For every actor, one of their greatest achievements is landing roles in major hit movies. For sure, the cash rewards for a movie role come in handy, but when you do a series, you can rest assured of a somewhat passive income even after the show has ended. Actors and actresses in these series have the potential of learning passively as the movies do reruns in the following years after.
Whether it is the cast on the series, Friends, or even some of the Emmy Awards’ richest actors, they will tell you a lot of the small films do earn a lot of money as the major films do. Well, for the accountants of these actors, we are sure they love the way things work out for the series films. Here are a few of those actors…
How Actors Are Living Through Their Movie Reruns
Ted Danson
Show & Seasons: Cheers – 11
Last Episode Airdate: May 20, 1993
Passive Earning: Average of $5 million per year
Ted Danson has had a very successful career, but we have to agree that his most popular was his role on NBC’s Cheers, where he played Sam Malone, one of the leading characters. We have to agree that Cheers has been one of the most popular TV shows ever and continues to be even to this day.
Danson has appeared in many other films and has topped up his financial status. Some of those films include Bored to Death, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Good Place. Should Danson decide to retire now, he still has a steady income of around $5 million yearly, a cool pension a lot of us can only dream of getting.
Ted Danson
Bob Saget
Show & Seasons: Full House – 8
Last Episode Air Date: May 23, 1995
Passive Earning: Average of $2000 per year
Bob Saget’s role in Full House as Danny Tanner and has to be the one to earn the most residual income from the TV series. However, Saget’s noted in multiple interviews that the residual checks do not amount to anything to phone home about and notes due to the fact he was not an executive producer, he isn’t earning much. His checks varied between $2 to $2000 per year.
In recent years Saget did a spin-off of the Full House series called Fuller House, which features on Netflix. If you ask us, he is probably making more from this sitcom in residual income. However, after five seasons, the show was stopped as viewership started to go down, and in the spring of 2019, the last episode was aired.
Bob Saget
David Caruso
Show & Seasons: CSI: Miami – 10
Last Episode Airdate: April 8, 2012
Passive Earning: Average of $100,000 per year
David Caruso is now a retired movie producer and actor who has had a very successful career. One of the prominent TV shows he featured in was CSI: Miami, where he played the role of Detective Horatio Caine. He was active in the movie industry between the years 1975 to 2012. Just like Law & Order, CSI has had a lot of spin-offs seeing people love the idea of a crime-solving series.
It’s safe to say Caruso can retire in comfort as he is earning a handsome passive income ($100,000) from the show, which in total amassed over $6 billion in earnings. Anthony Zuiker, the executive producer of the show, was also the creator and is now worth an average of $150 million.
David Caruso
Ray Romano
Show & Seasons: Everybody Loves Raymond – 9
Last Episode Airdate: May 16, 2005
Passive Earning: Average of $1 million per year
Ray Romano is a popular figure, especially among the younger generation, for his works in the Ice Age franchise. However, we can agree that his major break came when he featured in one of CBS’ hit TV shows, Everybody Loves Raymond. The show ended in 2005 after going nine seasons, even though a lot of fans were left sad as they wished there was a continuation of the show. The Barone family sure had a way with the viewers.
Romano, today, is one of the richest Emmy Award-winning actors in history due to his “heavy” residual check received from the show – up to $18 million. With this yearly royalty check, it is no surprise he has appeared on the Forbes list of richest actors
Ray Romano
Alan Alda
Show & Seasons: M*A*S*H – 11
Last Episode Airdate: February 28, 1983
Passive Earning: Average of $1 million per year
M*A*S*H was a film that many people applauded as it took a serious matter and added lots of humor to it but still ensured viewers were served with their dose of emotional occurrences. It didn’t take long for the film to hit it big as Alan played the role of Hawkeye. During the first episodes, the earnings stood at around $10,000, but as the show progressed to the end of the series, that earnings went up to around $235,000.
Even though he doesn’t earn as much as other actors who starred in sitcoms, he rakes in an average of $1 million each year, depending on how and where the series is rerun. But, with a successful career, Alda can still be classified as one of the richest actors of all time.
Alan Alda
David Hasselhoff
Show & Seasons: Baywatch – 11
Last Episode Airdate: May 14, 2001
Passive Earning: Average of $4 million per year
Davi
Many people classified Baywatch as a cultural phenomenon instead of a TV show, and we may have to agree. Pamela Anderson became a powerhouse in the female existence right after Marilyn Monroe. The Show set her career on a high, and amid all the drama, the “always shirtless” figure was played by David Hasselhoff.
