Ed O' Neill from Married With Children
Residual Earnings: Up To $10 million per year
The iconic show ran between 1987 and 1997. Throughout its 11 seasons, Ed O'Neill garnered worldwide popularity with his portrayal of Al Bundy. Families throughout the country tuned in to their television sets just to watch him. His performance not only impressed everyone but also helped him be a household name.
The character of Al Bundy is still fresh in everyone's hearts and that certainly proves how popular he has been. If you want to catch him on TV now, just tune into another popular show Modern Family, where he plays the character of Jay. He rakes in up to $10 million every year from the residuals.
Kelsey Grammar from Frasier
Residual Earnings: Up to $13 million per year
The NBC sitcom premiered on TV for the first time in 1993 and its final episode was aired on May 13, 2004. The show went on for 11 seasons and was very popular among the viewers. It was a spin-off of another NBC sitcom, Cheers.
It continued with the story of Frasier Crane, the psychiatrist who returns to his hometown while working as a radio show host and reconnects with his father and brother. Kelsey Grammar portrays the character of Frasier and it can be easily said that he stood out. Grammar gathered more fame and popularity with Frasier than Cheers. His earnings are up to $13 million per year.
Ray Romano from Everybody Loves Raymond
Residual Earnings: Up to $18 million per year
The CBS sitcom was aired on TV on September 13, 1996, and went off the air on May 16, 2005. The show ran for nine seasons with a total number of 210 episodes. The series garnered positive reviews from fans and critics alike.
Among all the performers in the show, it was Ray Romano who kind of stole the spotlight. The fans loved the character of Ray Barone. The viewers were so much in love with the Barone family that they were heartbroken when the makers decided to pull it off the air. Romano's total residual earnings are up to $18 million per year.
Bob Saget from Full House
Residual Earnings: Up to $2000 a year
The role of Danny Tanner, the widowed father in the ABC sitcom Full House catapulted Bob Saget to stardom. His performance received appreciation from all quarters. Bob became so popular among his fans that his sudden demise in a hotel room put everyone in shock.
The acting fraternity too was dumbfounded. All the Full House fans will indeed miss him. The love and laughter that he brought will always make him special undoubtedly. The show was first aired on TV on September 22, 1987. It went off the air on May 23, 1955.
George Clooney from ER
Residual Earnings: Up to $13 million every year
Female fans have always gone weak in their knees at the sight of the Hollywood actor George Clooney. It was a treat for them when Clooney appeared in the NBC medical drama TV series, ER. The show was created by none other than author Michael Crichton.
It followed what exactly goes on in an ER or an Emergency Room of a fictional hospital in Illinois and other critical issues. Clooney, in his role of Dr. Douglas Ross, was in his league as usual. As one of the richest actors ever, his earnings stand at more than $10 million. The drama was on air between September 19, 1994, and April 2, 2009.
Jerry Seinfeld from Seinfeld
Residual Earnings: Up to $110 million every year
The sitcom on the NBC network was first aired on July 5, 1989, and ran till May 14, 1998. There were a total number of nine seasons encompassing 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as his own fictionalized version of himself and revolves around his personal life involving three of his friends.
Though the show ended before the new millennium arrived, its impact hasn't decreased after so many years. Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, the co-creator of the show, continue to enjoy popularity among the masses. It was a real somber when the show got over.
Hank Azaria from The Simpsons
Residual Earnings: Up to $10 million every year
The Simpsons is one of the most legendary sitcoms ever broadcast on television and it continues to enjoy its legendary status even after being off-air for so many years. It premiered on December 17, 1989. It's the longest-running sitcom on television. 728 episodes of the show have been broadcast.
One of the actors who made the show all the more popular among the viewers is Hank Azaria. Hank didn't expect that he would be called back to voice Apu, his famous character. However, his popularity pushed the makers to get him on board again and also get him to voice for Chief Wiggum.
Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory
Residual Earnings: Up to $10 million per year
The CBS show revolved around five main characters, out of which the role of Sheldon Cooper was played by Jim Parsons. It premiered on television on September 24, 2007, and ended on May 16, 2019. The show made all its stars win everyone's hearts with their respective portrayals.
