Every actor's dream is to land a role on a hit show. Thanks to residuals from reruns, actors can expect a nice salary without ever doing anything else. The real cash lies in the small screen rather than the big one. Take Friends or Seinfeld for example, do you think the stars are living on reruns of the show? Many actors still do, and some don't. Read on to find out.
Kelsey Grammer, Frasier
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: May 13, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $13 million a year*
Final Episode: May 13, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $13 million a year*
It was the same storyline of the very serious but hysterical character Frasier Crane and his family in his home city of Seattle, that Kelsey Grammer played for over 20 years, beginning with the role in Cheers and continuing in its spin-off. In the spin-off version, he gained more fame and fans.
Ray Romano, Everybody Loves Raymond
Seasons: 9
Final Episode Airdate: May 16, 2005
Show Residuals: Up to $18 million a year*
Final Episode Airdate: May 16, 2005
Show Residuals: Up to $18 million a year*
Ray Romano was the star of the CBS series Everybody Loves Raymond. It was a much-loved show that ran for nine seasons. Fans were disappointed when the show ended in 2005 as they would’ve gladly continued to watch the exploits of the Barone family. Younger voices might know him better from his performance in the Ice Age franchise.
Bob Saget, Full House
Seasons: 8
Final Episode Airdate: May 23, 1995
Show Residuals: Up to $2,000 per year*
Final Episode Airdate: May 23, 1995
Show Residuals: Up to $2,000 per year*
Although Bob Saget, may he rest in peace, earned the highest income from the residuals compared to the rest in the series Full House, for his role as Danny Tanner, he said that the amounts he got were between $2 and $2,000 only because he was not an executive producer. Sadly, Saget died on 9 January 2022. The star was 65. His family released a statement, saying, "We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today. He was everything to us and we want you to know how much he loved his fans, performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter. Though we ask for privacy at this time, we invite you to join us in remembering the love and laughter that Bob brought to the world."
George Clooney, ER
Seasons: 15
Final Episode: April 2, 2009
Show Residuals: Up to $13 million per year*
Final Episode: April 2, 2009
Show Residuals: Up to $13 million per year*
Michael Crichton, the creator of Jurassic Park, created the famous medical drama series ER, which starred George Clooney. ER has paid him income from residuals in excess of ten million dollars with more expected. That has put Clooney among the richest movie actors of all time.
Jerry Seinfeld, Seinfeld
Seasons: 9
Final Episode: May 14, 1998
Show Residuals: Up to $110 million per year*
Final Episode: May 14, 1998
Show Residuals: Up to $110 million per year*
The 90s series Seinfeld ended in 1998, but its impact continues. Its loveable characters supported with the quick-witted script had so captivated their audiences everywhere that it was a sad day for all involved. The co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David continue to earn substantially from the series even after all these years.
Hank Azaria, The Simpsons
Seasons: 32
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
After starting in The Simpsons in 1989, Hank Azaria is now one of the long-time Simpsons’ members. However, after the first few seasons, not expecting to be invited back to voice his famous character, Apu, he was surprised not only to get a callback but to be asked to also voice Chief Wiggum on the show.
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Seasons: 12
Final Episode: May 16, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million a year*
Final Episode: May 16, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million a year*
The Big Bang Theory made Jim Parsons and his co-stars Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuocohim household names. In his role as Sheldon Cooper, the eccentric genius that delivered hilarious one-liners without even trying, he made waves. Parsons rose to earn $900,000 an episode in the final season.
Alan Alda, M*A*S*H
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: February 28, 1983
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million a year*
Final Episode: February 28, 1983
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million a year*
It was important to maintain the emotional connection that audiences craved for in M*A*S*H, which was a serious subject presented with a comic slant. It helped Alan Alda's portrayal of Hawkeye to become popular and the show's growing popularity is evidenced in the actor initially getting $10,000 per episode, rising to about $235,000 by the end of the series.
Ed O’Neill, Married With Children
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: June 9, 1997
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million a year*
Final Episode: June 9, 1997
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million a year*
From 1987-1997 while the hit sitcom Married with Children was airing, Ed O’Neill gained widespread notoriety in his role as Al Bundy. Millions of families watched him and his co-star Katey Sagal, letting O’Neill enter their living rooms – and their hearts. These days O’Neill may be better known in his role as Jay in Modern Family.