Baywatch may not have as many reruns as many other TV shows, but that does not stop Hasselhoff from earning a nice passive payout each year of an average of $4 million. Just imagine the role of someone patrolling a beach earning that nice figure yearly. In 2017, Hasselhoff also made an appearance in one of the franchise’s movies.
David Hasselhoff
Betty White
Show & Seasons: The Golden Girls – 7
Last Episode Airdate: May 09, 1992
Passive Earning: Average of $3 million per year
The Golden Girls was a classic 90s hit with a message that can be resonated with womanhood today. With topics of deep thoughts, amazing acting skills, and figures like Betty White, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, and Rue McClanahan, we can tell you no wonder this show was a hit – and still is to this day.
As she approaches 100 years old, Betty White is still a force to reckon with as there is none like her. White has handed over the baton to the younger ladies in the industry, but with seven seasons of a single show, her bank account still has a nice figure of an average of plus $3 million each year.
Betty White
David Schwimmer
Show & Seasons: Friends – 10
Last Episode Airdate: May 06, 2004
Passive Earning: Average of $20 million per year
Ross was a popular character on the TV show Friends, which was played by David Schwimmer, and because of this, he is now raking in an average check of $20 million in residual earnings per year. With roles in films like Madagascar and The Laundromat, and this popular series, Friends, we can safely say he has had a successful career. He co-stars with Meryl Streep in The Laundromat, which is currently streaming on Netflix.
Schwimmer first appeared on Friends in September 1994 and stood through until the final episode was aired in 2004 and was also one of the only six original members still on the cast. He could be known for his role as a paleontologist who was somewhat in love or probably for his famous line, “We were on a break!”
David Schwimmer
Ed O’Neil
Show & Seasons: Married With Children – 11
Last Episode Airdate: June 09, 1997
Passive Earning: Average of $10 million per year
Ed O’Neil is a famous figure of today as he is a cast member on Modern Family, where he plays the role of Jay. However, this is not his first major hit as he was also a popular cast member on the sitcom Married With Children, where he played the role of Al Bundy, a sitcom that ran for roughly ten years. With co-star Katey Sagal, O’Neil became a household name for millions of families around the world.
For O’Neil, we can say luck and blessing have been on his side as what many actors struggle to do – keep afloat with residual income – he has been getting in bulk. With a yearly check of an average of $10 million from Married With Children, we can imagine how richer he is about to become as his most recent show, Modern Family, will surpass this figure.
Ed ONeil
Matt LeBlanc
Show & Seasons: Friends – 10
Last Episode Airdate: May 06, 2004
Passive Earning: Average of $20 million per year
Joey on Friends was played by Matt LeBlanc, which in turn earned him three Emmy Award nominations. In addition to this amazing achievement, LeBlanc is earning an average of $20 million per year in residual income from the series. LeBlanc also featured in a Friends spin-off known as Joey, which he did with a few characters from the original Friend’s cast. However, it was short-lived as it only went through two seasons and was canceled in 2006.
For the spin-off, there were 46 episodes, but due to low ratings, NBC decided it would not be a good investment to spend airtime on the series. But, as we write this, LeBlanc is working on a new project titled Man with a Plan.
Matt LeBlanc
Jennifer Aniston
Show & Seasons: Friends – 10
Last Episode Airdate: May 06, 2004
Passive Earning: Average of $20 million per year
Friends are by far one of the most popular TV shows watched globally and can be credited for sending over some amazing talents to Hollywood. Jennifer Aniston is one such member of the cast who has had a tremendous career and possibly the most successful too. Aniston’s roles in other major films have helped her to accumulate her total net worth of over $240 million.
Should anything happen to Aniston and her acting career comes to a halt, she will still have a great chance at survival with her massive residual check of up to $20 million per year from the popular sitcom. Interestingly Warner Bros is said to be ranked in up to $1 billion annually from the TV show.
Jennifer Aniston
David Hyde Pierce
Show & Seasons: Frasier – 11
Last Episode Airdate: September 16, 1993
Passive Earning: Average of $40 million per year
In an interview done recently on The Katie Couric Show, David Pierce was asked about Frasier, and his comments were nothing but positivity about the show itself and the cast. Frasier was classified as the “smartest show on TV” during its time and even the same for some people who still find it interesting. The Series’ main writer was Christopher Lloyd.
