Cary Grant Will Leaves Bulk of Estate to His Widow, Daughter

The late actor Cary Grant left the bulk of his estate to his widow, Barbara Harris Grant, and his only child, 20-year-old Jennifer, according to terms of his will filed in Santa Monica Probate Court on Wednesday.

Grant, celebrated for his wit and charm during a career that spanned generations, died Saturday night in Davenport, Iowa, of a massive stroke. He was 82.

His will gave his four-acre Beverly Hills estate and its contents to his wife, whom Grant married in 1981. She also will receive half of the remainder of his personal estate.

The other half will be held in trust for his daughter, born during Grant’s marriage to actress Dyan Cannon. Jennifer Grant will receive the income from the trust until she is 30, when she will gain access to half of the principal, attorney Jay J. Stein said. The remainder will be turned over to her when she reaches 35, Stein said.

Grant asked in the will, signed Nov. 26, 1984, that the value of the estate be described only as “in excess of $10,000.” A full accounting of the estate, which will be filed in Probate Court, is expected to take several months, Stein said.

Grant’s will also stipulated several cash awards. Among them was a $100,000 bequest to his longtime bookkeeper, Joseph Marin; $50,000 to the Motion Picture Relief Fund; $25,000 to Variety Arts International, and $20,000 to the John Tracy Clinic for hearing-impaired children.

The actor asked that his personal effects be distributed to family and friends, including his wife and daughter; long-time attorney Stanley E. Fox; singer Frank Sinatra; Grant’s third wife, Betsy Drake; director Stanley Donen; financier Kirk Kerkorian, and Hollywood Park managing partner Marjorie L. Everett.