Maureen McCormick, The Brady Bunch
Seasons: 5
Final Episode: March 8, 1974
Show Residuals: $0 per year*
Final Episode: March 8, 1974
Show Residuals: $0 per year*
The Brady Bunch was a five-season series about a 60s and 70s clean-cut family. Before she became part of The Brady Bunch, Maureen McCormick was a popular commercial actress. The cast has recently revealed that they are struggling to get any residuals from the series. Unfortunately, as the no-residuals clauses in each of their individual contracts are airtight, they have not been able to renegotiate. Their only entitlements are to be paid a small fee if clips from their show are used in a movie
Betty White, The Golden Girls
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: May 9, 1992
Show Residuals: Up to $3 million a year*
Final Episode: May 9, 1992
Show Residuals: Up to $3 million a year*
In many ways during the early 90s, The Golden Girls was very much ahead of its time, in openly discussing every aspect of womanhood. The highly talented Betty White, Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty, along with their witty script, secured the show's jackpot for many years. Unfortunately, Betty passed away in 2021, but she's still alive on TV.
David Schwimmer, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode Airdate: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode Airdate: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
David Schwimmer was another beloved member of the cast on Friends, where he played Ross. He continues to receive $20 million in residual income from the series. His career continues to strengthen after starring in Madagascar and American Crime Story and he's now appearing with Meryl Streep in the Netflix movie The Laundromat.
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Seasons: 12
Final Episode: May 16, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
Final Episode: May 16, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
The episodes of the much-loved show The Big Bang Theory aired for twelve years where Johnny Galecki played the long-standing role of Leonard. Not only did the networks make billions from it but it made all his costars millionaires as well. It was in May of this year when its final episode aired. The residuals continue to provide great earnings, as a passive income of $10 million a year to the main character Galecki. Fans of The Big Bang Theory disappointed by the show ending too soon can take solace in the fact that Young Sheldon, its spinoff, will continue as a new series.
Alex Borstein, Family Guy
Seasons: 18
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million per year*
In Family Guy, Lois Griffin is voiced by Alex Borstein, playing the long-suffering wife of Peter Griffin, voiced by Seth Macfarlane. Due to a salary renegotiation, Borstein earns $225,000 per episode as one of the main characters, apart from reruns fetching her millions. Borstein, being a part of the Griffin nuclear family, could have raked in as many residual payments as those of Macfarlane himself if it weren't for her alimony agreement. As part of her divorce proceedings, she had to agree to split all her earnings from the show as well as the reruns with her ex-husband.
David Caruso, CSI Miami
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: April 8, 2012
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 per year*
Final Episode: April 8, 2012
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 per year*
True-crime shows like CSI: Miami and Law & Order have had many spin-offs as they are extremely popular with people. The retired actor and producer, David Caruso, being active in the industry from 1975 until 2012 played the lead character, Detective Horatio Caine, on CSI: Miami.
Jennifer Aniston, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million a year*
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million a year*
Friends made Hollywood A-listers out of its cast, being one of the most popular shows the world has ever seen. One of its most successful members, Jennifer Aniston has had tremendous success in her career since, amassing over $240 million dollars by starring in multiple movies. Over $1 billion a year is bagged by Warner Bros. from the hit comedy. Aniston can expect an annual payment of $20 million in dividends from Warner Bros, so if times get rough and her work suddenly dries up, she still enjoys her right to this.
Matthew Perry, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode Airdate: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode Airdate: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Friends aired for a whole decade of new episodes. The show ended in May of 2004 as one of the most famous sitcoms of all time. All rights to the season are owned by Warner Bros. The role of Chandler was played by Matthew Perry who, with his costars, share equally the residual payments from the reruns which now air on Nickelodeon. The annual payments per year, generated from Cable TV and streaming services reruns alone, amount to around a whopping $20 million each for Perry and his other five costars.
Carol Burnett, The Carol Burnett Show
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: March 29, 1978
Show Residuals: $0.01 per DVD sold*
Final Episode: March 29, 1978
Show Residuals: $0.01 per DVD sold*
The groundbreaking Carol Burnett Show was the first of its kind, prominently featuring Carol Burnett as the main actress in the role of a female comedian. She has now reappeared in a new TV series, A Little Help, which has recently started to be aired on Netflix. The earnings from residuals have been depressing for Burnett. Partly due to music copyrights that compelled her full-hour show to be cut down, resulting in Burnett earning even less per each aired episode than the one penny she got for every sold DVD of her show.