While playing the role of Cooper, Parsons endeared himself to the viewers with his funny one-liners effortlessly. He did a fantastic job and went on to rake in $900,000 for each episode during the final season. The show went on for 12 seasons encompassing 279 episodes.
Alan Alda from M*A*S*H
Residual Earnings: Up to $1 million per year
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, or just M*A*S*H, has its place right among the top shows ever to have aired on television. The comedy-drama TV series on the CBS network aired from September 17, 1972, to February 28, 1983. Though the plot was a serious one, the comic touch to it made the show worth watching.
Alan Alda, with his portrayal of Hawkeye, caught the fancy of the viewers and his popularity with time did contribute to the show's popularity overall. While he used to receive $10,000 for each episode, in the beginning, he was raking in $235,000 by the end of the show.
Maureen McCormick from The Brady Bunch
Residual Earnings: $0 per year
Before she went on board with the 60s and 70s iconic show, The Brady Bunch, Maureen McCormick used to be quite a popular actress in commercial cinema. The American sitcom accentuated her popularity among the fans even more.
Her portrayal of Marcia Brady is still talked about. Premiering on September 26, 1969, it ran till March 8, 1974. The ABC sitcom tells the tale of a blended family that has six children. Not only the adults, but The Brady Bunch has also been popular among children as well as teenage viewers.
Betty White from The Golden Girls
Residual Earnings: Up to $3 million every year
The NBC sitcom went on air on September 14, 1985, and culminated on May 9, 1992. Seven seasons in total with 180 half-an-hour episodes and of course with an ensemble cast, there are reasons galore for the show to be a runaway hit.
Betty White does deserve a special mention among all the cast members as her character, Norwegian-American Rose Nylund became the most loved character in the show. The show was also popular for focusing on womanhood, which not many shows at that time did. The witty script, along with the stupendous performances did the trick.
David Schwimmer from Friends
Residual Earnings: Up to $20 million
Talking about Friends, not many can beat this show's popularity that has catapulted it to iconic levels. Although all the members of the show were adorable and were much loved by the viewers. With due respect to all the characters, David Schwimmer's character, Ross succeeded in touching the strings of their heart.
From the residual income, Schwimmer continues to rake in $20 million and that's quite an impressive sum. He has starred in Madagascar, American Crime Story, and recently, The Laundromat on Netflix. That has given his career the push it needed. He is going great guns.
Johnny Galecki from The Big Bang Theory
Residual Earnings: Up to $10 million a year
The Big Bang Theory ran successfully for 12 years. The show's actors, with their fantastic portrayals, made sure that The Big Bang Theory will be etched in the hearts of the viewers for a long time. One such portrayal was that of Leonard, played on screen by Johnny Galecki.
The CBS show made billions through the sitcom and the stars made millions. The residuals have offered great earnings with Galecki raking in $10 million every year. The fans were disheartened when the show was taken off the air. However, there is Young Sheldon to get entertained with.
Alex Borstein from Family Guy
Residual Earnings: Up to $10 million a year
Alex Borstein gained recognition while lending her voice to the character of Lois Griffin, the wife of Peter Griffin. As per the reports, Borstein earns more than $220,000 for an episode since she is one of the main characters of the show.
The reruns of the Family Guy have also helped her fetch millions. She could have raked in as much residual payment as Seth Macfarlane, who voiced the character of Peter Griffin. However, her alimony agreement proved to be a major financial hurdle for her. Her annual residual earnings stand at up to $10 million.
David Caruso from CSI Miami
Residual Earnings: Up to $100,000 every year
CSI: Miami, as well as Law & Order, are time shows that have caught the attention of the viewers big time and they have also been entertained with the shows' spinoffs as well. Needless to say, the shows' popularity also increased, thanks to the fantastic performances by the actors.
For example, David Caruso mesmerized everyone with his portrayal of Detective Horatio Caine on the show, CSI: Miami. It's a pity that he retired in 2012 after being active in the industry since 1975. David's residual earnings are up to $10,000 for a year.