In 2004, the show ended after airing its series finale. To date, there is an average of $40 million residual income for the year from the series. Also, his role earned him four Emmy Awards for his supporting role in the film. Pierce played the role of a psychiatrist, Dr. Niles Crane.
David Hyde Pierce
Maureen McCormick
Show & Season: The Brady Bunch
Last Episode Airdate: March 08, 1874
Passive Earning: $0 per year
Maureen McCormick was a TV commercial actress before landing her role on The Brady Bunch. It is a series that features an intriguing family living in the 1960s and 1970s. In an interview recently, the staff made their concerns known about not earning any form of residual income from the sitcom.
They noted they had tried countless times to have their contract renegotiated, but the residual clause in the contract is quite locked. It only grants them a small fee whenever a part of the series is aired in other movies – and a small one at that! So basically, they earn nothing from the reruns. This is certainly a message to all actors – READ YOUR CONTRACT CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING! If you don’t understand it, get some professional help
Maureen McCormick
Mark Harmon
Show & Seasons: NCIS – 18
Last Episode Airdate: N/A
Passive Earning: Average of $60 million in total
For each new episode of NCIS that Mark Harmon plays, he earns an average of $125000. The series is a criminal investigative-themed movie where Harmon plays the role of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs and can be considered one of the most serious characters who is dedicated to crime-fighting. The first episode of NCIS was aired in September 2003 and was part of the Belisarius Productions, Inc. business.
There have been two major spin-offs from this series, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans. So far, NCIS has been one of the longest-running TV shows in America, and based on the success and viewership, it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. For the next few episodes, they will be going close to the end of the year.
Mark Harmon
Jerry Seinfeld
Show & Seasons: Seinfeld – 9
Last Episode Airdate: May 14, 1998
Passive Earning: Average of $110 million per year
During the 90s, we can say Seinfeld had the hearts of many viewers around the world, and even today, it is still going strong. How? Well, the script can be considered “quick-witted” and features a lot of interesting and loved characters. When the last episode was aired in 1998, it pained a lot of people as they noted they would miss the amazing series. However, over 20 years later, here we see co-creators making a lot from the reruns.
Jerry Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David are said to be copping an average of $110 million each per year from the series’ reruns. It is not far-fetched as, during the run of the seasons, Jerry was making an estimated $1 million per episode. Also, there are rumors that the actor could be ranked a billionaire soon should these payments continue.
Jerry Seinfeld
Dr. Phil
Show & Seasons: The Dr. Phil Show – 17
Last Episode Airdate: N/A
Passive Earning: Average of $10 million in total
Dr. Phil is a popular figure on our TV screen and is a psychologist and sociologist who runs a popular TV show. One of his first major roles was a resident human behavior expert on Oprah’s show. Seeing the success he got, the increase in viewership and the love people around the world had for him, Oprah gave him the platform to host his talk show – a place where people let all kinds of mind-thoughts out.
The Dr. Phil Show was first aired in 2002 and has since become a big hit among fans. Leading up to him going into TV shows, he worked as a psychologist for over 25 years. You can watch his shows on the Oprah Winfrey Network at 5 PM each day.
Dr Phil
Jim Parsons
Show & Seasons: The Big Bang Theory – 12
Last Episode Airdate: May 16, 2019
Passive Earning: Average of $10 million per year
Jim Parsons played the role of Sheldon Cooper in the popular TV series The Bang Theory, a character that portrayed a genius figure with a cool sense of humor. The series made Parsons a popular name in the industry alongside Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco, his co-stars. As the seasons went by, Parsons’s earnings went up, and by the time he reached the final episode, his earnings were topping $900,000.
Seeing the show went on for so long, and it continued fame among fans and viewers, we can say his potential of earning a yearly passive income is great. The show could earn him a whopping $10 million a year in residual income from multiple reruns. To date, a lot of channels are seeking to get viewership rights, so this means the actor will not have to worry about how he will survive for the rest of his life.
Jim Parsons
Kristen Bell
Show & Seasons: The Good Place – 4
Last Episode Airdate: September 26, 2019
Passive Earning: $0
The Good Place is a popular and loved show that is owned by NBC, and seeing they have full rights to the series, it doesn’t seem there will be any passive earning for the actors and actresses. The first episode was aired in September 2016 and featured actors like Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. The series also attained numerous awards and currently has 43 episodes.