Tim Allen, Home Improvement
Seasons: 8
Final Episode: May 25, 1999
Show Residuals: Up to $18 million in total*
Final Episode: May 25, 1999
Show Residuals: Up to $18 million in total*
Recently, Tim Allen expressed his desire for a Home Improvement reunion. The Toolman, as he was nicknamed, hosted his own home improvement show. Produced by Walt Disney Studios, the first episode of the Home Improvement sitcom aired in 1991. The final, 204th episode of the series, was aired in 1999. According to Allen, he receives payments from his Home Improvement Show every month, which since the airing of the final show in 1999, has amounted to $18 million. Should a reunion happen, the amount will surely soar further.
Courteney Cox, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
With her success as one of the original six cast members of the Friends series, playing Monica, the six split the total payments from the residuals among themselves, letting each of them bank up to $20 million, per year. Following the sitcom, she went on to play Jules on Cougar Town and got nominated for a Golden Globe award. You may also recall her part as Gale in Scream, the popular horror series that was quite different from the sitcom roles she had previously performed. Recently, in February of 2019, Cox appeared on The Ellen Show, where she was reunited with Lisa Kudrow, her famous co-star in the Friends sitcom.
Ted Danson, Cheers
Seasons: 11
Final Episode Airdate: May 20, 1993
Show Residuals: Up to $5 million a year*
Final Episode Airdate: May 20, 1993
Show Residuals: Up to $5 million a year*
One of the biggest shows ever to grace our screens and continues to do so is NBC’s Cheers where Ted Danson appears as the leading character Sam Malone. Danson has enjoyed a very successful career.
David Hyde Pierce, Frasier
Seasons: 11
Final Episode Airdate: September 16, 1993
Show Residuals: $40 million in total*
Final Episode Airdate: September 16, 1993
Show Residuals: $40 million in total*
Christopher Lloyd was the main writer of the series Frasier, which started airing in 1993. On its twentieth anniversary, when actor David Hyde Pierce appeared on the Katie Couric Show, he praised the entire talented cast. For some time, the show enjoyed the reputation as the smartest show on television. Hyde Pierce won four Emmys for Supporting Actor in his role as psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the show. The series had a two-part finale and ended in 2004. So far the show has earned $40 million in total from reruns.
Patrick Stewart, Star Trek - The Next Generation
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: May 23, 1994
Show Residuals: $0 as of 2017*
Final Episode: May 23, 1994
Show Residuals: $0 as of 2017*
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patrick Stewart played Jean Luc Picard. According to Stewart, the cast put a lot of time into the shows as well as into the Star Trek conventions and merchandising. At the same time, he said that he never received any residuals payments from the original show. According to Stewart, he will soon play Captain Picard again in a new spinoff, Star Trek: Picard, which focuses on his main character. Stewart earned up to $13 million for his Star Trek movie compared to the hundreds of thousands he earned from each of his shows.
David Hasselhoff, Baywatch
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: May 14, 2001
Show Residuals: Up to $4 million per year*
Final Episode: May 14, 2001
Show Residuals: Up to $4 million per year*
Baywatch was more a cultural phenomenon than a show. David Hasselhoff successfully played the often-shirtless Mitch. But it was Pamela Anderson who soared to the heights of Marilyn Monroe as one of the world’s biggest female symbols.
Fred Savage, The Wonder Years
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: May 12, 1993
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode: May 12, 1993
Show Residuals: $0*
Remember The Wonder Years starring Kevin played by legendary actor Fred Savage? You'll most likely recall its theme song “With a Little Help from My Friends,” written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Kevin Arnold was a sweet teenager living in the suburbs around the late sixties and the drama ran for 115 episodes. The show’s sudden cancellation was all because of a dispute between producers and studio execs. The producers were demanding more mature storylines as Kevin Arnold aged, whilst executives wanted it teen-focused. They couldn’t reach an agreement, so The Wonder Years went off the air. Sadly for Savage, the drama wrapped up on ABC, which owned all the rights to the show.
