If you spent any time watching television in the early 1990s, you know Cynthia Geary. She was Shelly Tambo, the bubbly, former beauty queen living in the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska, on the cult hit Northern Exposure. She was the heart of the show in many ways, navigating a May-December romance with a grace that most actors couldn't pull off. But then, as the 90s faded, she seemed to vanish from the Hollywood A-list.
Naturally, people started asking about Cynthia Geary net worth. Is she "sit on a beach forever" rich? Or was she just another actress who had a big moment and then had to find a "real" job? Honestly, the answer is a mix of both, and it’s way more interesting than just a number on a celebrity tracker website.
The Northern Exposure Payday
Let’s get the big one out of the way. Northern Exposure wasn't just a little indie show; it was a massive success for CBS, running for 110 episodes. In the world of television, that’s the magic number. It means syndication.
When Geary was cast, she was literally waiting tables in Los Angeles. She’s told the story many times: she waited on a manager and a producer, messed up opening a bottle of wine, but charmed them enough to get signed. Three months later, she was in Washington state filming a hit.
Estimating Cynthia Geary net worth starts with those 110 episodes. During the peak of the show, lead and supporting cast members on major network dramas were pulling in anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 per episode, depending on the season. Do the math, and you’re looking at several million dollars in gross earnings before taxes and agents took their cut.
But here’s the thing—syndication checks for 90s shows aren't what they used to be, but they provide a steady "mailbox money" stream. Even now, in 2026, with the show occasionally popping up on streaming services or international broadcasts, those residuals keep the lights on.
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Why She Left the Hollywood Grind
Most actors who get two Emmy nominations, like Geary did, double down. They move to a mansion in the Hollywood Hills and chase the next blockbuster. Geary did the opposite. She fell in love with the Pacific Northwest while filming Northern Exposure and just... stayed.
She married Robert Coron, a commercial real estate broker, in 1994. This is a huge factor in the Cynthia Geary net worth conversation that most people miss. Living in Bellevue, Washington, is expensive, but it’s not Hollywood expensive. By stepping away from the "rat race" to raise her daughters, Liv and Lyla, she avoided the massive overhead of a Los Angeles lifestyle.
She didn't stop working entirely, though. She did 8 Seconds with Luke Perry and voiced characters in video games like Professor Layton. But for about a decade, she was mostly a "stay-at-home mom," as she’s described herself.
The PureFlix Comeback and 2026 Earnings
If you think she's retired, you haven't been paying attention to streaming lately. Geary made a significant return to the screen with the series Going Home on PureFlix (now part of Great American Pure Flix). She plays Charley Copeland, a hospice nurse.
This wasn't just a cameo. It was a lead role in a multi-season series. For an actress with her pedigree—an Emmy nominee with a recognizable face—the salary for a lead role on a dedicated streaming platform like that is likely in the high five-figure to low six-figure range per season.
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Furthermore, she’s been popping up in Netflix projects like the series Penelope, playing the mother of the lead character. These "prestige guest" or recurring roles are lucrative. They pay well for a relatively short time commitment.
Real Estate and the "Quiet" Wealth
You won't find Geary's house on a "Celebrity Home Tour" map, and that’s intentional. However, she and her husband have been established in the Seattle area for decades. Given the astronomical rise of real estate in the Pacific Northwest—specifically the Bellevue and Lake Washington areas—her primary residence is likely a significant portion of her total valuation.
We’re talking about a market where modest homes have tripled in value since the late 90s. When you combine her TV earnings, her husband's career in commercial real estate, and her recent streaming work, Cynthia Geary net worth is estimated by most industry analysts to be somewhere between $2 million and $4 million.
It’s not "Jeff Bezos" money, but it’s "complete financial freedom" money.
The Misconception About "Fading Away"
People often assume that if an actor isn't in a Marvel movie, they must be broke. That’s just not how it works for veterans of the 90s TV era. Geary represents a specific type of celebrity: the "Working Professional."
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She chooses projects that matter to her. She recently mentioned in an interview that she even has a "corporate job" on the side where she’s helped house people fleeing conflict in Ukraine. She acts because she loves the craft, not because she needs to pay off a Ferrari.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest mistake people make when looking up Cynthia Geary net worth is looking at those "net worth" websites that just copy-paste the same $1.5 million figure for every actor from the 90s. Those sites don't account for:
- Residuals: Northern Exposure is a classic. It’s always being licensed somewhere.
- The Husband's Income: Real estate in Seattle is a gold mine.
- The Low Overhead: She’s lived a relatively private, non-extravagant life for thirty years.
- Voice Work: This is the "hidden" income of many actors.
Kinda refreshing, isn't it? She’s a person who hit it big, saved her money, moved to a place she loved, and now works on her own terms. That is the ultimate definition of being wealthy.
If you want to track her current projects, the best move is to keep an eye on the Great American Pure Flix schedule. Going Home remains one of her most substantial recent works. You can also find her in smaller, independent films that she shoots around the Seattle area, proving that for Geary, it’s always been about the community and the story rather than the paycheck.
Moving forward, keep a look out for her in recurring roles on major streamers; she has reached that "respected veteran" status where showrunners love to cast her for a touch of 90s nostalgia and genuine acting chops.