Walter Grady Roberts : Meet Julia Roberts Father

Walter Grady Roberts rose to popularity as the celebrated father of Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts. He had a brief acting and writing career. Yolanda King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, studied acting with him.

Net Worth of Walter Grady Roberts

As of January 2023, Walter Grady Roberts’s net worth is approximately $2 million.

Was married to an actress who was also an acting instructor

Walter married Betty Lou Bredemus, an actress and acting instructor he met while performing “George Washington Slept Here” for the military. They soon bonded, became great friends, and became closer as they embarked on a number of theatrical tours and wed in 1955.

They co-founded the wildly successful Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop. Previously, they ran a children’s acting school and produced 15 episodes of the local network children’s program Bum Bum and His Buddies.

What led to their separation?

The couple was suffering financial troubles, and the co-founded workshop was closing down gradually. The couple decided to divorce after nearly twenty years of marriage.

His wife filed for divorce in 1971, which was finalized in 1972. However, the reason for their divorce remains unknown. Betty relocated to Smyrna, Georgia, with her children in tow. When Julia was just five years old, her parents separated.

His children’s early exposure to the theater prompted them to pursue acting careers

Walter was a parent to three children. Although he passed away before witnessing his children’s professional achievements, he undoubtedly inspired them to follow in his footsteps.

Eric Roberts, his eldest son, was born in 1956 and is a renowned American actor with more than 596 credits to his name (one of the few actors to have more than 500 credits).

Lisa, his 1965-born second child, is also an actress and producer. Both are more known as the sibling of the renowned actress Julia, who was born in 1967, and as her brother and sister.

His ex-wife remarried a year following their divorce

Betty, his ex-wife, wed Michael Motes in 1972, the same year they divorced. Their marriage produced a daughter, Nancy, who committed herself at the age of 37.

Michael was an angry spouse and stepfather to his stepchildren, resulting in a miserable upbringing for Julia and her siblings. Betty filed for divorce in 1983, citing mistreatment by her violent hubby.

The reason behind Eric and Julia’s separation and eventual reunion

Eric and his ex-girlfriend Kelly Cunningham fought over custody of their daughter Emma Roberts, which broke the relationship between Eric and Julia.

Eric and Julia became estranged after Julia sided with Kelly in the custody dispute. The siblings were reunited in 2004 when Eric was unexpectedly invited to the birth of Julia’s twins.

Height & Weight

He has a height of 5 feet 8 inches. He weighs about 58 kilograms (121 lbs). He has beautiful black eyes and black hair. His bodily dimensions are 36 by 28 by 34 inches.

Both Walter and Betty perished due to cancer

Despite the fact that the year has changed, Walter and Betty perished due to their cancer battle. Walter passed away at age 44 due to throat cancer. His death occurred in 1977. Betty, on the other hand, passed away in 2015 at the age of 80 from lung cancer.

Despite the fact that she was unable to spend much time with him, Julia misses him around her children Henry Daniel Moder and Hazel Moder.

Since she does not have him as a grandfather, she feels deceived. She was devastated by her mother’s passing. She states that her mother worked full-time while raising her children without showing any indications of stress.

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