Mark Harmon, NCIS
Seasons: 18
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $60 million in total*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $60 million in total*
Mark Harmon earns $125,000 for each new episode of NCIS, the criminal investigative drama. He plays a no-nonsense Navy investigator called Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, who heads a team of investigators to solve crimes. The show was part of Belisarius Productions, Inc. and first aired in September 2003, on CBS.
Matt LeBlanc, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Matt LeBlanc known as Joey in the Friends series was rewarded with three Emmy award nominations for his part. He also featured in Joey, a Friends spinoff, which wasn't as spectacular and it was canceled in 2006 after being aired for only two seasons starting in 2004.
Tracey Ullman, The Tracey Ullman Show
Seasons: 4
Final Episode: May 26, 1996
Show Residuals: Up to $5,000 per year*
Final Episode: May 26, 1996
Show Residuals: Up to $5,000 per year*
Tracey Ullman has proved her talents as an actress, singer, and dancer in various shows, but the variety show she lent her name to, The Tracey Ullman Show, started airing on Fox in 1987. It opened with the George Clinton song, "You’re Thinking Right." The final episode aired in 1990. From the reruns on the Fox network, she earns up to $5,000. Ullman had to fight a long legal battle with the producers of The Simpsons regarding the income from voicing some characters in the long-running series. It was only as a result of this, that she was, in the end, able to start getting some residuals.
Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: May 6, 1957
Show Residuals: Up to $17 million per year*
Final Episode: May 6, 1957
Show Residuals: Up to $17 million per year*
The concept of generating income from reruns and residual payments was started with Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz. As stars of the extremely popular I Love Lucy, they were the pioneers of the sitcom genre. The couple earned more than thirty years worth of residual payments themselves as they personally held the rights to their show, not through the network. In 2018, Desilu sold their company, including Star Trek, to CBS.
Sam Waterston, Law & Order
Seasons: 20
Final Episode: May 24, 2010
Show Residuals: Up to $5,000 per year*
Final Episode: May 24, 2010
Show Residuals: Up to $5,000 per year*
Sam Waterston has enjoyed various successes. He was awarded the Golden Globe for his performance in Law & Order. In his highly-acclaimed movie career, he won the Oscar for his role in The Killing Fields. He has also acquired a sitcom reputation, based on his appearance in the Netflix show Grace & Frankie.
Nancy Cartwright, The Simpsons
Seasons: 34
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Still producing more episodes of the wildly popular The Simpsons after 32 seasons, it is the longest-running animated comedy in television history. Nancy Cartwright's role provides the voice of Bart Simpson. As the son of the title character Homer, he is one of the main characters of the show. Since the eighties, Cartwright has dominated the voiceover market. The animated series generates up to $20 million per year in reruns for Cartwright and her coworkers. Cartwright earns $400,000 per episode for new episodes.
Daniel J. Travanti, Hill Street Blues
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: May 12, 1987
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Final Episode: May 12, 1987
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Daniel J. Travanti in his role as Captain Furillo in the police drama series Hill Street Blues got many nominations, winning a Golden Globe and two Emmy awards. With 146 episodes airing over seven seasons and ending in 1987, Travanti was able to receive substantial income from reruns. Travanti faced high competition from police shows like Criminal Minds and Blue Bloods as well as similar TV crime shows like Law & Order and CSI, denting his income from his residuals to several thousands a year, which is nothing to scoff at.
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Seasons: 12
Final Episode: February 19, 2015
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
Final Episode: February 19, 2015
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
The original three members of Two and a Half Men, Charlie Sheen, Angus T., and Jon Cryer, get the best earnings as the twelve-season show, aired between 2003 until 2015 pays out millions in dividends. This irreverent sitcom has faced tremendous criticism but its core base of fans has kept it on the air even after it ended.
Ricky Gervais, The Office UK
Seasons: 2
Final Episode Airdate: November 4, 2002
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
Final Episode Airdate: November 4, 2002
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
Even though the series The Office UK aired for two seasons in the UK, Ricky Gervais, who played David Brent, was happy with his income, saying it was “the gift that keeps on giving.” The American version was The Office, where Michael Scott played the corresponding role of David Brent. Featuring Steve Carrell in the American version, the series proved to be more successful, airing for nine seasons. Fans of the original series were thrilled to see Gervais making guest appearances from time to time. Gervais still receives substantial residual income from the show.