Jennifer Aniston from Friends
Residual Earnings: Up to $20 million per year
Jennifer Aniston needs no introduction, but did you know that Aniston became a leading Hollywood star after giving her best in Friends? Friends were, is, and will always be one of the most popular shows in the history of entertainment.
Of course, her acting skills and superb performance in the sitcom contributed to the show but it can't be denied that it's because of Fiends, Aniston is where she is today. While Warner Bros. bags more than $1 billion every year, it is expected that Aniston rakes in up to $20 million a year.
Matthew Perry from Friends
Residual Earnings: Up to $20 million a year
Friends offered several new episodes much to the delight of the fans. One of the most iconic sitcoms ever, Friends went off the air in 2004, thus breaking the hearts of many who had regarded the show as an integral part of their lives.
All the characters in it have become household names and continue to garner love and appreciation from various quarters. Matthey Perry, who appeared in the show as Chandler, has been reported to be earning a residual payment of up to $20 million every year. That's equal to what his co-stars receive.
Carol Burnett from The Carol Burnett Show
Residual Earnings: $0.01 per DVD sold
The Carol Burnett Show was a pathbreaker in its genre. Carol Burnett was seen portraying the character of a female comedian. Though the show was immensely popular with the viewers, Burnett has been receiving almost nothing from the residuals.
Music copyrights sort of forced her one-hour show to cut down partially. This led Burnett to rake in less than one penny she received by selling a DVD of her show. Her residual earnings have been depressing. The bottom line is, that she has been unfortunate. You can catch Burnett now on A Little Help on Netflix.
Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Residual Earnings: Up to $18 million
Nicknamed the Toolman, Tim Allen was the anchor of his home improvement program. The show was produced by Walt Disney Studios. The sitcom first premiered in 1991 and the rest is history. After completing 204 episodes, the show went off the air in 1999.
As per Allen, he rakes in quite a lot of money every month from the residuals of the show. Since the last episode was aired in 1999, his residual earnings have been calculated to be $18 million. If a reunion happens, which is likely to be on the cards, the amount will increase.
Courteney Cox from Friends
Residual Earnings: Up to $20 million per year
Just like other cast members of this iconic sitcom, Courteney Cox too received her share of fame. She portrayed the character of Monica on the show and thus became one of the household names. After the show got over and she attained stardom, Cox went on to portray Jules in Cougar and even earned a nomination for the Golden Globe.
She also portrayed Gale in Scream. That was from the horror genre and a significant deviation from the usual comedy ones that she played roles in before. Similar to what her other cast members from the show rake in, Cox earns up to $20 million every year.
Ted Danson from Cheers
Residual Earnings: Up to $5 million every year
The NBC sitcom was first aired on NBC on September 30, 1982, and ran till May 20, 1993. It ran for 11 seasons and the total number of half-hour episodes broadcast was 275. At the center of the plot is Sam Malone, the head bartender as well as the owner of the bar.
It's the place where a group of locals from Boston meet to drink and socialize. The character of Sam Malone was portrayed by Ted Danson. After the show, Danson enjoyed quite a good amount of success in his career. His residual earnings every year amount to up to $5 million.
David Hyde Pierce from Frasier
Residual Earnings: $40 million
When David Hyde Pierce appeared on the 20th anniversary of Frasier on The Kate Couric Show, he didn't forget to appreciate the entire cast of the show. Frasier was and is still considered one of the smartest shows ever to be aired on television.
David portrayed the role of Dr. Niles Crane, the psychiatrist, and went on to bag four Emmy Awards in the Supporting Actor category. Frasier was first premiered in 1993. The show got off the air in 2004 and has earned around $40 million from the show's reruns.
Patrick Stewart from Star Trek - The Next Generation
Residual Earnings: $0 as of 2017
Patrick Stewart played the role of Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Stewart has revealed that the cast devoted a lot of time to the Star Trek shows as well as merchandising. He also disclosed that his residual earnings from the show are null.
He is going to be seen as Captain Picard yet again in Star Trek: Picard, a new spinoff. The show will revolve around Picard this time. For the Star Trek movie, Stewart raked in around $13 million and that's quite a significant sum. From his shows, he earned much less.
