I could be wrong but I get the impression that the Gracie's are well off money wise but I've always wondered was Helio wealthy? And if so did his wealth come from Jiu Jitsu, were the Gracie's before him wealthy and he was born into money or did his children who went on to be Jiu Jitsu royalty take care of him money wise?
From what I’ve read, its kind of a meme that the Gracies were rich. The reason Carlos moved and started the original Gracie school was because the family had fallen on hard times.
they got money through real estate IIRC, someone talked about land deals Carlos did way back in the day and it paid off with lots of cash. That person was talking about things in the Carlos bio his daughter (Roger's mom) had wrote, as some of the business dealings were shady but hey, it paid off.
Plus they also made cash off jiu jitsu, as many celebs and elite upper society people took private lessons and tuition was not cheap.
Again I could be wrong but from what I understand Helio only taught to his family so did the family support him financially ?
IIRC, one of the family was imprisoned for anti-government activities during the military dictatorship and word was that if the rest of the fmaily hand't been so connected he might not have made it out alive.
I think Gastao Gracie (Helio and Carlos') dad was some kind of mayor or something as well as fight/circus promoter.
That's how they met Maeda. Promoting fights at the circus/carnival IIRC. Then Gastao helped Maeda start the Japanese farm colony and in gratitude Maeda offered to teach his kids.
So it sounds like they were really well off.
The guy invented leverage. Now it's used all over the world for a wide variety of useful purposes. Probably got royalty checks every month or something.
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odennis - Again I could be wrong but from what I understand Helio only taught to his family so did the family support him financially ?
no, Helio taught anybody that came to the academy. Its just that tuition was high, hence why it was known as a upper society activity to do. Remember he took over teaching from Carlos at the main academy after the other brothers went to do their own thing.
oblongo - IIRC, one of the family was imprisoned for anti-government activities during the military dictatorship and word was that if the rest of the fmaily hand't been so connected he might not have made it out alive.
that was Robin Gracie, Renzo's dad. He didn't die in imprisonment not due to family connections, but due to a high ranking officer recognizing him as he was a student of Robin's back in the day. THAT is what saved him from death.
Hunter V -oblongo - IIRC, one of the family was imprisoned for anti-government activities during the military dictatorship and word was that if the rest of the fmaily hand't been so connected he might not have made it out alive.
that was Robin Gracie, Renzo's dad. He didn't die in imprisonment not due to family connections, but due to a high ranking officer recognizing him as he was a student of Robin's back in the day. THAT is what saved him from death.
Robson (Robin is a son of Helio).
Robson is Renzo's father and he was the one who was imprisoned.
There are at least 2 Robin's.
kbhat -Hunter V -oblongo - IIRC, one of the family was imprisoned for anti-government activities during the military dictatorship and word was that if the rest of the fmaily hand't been so connected he might not have made it out alive.
that was Robin Gracie, Renzo's dad. He didn't die in imprisonment not due to family connections, but due to a high ranking officer recognizing him as he was a student of Robin's back in the day. THAT is what saved him from death.
Robson (Robin is a son of Helio).
crap you are right, brain fart on that one.
Can’t remember where I read it but when Carlos’s dad died, the family was in debt or struggling. Y’all need to read some Great Gatsby. Your family can be rich for a long,long time and bad business/luck can wipe it all out in a few years. There’s a website that will put you in contact with a Peerage dealer in London. You buy titles off the guy from old nobility families that have bottomed out and need money. If those douches can go broke, anyone can.
If Carlos was so well-off, he would’t have opened the original Gracie school. If they were so well off, Carlos wouldn’t have told Carlson he couldn’t afford to pay him and he should start his own school. I remember reading about Rorion sending his dad support money when the Torrance school started doing well. (I’m pretty sure I read that. 12 would know better than I.)
Was it the higher society students or the lower society students who brought the wooden casket In the stadium for kimura ? 
I seem to remember reading that Helio’s first wife, mother of Rorion Relson and Rickson,was from a wealthy family.
from the Gracie academy website:
The Gracie Summer Retreat
Located at the mountain resort of TerezĂłpolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this estate was the Gracie summer retreat. It had 21 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms. There were 18 uniformed employees working at the house, who had amongst themselves 14 children. There were 25 in-house telephones and a switchboard that enabled 6 people to talk to each other at the same time. A record of 37 kids of the Gracie family stayed at the house at one time, ages varying from 1 to 17 years old. Add to that 2 or 3 dozens of adults and there would be over one hundred people staying at the house during the busy summer weekends. There was an in-house laundry with industrial machines that washed 650 gis a week to provide for the academy in Rio. The tall building in the front is a 15,000 gallon water reservoir and a meditation room used by Carlos Gracie. At the center grass area is the canvas which was always ready to serve as a training area for the Gracie family members of all ages at any time.<br /><br />Twice, there were carnival parties for over 1,200 guests with live band music and food. In the center of the main building the little bell hanging on the wall identifies the two kitchen windows. The kitchen, like a busy restaurant, would prepare hundreds of meals a day - all prepared according to the Gracie Diet, starting with breakfast for the employees, then for the children, and finally for the adults and guests. On every Christmas Eve, Helio Gracie would dress up as Santa Claus and ride his black stallion, "Quilate," up towards the main grass area and stop at the bottom of the veranda. He would then get off the horse, climb up a ladder into the main living area (with the three glass windows in the front) and hand out the presents to the little kids. For those who had the privilege of experiencing the full impact of the Gracie lifestyle it was an unforgettable experience. For the children it was paradise.
Sorry bro, but they were LOADED. How many people do YOU know that have a house w/ what 21 bedrooms? In those days they were social elite and trained the social elite. NOT really REGULAR FOLK like they do now. But basically JUST the Ed O'neils of the day.
Yeah I have a summer home w/ 21 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms; It's a struggle to deal w/ so little space but I manage. I had to let 2 of my 18 servants go.
Times are tough...
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think the Gracie family owns the TerezĂłpolis house anymore.
Years ago, some asked Royce Gracie this same question on his Q&A forum on this website. I tried to look for it but couldn't find it. Anyway Royce said something to the effect some members of his family own some land and have made fruitful financial investments but the family as a whole isn't "rich".
According to the book "Gracie Way" Helio lived in a very modest house on a nice ranch called Nosso Vale (Our Vale) just outside of Rio where he had 6 or so Filo Brasileiro dogs, a mat room devoted to Jiujitsu training, and plenty of land.
Now one could say, based on that information alone, that Helio was well off but I don't think other members of the Gracie family lived as well as Helio did.
m.g - I don't think the Gracie family owns the TerezĂłpolis house anymore.
Years ago, some asked Royce Gracie this same question on his Q&A forum on this website. I tried to look for it but couldn't find it. Anyway Royce said something to the effect some members of his family own some land and have made fruitful financial investments but the family as a whole isn't "rich".
According to the book "Gracie Way" Helio lived in a very modest house on a nice ranch called Nosso Vale (Our Vale) just outside of Rio where he had 6 or so Filo Brasileiro dogs, a mat room devoted to Jiujitsu training, and plenty of land.
Now one could say, based on that information alone, that Helio was well off but I don't think other members of the Gracie family lived as well as Helio did.
yep, of course the whole family cannot be loaded. Just because one part of the family gets wealth doesn't mean everyone is rolling in money. I THINK on a old interview one of the Machados or even Rorion said that the house wasn't owned anymore as the kids had grown up and the family is so spread out that having all that space is pretty dumb (as upkeep would suck).