Background and career
James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer, best known for his work in television.
Fallon grew up with a love of comedy and music, moving to Los Angeles when he turned 21 to pursue stand-up comedy. He joined the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live as a cast member in 1998, fulfilling a lifelong dream. During his six years on SNL, Fallon co-hosted the program's Weekend Update segment. He left the show in 2004 to star in films such as Taxi (2004) and Fever Pitch (2005). After his film career, Fallon returned to television as the host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC in 2009, where he was noted for a focus on music and video games. In 2014, he left that show to become the sixth permanent host of The Tonight Show.
Fallon has also released two comedy albums and seven books, mainly aimed at children. His accolades include four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award.
James Thomas Fallon was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, on September 19, 1974, the son of Gloria (née Feeley) and James W. Fallon. His paternal grandmother was a German immigrant from Osterholz-Scharmbeck, while his maternal great-grandfather was a Norwegian immigrant from Fredrikstad. One set of his great-great-grandparents were an Irish couple from County Galway, with this great-great-grandmother herself being born to an Irish couple in France.
How Jimmy Fallon makes money
As of August 2013, Fallon was earning a salary of $11 million a year for his work on Late Night.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (2026-02-12), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