David Hasselhoff from Baywatch
Residual Earnings: Up to $4 million per year
David Hasselhoff portrayed the iconic role of Mitch Buchannon. Baywatch is not just a show but is considered to be a cultural phenomenon and much of the credit goes to Mitch who portrayed his macho self roaming around the beach shirtless.
However, Pamela Anderson, who portrayed the character of C.J. Parker rose to iconic status and became one of the most followed female symbols in the world. The final episode was aired in 201, much to the disappointment of the fans. David reportedly receives up to $4 million every year from the show residuals.
Fred Savage from The Wonder Years
Residual Earnings: $0
Kevin from the Wonder Years is still fresh in everyone's memories and the credit goes to Fred Savage for making the character immortal. Kevin Arnold was a lovely guy who was at the center of the show's plot. All the 115 episodes of the show were lapped up by the viewers.
All was going well but some trouble started brewing between the studio executives and the producers. That lead to the cancellation of the show all of a sudden. While the executives wanted the plot to focus on teenagers, the producers pushed for a mature storyline as Kevin Arnold came of age. It was a disappointment for Fred as ABC reserved the rights to The Wonder Years.
Mark Harmon from NCIS
Residual Earnings: Up to $60 million
If you have been an avid follower of NCIS, you would easily recognize who Mark Harmon is. Mark plays the character of Jethro Gibbs, a special agent and Navy investigator in the crime drama. He is the leader of a team of investigators that focuses on solving crimes.
The show from Belisarius Productions premiered on television in September 2003 and is one of the most successful shows to be aired on the CBS network. According to the reports, the show residuals amount to nearly $60 million in total, while Harmon pours $125,000 into his bank account from each show.
Matt LeBlanc from Friends
Residual Earnings: Up to $20 million a year
Joey, one of the most adorable characters on world television, was portrayed by Matt LeBlanc on the legendary sitcom, Friends. Every member of the cast carved a niche for them with the show and went on to earn success in the entertainment industry.
He was nominated for an Emmy Award three times and also appeared in the show's spin-off, Joey. However, it was canceled in 2006 after only two seasons were aired. Matt LeBlanc, like his other fellow cast members of the sitcom, earns up to $20 million every year from the show residuals.
Tracey Ullman from The Tracey Ullman Show
Residual Earnings: Up to $5000 a year
Tracey Ullman has been a bundle of talent. She has performed as a dancer, singer, and actress on several occasions and has earned praise for her skills. The Tracey Ullman Show premiered on the Fox network in 1987. You're Thinking Right, the George Clinton number was the opening song for the show.
The show ran for just three seasons. As the show had its rerun on the Fox network and Tracy raked in up to $5000. Unfortunately, she had to get involved in a legal battle with the producers of another popular show, The Simpsons after she voiced a few characters in the series. This was the reason why she started receiving up to $5000 every year.
Lucille Ball from I Love Lucy
Residual Earnings: Up to $17 million per year
Airing reruns and generating income from residual payments happened for the first time with I Love Lucy. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz starred in it and became the trailblazers of the sitcom genre. As a result, the duo earned over thirty years' worth of all the residual money as they reserved all the rights to the show.
The network had nothing to do with it and that certainly worked in their favor. It was in 2018, that Desi and Lucy sold tier company to the CBS network. The total residual earnings of the duo amounted to up to $17 million every year.
Sam Waterston from Law & Order
Residual Earnings: Up to $5000 a year
The NBC drama was aired on television for the first time in September 1990 and in May 2010, the show completed its 20th season. Sam Waterston has played the role of Executive Assistant District Attorney and then District Attorney, Jack McCoy. Sam laid his hands on a Golden Globe banking on his performance in the show.
He has garnered huge success in his acting career and has also bagged an Oscar for his portrayal in Killing Fields. He has also appeared in Grace & Frankie on Netflix. His residual earnings are up to $5000 every year. The series was renewed in May 2022 and that's certainly good news for the fans.
Nancy Cartwright, The Simpsons
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year
The Simpsons is an extremely popular show that ran for 32 seasons! It is hands-down one of the longest-running animated comedies in the history of television. Nancy Cartwright lends her voice to Bart Simpson. Taking the role of the son of Homer, the titular character of the show.