Marg Helgenberger, CSI
Seasons: 15
Final Episode Airdate: February 15, 2018
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Final Episode Airdate: February 15, 2018
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Marg Helgenberger started as a dramatic actress playing roles in soap operas. She then became a huge part of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, playing her role from 2000 to 2015. Though it ended four years ago, she still earns income from the CSI series residuals and refers to her career on CSI as a "comfortable niche". Like CSI, CBS also has other legal drama and criminal justice projects like All Rise, starring Helgenberger. Learning of her return to CBS with a role in a new series delighted her fans. Helgenberger is now worth around $18 million net.
Kristen Bell, The Good Place
Seasons: 4
Final Episode Airdate: September 26, 2019
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode Airdate: September 26, 2019
Show Residuals: $0*
NBC owns the rights to The Good Place, its well-liked TV show, which means the actors in the series are most likely not going to be obtaining royalties from reruns. The show, which had its first episode in September 2016, also features TV star Ted Danson. The award-winning show aired for 43 episodes in total.
Dr. Phil, The Dr. Phil Show
Seasons: 21
Final Episode Airdate: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million in total*
Final Episode Airdate: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million in total*
Well-known for his eponymous talk show, Dr. Phil is an amazing sociologist and psychologist. He first started out on Oprah as a resident human behavior expert. Oprah was impressed with Dr. Phil's hit with the viewers, so she offered him his own talk show, which surrounds a range of absurd stuff that people get up to. His first show aired in 2002, and it received consistently high ratings. It airs at 5 pm most weekdays on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Prior to ending up on television, Dr. Phil accumulated twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist.
Jackie Gleason, The Honeymooners
Seasons: 1
Final Episode: September 22, 1956
Show Residuals: $0 per year*
Final Episode: September 22, 1956
Show Residuals: $0 per year*
The Honeymooners had thirty-nine episodes over a single season, with its last episode airing in 1956. That season is equivalent to four seasons today. Audrey Meadows was the only cast member to get residual payments from The Honeymooners, a show based on the notion of blue-collar America in the fifties. Gleason's contract stated that he would not receive residuals but he earned $70,000 per episode when it was airing.
Tom Kenny, Spongebob
Seasons: 12
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $11 million per year*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $11 million per year*
Since its first show on May 1, 1999, Tom Kenny has been the voice of Spongebob Squarepants on this long-running animated show, airing mainly on Nickelodeon. It is available for streaming for those with memories of that era, on the platforms Hulu, Netflix, and others. “The Krusty Bucket,” a recent episode aired in late September of 2019, shows there are no signs of abating in the production of new shows. Up to now, the reruns have already produced millions in income from residuals, and many more are expected.
John Goodman, Roseanne
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: May 22, 2018
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
Final Episode: May 22, 2018
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
The show Roseanne started in October 1988 and ended in May of 2018. In the show, John Goodman played the role of Roseanne's husband. He and Roseanne Barr were fictionally married on the show. Goodman has raked up millions from his successful movie career in addition to the residuals income he receives from the show. Roseanne was suddenly canceled in 2018 by ABC as a consequence of a controversial tweet from Roseanne Barr. According to Goodman, he was surprised and heartbroken at the decision.
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Seasons: 12
Final Episode Airdate: February 19, 2015
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
Final Episode Airdate: February 19, 2015
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
The show Two and a Half Men ran for eight seasons with Charlie Sheen playing the role of Charlie Harper. His erratic behavior resulted in him getting fired. Fortunately for him, his rights to residual income were not affected, so he continues to receive that income until today. Ashton Kutcher replaced him and the show continued for another four seasons. According to Sheen, Hollywood blacklisted him after getting fired from Two and a Half Men.
