LONDON -- Actor Richard Burton, who friends believed had died penniless, left the bulk of an estate worth more than $4 million to his widow and fifth wife, Sally Burton, a newspaper reported.
Under Swiss law, the contents of wills are kept secret unless released by the family. Burton, 58, died three months ago in Switzerland of a brain hemorrhage.
The Sunday Mirror newspaper, quoting estate auditors, said Sunday that Burton left his Sally, 36, the bulk of money and property worth $4.58 million.
'Many (friends) believed he died almost penniless,' a financial source told the Mirror. 'He was amazingly generous. He happily handed over $1 million to his third wife, Suzy Hunt, as a divorce settlement. But he was also highly paid. So perhaps some people will regard $4.58 million as very modest.'
Sally Burton could not be reached at her home in Celigny, Switzerland, for confirmation, but the newspaper quoted her as saying, 'Everyone seems to be under the impression I am penniless. But that is not so.'
The newspaper said the estate, scattered over three countries, included more than $2 million in a Bermuda bank, $1 million in property, nearly $100,000 in investments, some $380,000 in artworks and personal effects and $20,000 in residual payments from old films.
Burton's four brothers and three sisters in Wales each received $15,000 and bequests were also made to his three daughters, Maria, Kate and Jessica, the paper said.
Burton's brother, Verdun Jenkins, said from his home in South Wales that the $4.58 million figure sounded 'ridiculous' to him. 'I would have thought it would have been more,' he told the Mirror.
A priceless Picasso sketch missing from Burton's estate was traced to the California home of actress Elizabeth Taylor, whom Burton married twice. Sally Burton said she was 'perfectly happy' to let it stay there, the newspaper said.
Auditors said they had been unable to find a valuable Dylan Thomas manuscript listed in the estate.
The newspaper said auditors discovered that Burton's London company, Bushel Investments Ltd., was set up to provide loans and gifts to relatives and friends who had hit hard times. The loans were for small amounts, none totaling more than $7,500, but often they were never repaid.