That was the beginning, since then Cartwright has taken over the voiceover market since then. The animated series still packs a punch and earns $20 million per year in reruns and has been still a great source of profit for Cartwright and her coworkers. Cartwright pockets a neat $400,000 per episode for all the new episodes.
Daniel J. Travanti, Hill Street Blues
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Daniel J. Travanti rose to immense fame with the role of Captain Furillo in the police drama series Hill Street Blues. No wonder it earned him countless nominations. He even made a claim for a Golden Globe and two Emmy awards. The show went on to run for 146 episodes and went on to air for seven seasons and ended in 1987.
Travanti had a lion's share thanks to the show's reruns. Travanti did face a fair bit of competition from shows of similar ilk such as Criminal Minds and Blue Bloods and shows like Law & Order and CSI, which made a dent on his income a fair bit, which is a bit of a dampener!
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
There is no doubt about the fact that the show Two and a Half Men is one of the most popular shows on television ever. It shaped the career of the three protagonists such as Charlie Sheen, Angus T., and Jon Cryer. Their earnings hit through the roof with the twelve-season show, which went on to run through 2003 until 2015, and the earnings now touch millions.
Of course, not all has been hunky dory with the show, with several critics nitpicking about several aspects of the show and yet the show managed to hold its own despite the competition of more shows of the same genre.
Ricky Gervais, The Office UK
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
The show, The Office went on to smash several records in the UK it was Ricky Gervais, who played David Brent, who got the most of it as he earned a lot of income, and he even called it a gift that keeps on giving. The American version was called The Office, where Michael Scott did the same role as David Brent.
Steve Carrell's American version, became a resounding success and ran for nine seasons. Fans of the original series also loved the fact that Gervais made guest appearances on the show from time to time. Gervais still receives a substantial residual income from the show and he is certainly isn't complaining.
Marg Helgenberger, CSI
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Marg Helgenberger began working as a dramatic actress in various soap operas. She then became successful thanks to her stint in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, where she played the role from 2000 to 2015. Though the show has ended she still continues to earn from her CSI series residuals and even settled into her comfortable niche as she calls it.
Like CSI, CBS has many other legal dramas and criminal justice projects such as All Rise, which starred Helgenberger. Helgenberger's current net worth stands at $18 million net, which is pretty impressive.
Kristen Bell, The Good Place
Show Residuals: $0*
The Good Place is a well-liked TV show and since NBC owns the rights actors from the show are not much likely to earn any money from the show and they like Kristen Bell are unlikely to earn royalties from the show reruns. The show was aired for the very first time in September 2016, and TV star Ted Danson was part of the show.
The show became greatly successful and the show had a total of 43 episodes in total. Kirsten got a lot of mileage from the show in her career.
Dr. Phil, The Dr. Phil Show
Show Residuals: Up to $10 million in total*
Dr. Phil is known for being an amazing sociologist and psychologist and had a popular eponymous show to his name. He began his journey as Oprah's resident human behavior expert. Even Oprah was impressed with Dr. Phil's hit with the viewers, so she offered him a proposal to host a show of his own.
His first show aired in 2002 and consistently turned up high ratings. It has a 5 pm slot on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Dr. Phil has been a psychologist for 25 years before changing his professional track.
Jackie Gleason, The Honeymooners
Show Residuals: $0 per year*
The Honeymooners aired thirty-nine episodes in one season, with the last episode aired in 1956. That season is equivalent to four seasons today. Audrey Meadows was the only cast member from the show who still gets residual payments from The Honeymooners.
The Honeymooners was a show based on blue-collar America in the fifties. As per Gleason's contract, he was not supposed to receive residuals but he went on to earn $70,000 per episode at the time of his airing.
Tom Kenny, Spongebob
Show Residuals: Up to $11 million per year*
Spongebob was first aired on May 1, 1999, Tom Kenny lent his voice to the character of Spongebob Squarepants on the long-running animated show, that was aired on Nickelodeon. It can still be streamed for those who have memories of that era, on several platforms such as Hulu, Netflix, and others.
