bland and unemotional characters. He had a recurring role in the TV series The Wonder Years (as science teacher Mr. Cantwell, who would narrate 16mm films in monotone) and played himself in Dave.
He appeared in several television advertisements, such as for the product “Clear Eyes” throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Godfather’s Pizza in 1987, a bland science teacher in 1990 for Sprinkled Chips Ahoy! cookies, and in 2013 for small business accounting service firm 1-800Accountant. From 1997 to 2003, Stein hosted the Comedy Central game show Win Ben Stein’s Money along with co-host Jimmy Kimmel (replaced by Nancy Pimental and later by Sal Iacono). True to its name, the money that contestants won on the show was subtracted from the $5,000 pay that Stein earned per episode (in addition to his salary). The show won five Daytime Emmy Awards before ending its run in 2003.
In 1999, Stein also hosted the Comedy Central talk show Turn Ben Stein On. One of the mainstays of the show was Stein’s dog, Puppy Wuppy, who had a free run of the set. In 2001, Stein appeared on a celebrity episode of The Weakest Link entitled “TV Hosts Edition” alongside other television hosts and was voted off in round 6 despite being that round’s Strongest Link. Anne Robinson’s quip was that while he “might win Ben’s money; you’re NOT taking ours!”. Other movies and television shows in which Stein has appeared include Charles in Charge; Seinfeld; Full House; Casper; Casper: A Spirited Beginning.
How Old is Ben Stein?
Stein was born on November 25, 1944, in Washington, D.C. He is currently 76 years old.
Ben Stein‘s Family
Who are Ben Stein’s parents?
Stein was born to Mildred, a homemaker, and Herbert Stein, a writer, economist, and presidential adviser.
Does Ben Stein have siblings?
Ben Stein‘s Education
Stein graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in 1962. He then went on to major in economics at Columbia University’s Columbia College, where he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and the Philolexian Society. After graduating with honors from Columbia in 1966, Stein went to Yale Law School, graduating as valedictorian in June 1970.
Ben Stein‘s wife
Stein married entertainment lawyer Alexandra Denman. They were married in 1968 but later divorced in 1974. Eventually, they reconciled, and in 1977, they have married again.
Ben Stein‘s Children – Kids
Stein has a son named Tom Stein.
Ben Stein’s Net Worth
Stein has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Height/Measurements
Stein stands at 5 ft 11 inches tall and weighs around 90 kg.