Are you guilty of indulging in your favorite comfort shows like ‘Friends’, ‘Seinfeld’, or ‘The Simpsons’? Do not feel guilty, as you might be helping the actors earn residuals from the reruns of your favorite TV shows. Residuals, or royalties, are the percentage of the revenue made from the distribution of a television show or any other visual content beyond the stipulated airing period. So, get that popcorn bucket and stick to your television screens!
The residuals, or royalties, are calculated with varying factors in mind. The actors in the shows receive a particular percentage of money made out of revenue generated from the distribution of the show. For example, the cast of ‘Friends’ receives checks of $20 million each year. However, there have been artists who have also received paychecks of $5 or $6. But people like Jerry Seinfeld are earning nine-figure salaries in royalties.
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10) Sam Waterson
‘Law & Order’ has become a landmark television series that has given a career launch to many actors, including Samuel Atkinson Waterson. He started appearing on the series in season five and went on to appear for 16 seasons and the reboot of the series. Even after bidding adieu to his character, Executive ADA Jack McCoy, he receives a $200k paycheck per year.
9) Betty White
In 2021, the last surviving member of the iconic television series ‘The Golden Girls’, Betty White, died. She played the naive and innocent Rose Nylund in the television series. Along with Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, and Bea Arthur, she ruled television with seven seasons of the series. To date, White has received $3 million in royalties every year, despite her death.
8) David Hasselhoff
If Pamela Anderson running in a hot, red bikini made hearts race faster, David Hasselhoff playing Mitchell Buchannon, the lifeguard in ‘Baywatch’, raised the oomph on television. David played Mitchell for 11 seasons of the series, making him the longest-remaining cast member in the series.
Even after the series stopped airing in 2001, David is receiving $4 million each year. There was a controversy sparked after an insider informed that Pamela Anderson only received $4,000 in royalties, hinting at a pay gap.
7) Jaleel White
One of the sleekest transformations of a nerdy, annoying character into a loveable, handsome, and intelligent one is Jaleel White as Steve Urkel in ‘Family Matters’. Jaleel was so convincing that he started getting the cold shoulder from other cast members as Steve became the primary highlight of the series. Due to this, White is earning $10 million in royalties.
6) Ricky Gervais
The debate about which version, the UK or the US, is better of ‘The Office’. But the fact that Ricky Gervais was the pioneer of mockumentary drama on television remains the same. In the case of royalties, the case of Ricky Gervais is different. The comedian receives the residues through syndication and license agreements. So, he, along with Stephen Merchant, earns 10% of the profit made from the show. As of now, Gervais has made $100 million through the syndications alone.
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5) Jim Parsons
‘The Big Bang Theory’ would have been incomplete with the arrogant wit and the brainy nerdiness of Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper. The actor won four Emmys for his performance as Sheldon Cooper. Like his co-star, Mayim Bialik, Jim bags $10 million every year for his performance and the reruns of the iconic sitcom.
4) Tim Allen
In the 90s, when sitcom television was going through a revamp, Tim Allen‘s ‘Home Improvement’ came as a breath of fresh air, balancing the extra machismo of Tim Taylor and the chaos in the Taylor household with the philosophical guidance of their neighbor Wilson Wilson Jr. The ABC series ran for eight seasons, giving Tim Allen $18 million per year in his pockets through its re-runs.
3) Jennifer Aniston
One of the most profitable sitcoms, even after it ended, has been NBC’s ‘Friends’. Cast members like Matthew Perry, David Schumer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, and others received wide stardom due to the sitcom. Aniston played Rachel Green, and the actress received two Emmys and a Golden Globe for it. Currently, due to the reruns, ‘Friends’ is earning $1 billion every year, and Jennifer is receiving $20 million every year in royalties.
2) Charlie Sheen
One of the highest-paid television actors is Charlie Sheen. The actor gained fame after playing Charlie Harper. However, he was embroiled in a controversy in 2011 after he made some unwarranted claims against the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, and demanded a 50% raise.
He also dragged the creator and Warner Bros. into court. Later, he was replaced by Ashton Kutcher in the role. After starring in the series for eight seasons, the actor sold his character rights to receive royalties worth $27 million.
1) Jerry Seinfeld
When it comes to the comedic gold standard, ‘Seinfeld’ makes it to the top of the list! The show starring Jerry Seinfeld became a pop culture rage in the 1990s. The show was often described as “a show about nothing”, but it is still giving a hefty, fat paycheck to the protagonist, Jerry Seinfeld. The comedian receives $110 million in royalties for the iconic show.
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