The last episode was aired in 2019, and whether powerhouses like Netflix and Hulu will attain the series, no one knows just yet. Maybe it will be considered like Arrested Development. Megan Amram wrote the series, while Joe Mande and David Hyman produced it.
Kristen Bell
Kelsey Grammer
Show & Seasons: Frasier – 11
Last Episode Airdate: May 13, 2004
Passive Earning: Average of $13 million per year
Kelsey Grammer’s role on Frasier was a mixed one as she was considered the serious one yet with a hysterical touch under the role of Frasier Crane. It started on Cheers and has done for over 20 years. This new spin-off of the series featured a continuation of the storyline of the actors family based in Seattle – their hometown. As the episodes went on, they attracted new fans with each passing day.
In 2004, after 11 successful series, the show came to an end. Leading up to the final episodes, it was reported Grammer earned an average of $1.6 million per episode. Fast forward more than 20 years later, and this series is still pocketing the actor a handsome $13 million per year from reruns.
Kelsey Grammer
Jon Cryer
Shows & Seasons: Two and a Half Men – 12
Last Episode Airdate: February 19, 2015
Passive Earning: Average of $20 million per year
Jo
Two and a Half Men got so many critics during its time on screen, but amidst all those negative feedbacks, it continued to soar and stood out among fans all over the world. Its original aired time went between 2003 to 2015, and even after the last episode in February 2015, fans are still pushing for it to stay on screen. The series ran for 12 seasons, and we have to say they do pay out nice dividend checks – most of which goes to their original cast members to include Jon Cryer, Angus T., and Charlie Sheen.
As the series went on, so did Cryer’s salary for each episode go up. He reportedly earns an average of $620,000 per episode, and rumors are circulating that there could be some spin-off plans, but it depends on the top players in the series production.
Jon Cryer
Sam Waterston
Show & Seasons: Law & Order – 20
Last Episode Airdate: May 24, 2010
Passive Earning: Average of $5,000 per year
Sam Waterston played an amazing role in Law & Order, so great that it earned him a Golden Globe Award. His career in the movie industry has also been on a high as he has earned lots of other awards to include an Oscar Award – from a role he played on The Killing Fields. A lot of people will agree that Waterston’s characters are always dramatic, and as such, it is no surprise he features in the Netflix hit show, Grace & Frankie.
Waterston currently earns a lot from Grace & Frankie as well as a nice yearly check from the reruns of Law & Order. For the pipeline, it is said he is slated to feature in some spin-offs of Law & Order to include Law & Order: SVU for which it is recorded he will make $50 thousand per year.
Sam Waterston
Johnny Galecki
Show & Seasons: The Big Bang Theory – 12
Last Episode Airdate: May 16, 2019
Passive Earning: $10 Million per year
The Big Bang Theory has been running for a long time, and during that period, Johnny Galecki has been a stalwart member of the cast. He played the role of Leonard, and along with all the other stars, thanks to this series, they have all become millionaires. Big Bang can be considered an empire, and with the millions it has earned its stars, it also banked in billions from its airings. The first episode was shown back in 2007 and ended in May 2019.
We can safely say Galecki earns a decent check each year from the reruns amounting to an average of $10 million. For those who were sad that the series ended, they can find joy in the fact that a spin-off, Young Sheldon, has been renewed for an additional season.
Johnny Galecki
Alex Borstein
Shows & Seasons: Family Guy – 18
Last Episode Airdate: N/A
Passive Earning: Average of $10 million per year
Alex Borstein
The voice of Lois Griffin on the famous Family Guy series is done by Alex Borstein, the wife of Peter Griffin. Seth MacFarlane voices Peter’s character. Borstein earns an average of $225,000 per episode after conducting a brief salary renegotiation.
As it relates to reruns, she is earning in the millions – an average of $10 million per year. She has also gone on to cop other amazing roles to include being a cast of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Alex Borstein
Tom Ellis
Show & Season: Lucifer – 5
Last Episode Airdate: TBD
Passive Earning: Unknown
Lucifer can be classified as a supernatural movie series and ran three seasons on Fox after its first episode in January 2016. However, after running its three seasons, the show was canceled but later hosted by Netflix, where it featured it’s final two seasons. The final season started on Netflix in June 2019.
Tom Ellis, a Welsh actor, played the role of Lucifer Morningstar and has been with the show from the first episode was aired. It is reported he earns an average of $50,000 per episode, and the possibility of a nice residual check is certainly in the making.
Tom Ellis