The Krusty Bucket is a recent episode that was aired in late September of 2019, and there may be no signs of a new show yet. Up to now, individuals from the show are earning millions in income from residuals, and they continue to do so.
John Goodman, Roseanne
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million per year*
The show Roseanne began with a bang in October 1988 and rounded off in May 2018. The show had John Goodman playing the role of Roseanne's husband. He and Roseanne Barr were married couples on the show.
Goodman has earned millions from his successful movie career apart from the residual income he receives from the show. Roseanne went off the air in 2018 by ABC because of a controversial tweet made by Roseanne Barr. As per Goodman, he was shocked and surprised at the sudden turn of events.
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million in total*
The show Two and a Half Men was hugely successful and ran for as many as eight seasons with Charlie Sheen playing the role of Charlie Harper. His erratic behavior was one of the reasons that had him fired.
Despite his erratic behavior, his residual income remained unaltered and he continues to earn from the show even today. Ashton Kutcher was the one to replace him and the show went on to run for four seasons. Charlie Sheen even got blacklisted from Hollywood because of his erratic behavior on the show.
Lisa Kudrow, Friends
Show Residuals: Up to $20 million per year*
In 2005, Lisa Kudrow was part of the show, The Comeback. She has also been part of other many other shows, such as Cheers, Mad About You, and Bo Jack Horseman.
She was particularly popular for her show Phoebe on Friends and continues to earn $20 million in residual income every year. The Comeback also made its appearance again nine years later in 2014 for another season, however, the show did not prove to be very successful. Lisa still continues to earn from the show that she had done years back.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Show Residuals: Up to $1 million in total*
We cannot imagine anyone playing the role of the brave Buffy Slayer than Sarah Michelle Gellar who has been part of the show for six seasons, she was one of the Chosen Ones in the show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show was based on the show, Kristy Swanson, who was quite popular.
In the show, she was supposed to fight vampires, demons, and other similar creatures. The show also had an eponymous theme song that began airing in 1997. It had 144 episodes, the last show was aired in the year 2003. UPN reruns of the show still enjoy millions of dollars in residual income, and Gellar may earn even more in the future.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Seinfeld
Show Residuals: $400 million in total*
Julia Louis Dreyfus is a talented comedian, singer, and producer who shot to fame with shows such as sitcoms and shows like SNL, Veep, and the longest-running show, Seinfeld where she played Elaine, which was one of her most iconic characters, opposite Jerry Seinfeld.
As the owner of the rights to the show, which started airing in 1989 until 1998, Seinfeld became one of the richest comedians in history. The show still continues to earn millions in reruns. Dreyfus's performance is still remembered and her effervescent charm is still endearing to watch.
Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Show Residuals: Up to $26 million in total*
Edie Falco took on the role of Tony Soprano's wife in The Sopranos and the late James Gandolfini played the character of Tony Soprano. This went down in history as one of the greatest television crime dramas in history.
It was filmed in New Jersey, HBO first aired it in 1999 and the show aired its final episode in 2007. Falco also earned six Emmy nominations and most of them were for playing the role of Carmela. The show's residuals ensured that Falco continues to earn a humongous amount of income.
Drake, Degrassi
Seasons: 14
Final Episode Airdate: August 2, 2015
Show Residuals: $8.25 per month*
Before leaving acting and going on to pursue a successful rap career, Rapper Drake also played the role of the character of Jimmy Brooks, a basketball star in a Canadian teen drama, Degrassi. He starred in 145 episodes. from 2001 to 2008 and Drake still continues to make income from the Degrassi residuals, although it may not be much.
He even revealed the sum to be around $8.62. However, it is the profession of rap that made Drake one of the wealthiest musicians in modern history and her net worth stands at $150 million.
Chad Michael Murray, One Tree Hill
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 a year*
On September 23, 2003, the show One Tree Hill made its debut on WB/CW where Chad Michael Murray went on to play the role of Lucas Scott. The series had its finale in April of 2012 with a two-part finale.
He acted opposite Nathan who was his half-brother on the show, Murray’s character was one of the good son of the series. Although Murray hasn’t had an acting job since then, it is still airing on CW and enjoys a high rating on IMDb, the rerun residuals are what is earning him a generous salary still.