Lisa Kudrow, Friends
Seasons: 10
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
Final Episode: May 6, 2004
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
In 2005, Lisa Kudrow has starred in The Comeback. She has made guest appearances in other sitcoms like Cheers, Mad About You, and Bo Jack Horseman. For her role as Phoebe on Friends, she continues to bank $20 million in residual income every year. The Comeback made its own comeback nine years later in 2014 for a second season but wasn't very successful.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: May 20, 2003
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million in total*
Final Episode: May 20, 2003
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million in total*
For six seasons Sarah Michelle Gellar played the role of the brave Buffy Summers as one of the Chosen Ones in the show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show, based on a movie starring Kristy Swanson, was quite popular. In her role, she was to fight vampires, demons, and any other nasty creatures that she came across. The show with its eponymous theme song began airing in 1997. With 144 episodes, the final one aired in 2003. UPN reruns of the show generate about a million dollars in residual income, and potentially more in the future, for the talented Gellar to receive.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Seinfeld
Seasons: 9
Final Episode: May 14, 1998
Show Residuals: $400 million in total*
Final Episode: May 14, 1998
Show Residuals: $400 million in total*
Julia Louis Dreyfus is a comedian, singer, and producer who became well known for her work on sitcoms and shows like SNL, Veep, and of course, the long-running show Seinfeld where she played Elaine, her most iconic character, opposite Jerry Seinfeld. As the owner of the rights to the show, which aired from 1989 until 1998, Seinfeld is one of the richest comedians in history. The show is still asked about in interviews with the star. According to Louis-Dreyfus, Seinfeld's motto was, “No learning, no hugging.”
Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: June 10, 2007
Show Residuals: Up to $26 million in total*
Final Episode: June 10, 2007
Show Residuals: Up to $26 million in total*
Edie Falco played Tony Soprano's wife in The Sopranos and the late James Gandolfini played Tony Soprano. This was one of the greatest television crime dramas in history. Filmed in New Jersey, HBO first aired it in 1999 and continued until 2007 when the last episode was aired. Falco had six Emmy nominations and won three for her role as Carmela. Falco earns a colossal amount of income from the show's residuals
Drake, Degrassi
Seasons: 14
Final Episode Airdate: August 2, 2015
Show Residuals: $8.25 per month*
Final Episode Airdate: August 2, 2015
Show Residuals: $8.25 per month*
Before leaving acting to pursue his very successful rap career, Rapper Drake had played Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star in a Canadian teen drama, Degrassi. From 2001 until 2008, he appeared in all 145 episodes. Drake's income from the Degrassi residuals is not tantalizing. He posted one of his show residual checks, displaying the princely sum of $8.62. However, rap has elevated Drake to be among the wealthiest musicians in modern history, with a net worth of around $150 million.
Chad Michael Murray, One Tree Hill
Seasons: 9
Final Episode: April 4, 2012
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 a year*
Final Episode: April 4, 2012
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 a year*
On September 23, 2003, WB/CW aired the first episode of the drama series One Tree Hill, where Chad Michael Murray played the role of Lucas Scott. The series lasted up to April of 2012 when it concluded with a two-part finale. Acting opposite Nathan, his half-brother on the show, Murray’s character was the “good son” of the series. Murray hasn’t had an acting job in a while but as the show is still airing on CW, with a 7.6 rating on IMDb, the reruns residuals are still providing him with attractive payments.
Lea Michele, Glee
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: March 20, 2015
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode: March 20, 2015
Show Residuals: $0*
Ryan Murphy wrote Glee with the singer and actress Lea Michele in mind. Lea attained fame as Rachel, the star singer of the series. The show first aired in 2009 and lasted for six seasons before ending in 2015, achieving immense popularity. By the end of the sixth season, it had soared so high in popularity that Michele and her famous costars were raking in $1 million per episode. Millions watched the finale of the show. However, the income for residuals and reruns has not amounted to much for the cast members as the rights to the show are owned by Fox.
Shay Mitchell, Pretty Little Liars
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: June 27, 2017
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode: June 27, 2017
Show Residuals: $0*
The actress Shay Mitchell played in The Possession of Hannah Grace, Dreamland, and Mother’s Day. She was also one of the lead actresses in Pretty Little Liars, which was set in high school, as an out-of-the-ordinary teen drama. It started as a bunch of novels and went on to become a show. The story is about "A," an anonymous person who seems to know the girls and is threatening to expose them for their misdeeds. The compulsively binge-watchable show ended in 2017. However, Mitchell's contract does not entitle her to get any royalties as she doesn't have the rights to the show.
