Fresh Prince Prevented Smith's Bankruptcy

Will Smith had burned through millions and owed the IRS about $2.8 million when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air came along in 1990. The IRS had already seized his possessions, and Smith was close to bankruptcy when music producer Quincy Jones helped him land the NBC sitcom. The job saved him, but the IRS took 70 percent of his salary for the show's first three seasons until he finally cleared the debt.

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