Tim Daly, Wings
Seasons: 8
Final Episode: May 21, 1997
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
Final Episode: May 21, 1997
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
Wings, a show about a small commuter plane service part-owned by Daly's character was described by Daly as Seinfeld’s stepchild. NBC first aired the show in 1990 for seven seasons and continues to do reruns. Unlike Seinfeld, Daly couldn't or didn't retain the rights to the show which aired for 172 episodes. NBC retained those rights. Daly has not made millions from reruns. In fact, he has made about $1,000, mostly from the show's DVD set which Daly says he has watched “several times.”
French Stewart, 3rd Rock From the Sun
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: May 22, 2001
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
Final Episode: May 22, 2001
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
On January 9, 1996, aired the first episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun. The final episode was aired on May 22, 2001. The series starred the comedian French Stewart playing the role of Harry Solomon, who is among a group of aliens who erroneously land on earth. Owing to the sitcom boom in the early 2000s, there was heavy competition when the two-part series finale was aired by its owner, NBC. However, it managed to get very good ratings. Stewart and the cast only managed to get about $1,000 in proceeds from DVD sales.
Paul Fusco, Alf
Seasons: 4
Final Episode: March 24, 1990
Show Residuals: $300 per episode*
Final Episode: March 24, 1990
Show Residuals: $300 per episode*
Alf standing for Alien Life Form, was a very unique-looking alien creature dreamt up by Paul Fusco, a puppeteer and voice actor. The sitcom was about a suburban family taking in Alf when it crash-landed in a garage. Alf inspired an enormous amount of fan merchandise. The show was created by Fusco and Tom Patchett, but due to low ratings, NBC canceled it. Alf's final episode aired in 1990. According to NBC's President, Brandon Tartikoff, they later regretted canceling Alf, as it could have lasted a few more seasons. The first year reruns fetched around $300 per episode.
Michael J. Fox, Family Ties
Seasons: 7
Final Episode: May 14, 1989
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode: May 14, 1989
Show Residuals: $0*
Family Ties first aired in 1982 and continued for seven seasons, with the final episode airing in 1989. It starred Michael J. Fox. According to him, the show managers almost fired him because his face didn't look handsome enough to make fan merchandise. Obviously, they soon changed their mind! In light of declining ratings, NBC canceled the show, ending it with its two-part finale. Fox and his co-stars were left out of the residuals as NBC owned all rights to the show. Apparently, during the seventh season, Fox used to hitchhike to work because of the low pay.
Henry Winkler, Happy Days
Seasons: 11
Final Episode: September 24, 1984
Show Residuals: $65,000 in total*
Final Episode: September 24, 1984
Show Residuals: $65,000 in total*
With 255 episodes, Happy Days first aired on ABC in 1974 and continued for 11 seasons before ending in 1984. The show starred Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, and it produced several spinoffs. The two stars sued ABC for residual payments and a settlement was reached years after the show had ended. The agreed amount was a $65,000 payment to Howard, Winkler, and their costars. This was on top of residuals from DVD sales of the sitcom. Let's face it - $65,000 isn’t bad, especially since the actors are now approaching retirement.
Ben McKenzie, Gotham
Seasons: 5
Final Episode: April 25, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Final Episode: April 25, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Gotham, featuring supervillains such as Penguin, The Riddler, and The Joker is a spinoff of the original story behind the legendary Batman. The action-packed, DC Comics-based series, stars a young Bruce Wayne and a young Jim Gordon, played by Ben McKenzie. Gotham ran for five seasons and ended in 2019. Scott White created the show, though Ben McKenzie actually wrote and directed a few of the episodes himself. The show ended with exactly 100 episodes before Fox pulled the plug. The one and only Bane was the last supervillain to appear on the program.
Trey Parker, South Park
Seasons: 26
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million in total*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million in total*
The creators of South Park have piled up $500 million in royalties from their show, which tells the adventures of teen delinquents Cartman, Stan, and Kyle. If it wasn't animated, being amongst the most irreverent shows to air on Comedy Central, it most likely would have been kicked off screen ages ago. The creators, also the main voices on the show, happened to be roommates in college. The show's been on air since 1997 and has now hit its 24th season, competing with Family Guy and The Simpsons along the way.
Stephen Amell, Arrow
Seasons: 8
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 in total*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 in total*
This time starring Green Arrow, Arrow is yet another superhero DC origin story that was first aired on CW back in 2012. It's now in its latest season and has already had two spinoffs titled, The Flash and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Stephen Amell stars as the big superhero, who happens to be a billionaire playboy by day. The production location is in Vancouver, Canada and Stephen earns thousands from reruns on the CW. The eight-season show with more than 160 episodes has completely outshone its other DC Universe hit, Gotham.
Matt Stone, South Park
Seasons: 24
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million*
Matt Stone, the other star of South Park has been just as lucky. After creating the show with Trey Rogers in their college dorm room, they have now enjoyed splitting their hefty profits in half, totaling $500 million in net worth. The famous roommates first got their popular show on the screens in August 1997. 24 seasons later, South Park is still in full force on Comedy Central and has been followed by a whole variety of merchandise to go along with it. Although the show is far from kid-friendly, it attracts a younger, mid-to-late-teens audience as well as viewers in their early twenties. Whatever their secret is, it sure is working.
Claire Foy, The Crown
Seasons: 2
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: $0*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: $0*
The Crown is based on The Audience, a play that features Royal English characters from the 1940s. It starts with an early insight into the Queen’s reign, as Elizabeth II was crowned when she was quite young. Claire Foy is the main actress playing a young Queen Elizabeth II. Being a Netflix TV series means that, despite its popularity, its main actors most likely don't receive any royalties from the streaming of old episodes, as Netflix owns all rights to the program.
Morena Baccarin, Gotham
Seasons: 5
Final Episode: April 25, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Final Episode: April 25, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Morena Baccarin is another star of the DC Universe series Gotham, who plays Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Her own origin story is as complex as her companion's - Ben McKenzie and the two end up married on the show. It so happened that their love story continued offset and they ended up getting married in real life as well. Baccarin and McKenzie tied the knot in 2017. The Brazilian-American actress also plays Inara in Firefly as well as Vanessa/Serenity in Deadpool, contributing to her title as a ComicCon legend. In addition to her blockbuster/Fox career, she has also appeared in The Mentalist and Homeland.
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy
Seasons: 21
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $400,000 per year*
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $400,000 per year*
With eighteen seasons and still counting, Family Guy is the second-longest-running animated comedy in television history, surpassed only by The Simpsons. Seth Macfarlane is also the creator of American Dad and Orville. It is not surprising that in 2013, Family Guy’s main voice actors were given huge raises. With the comedy being syndicated and also being popular on streaming platforms, it's rumored to be worth $2 billion in total. As you may guess, residuals total millions. Hence the generous raises extended to current-episode earnings as well as to earnings from residuals.
Desi Arnaz, I Love Lucy
Seasons: 6
Final Episode: May 6, 1957
Show Residuals: Up to $7.5 million per year*
Final Episode: May 6, 1957
Show Residuals: Up to $7.5 million per year*
Desi Arnaz and his famous wife Lucille Ball, whom everyone loved in I Love Lucy, split in 1960, They didn't want attorneys to benefit from the divorce. Though a dysfunctional couple, they decided to remain together and take advantage of their divorce by continuing to operate their company and their sitcom together. In 2018, they sold their company, Desilu, but not before it racked up millions in residuals.
Bob Denver, Gilligan's Island
Seasons: 3
Final Episode: April 17, 1967
Show Residuals: Up to $90 million in total*
Final Episode: April 17, 1967
Show Residuals: Up to $90 million in total*
The show Gilligan’s Island was about a group of seven people who shipwrecked on an uncharted island. Its viewers appreciated its clean humor, letting it run for several seasons in the sixties. The title character on the Gilligan's Island show was portrayed by Bob Denver. The show is still in demand for daytime reruns. Gilligan’s Island has delivered a total of approximately 90 million dollars in residual payments over the past 38 years. Nearly forty years after the airing of the final episode, Denver gave up to cancer, passing away in 2005.
Rose McIver, IZombie
Seasons: 5
Final Episode: August 1, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to 5% of the salary in total*
Final Episode: August 1, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to 5% of the salary in total*
McIver features in iZombie, a supernatural crime series made for the CW. iZombie was adapted from a DC Comics series, Vertigo, superbly created by both Michael Allred and Chris Roberson. The show’s first episode aired in March 2015 and the last in August 2019, with its wonderful finale, "All’s Well That Ends Well." The series also featured Disney alum, Aly Michalka. iZombie received a 91% in ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and hit 8/10 on IMDb.