Lea Michele, Glee
Show Residuals: $0*
Ryan Murphy wrote the show Glee along with singer and actress Lea Michele in mind. Lea became famous for the role of Rachel, the star singer of the series. The show was aired in 2009 and it had a pretty long run season finally rounding off in 2015, and the show reached a peak of popularity.
The show became so popular that Michele and the other stars of the show started raking a humongous $1 million per episode. Millions stayed tuned to their television to watch the finale of the show. However, the income for residuals and reruns hasn't been much to the members as the rights to the show as the rights belong to Fox.
Shay Mitchell, Pretty Little Liars
Show Residuals: $0*
The actress Shay Mitchell shot to fame with various shows such as The Possession of Hannah Grace, Dreamland, and Mother’s Day. She also became popular for her show, Pretty Little Liars. The show was set in high school, and it became one of the most popular teen dramas at that time.
What became famous as a bunch of novels finally turned into a show. The story is about an anonymous person who knows about the girls and threatens to reveal all the misdeeds. It was a show worth binging on. However, Mitchell is not entitled to receive any royalties for the reruns of the show as it is not owned by someone else.
Tim Daly, Wings
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
Wings was about a show small commuter plane service partly owned by the character Daly character as Seinfeld’s stepchild. The NBC-produced show was aired in 1990 for seven seasons and continues to enjoy reruns.
However, Daly wasn't able to attain the rights to the show which enjoyed 172 episodes, the rights of the show were with NBC. Daly has not been able to make reruns. However, he earns around $1,000, from the DVD set that Daly has admittedly watched countless times.
French Stewart, 3rd Rock From the Sun
Show Residuals: Up to $1,000 a year*
The first episode of the show 3rd Rock From the Sun was aired On January 9, 1996. The last episode was shown on May 22, 2001. The series had the inimitable comic star, French Stewart who played the role of Harry Solomon. The plot had a group of aliens who by mistake landed on earth.
The success of the show was large because of the sitcom boom in the 2000s. The two-part series finale was watched by countless viewers owner, NBC. The show enjoyed incredibly good ratings. Stewart and the other cast members however got only $1,000 in proceeds from the sale of DVDs.
Paul Fusco, Alf
Show Residuals: $300 per episode*
Paul Fusco, a puppeteer and voice actor who played Alf standing for Alien Life Form. The sitcom was about a suburban family who took in Alf when it landed in the garage. Alf became hugely popular and earned fan merchandise to its name.
The show was the brainchild of Fusco and Tom Patchett, but unfortunately, NBC had to cancel it because of its low ratings. Alf rounded off its final episode in 1990. Although the show got canceled, the reruns in the first year helped it earn $300 per episode, which is pretty cool for a show which got cancelled.
Michael J. Fox, Family Ties
Show Residuals: $0*
Family Ties was first aired in 1982 and the show enjoyed a total of seven seasons and rounded off in 1989. The renowned actor Michael J. Fox was part of the show. An interesting tidbit of the show was that Michael almost never made it to the show because the makers said that he wasn't handsome enough to launch merchandise.
The makers had a change of heart though, but after the ratings of the show declined NBC had to cancel the show. However, Fox and his co-stars were left out of the residuals as the rights of the show were with someone else. Things became so abysmal that Fox saved money on commuting by hitchhiking!
Henry Winkler, Happy Days
Show Residuals: $65,000 in total*
Happy Days had a happy run on television celebrating almost 255 episodes! It was first aired on ABC in 1974 and ran for 11 seasons before it ended in 1984. The show had Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, and it enjoyed several reruns.
However, since the two stars were not getting residual money, they sued ABC for the payments, and the settlement was finally reached years after the show got over. The amount paid to Howard, Winkler, and their costars to $65,000. They earned this apart from DVD sales of the sitcom.
Ben McKenzie, Gotham
Seasons: 5
Final Episode: April 25, 2019
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Gotham, had Penguin, The Riddler, and The Joker who starred in the legendary Batman. The popular DC Comics-based series had the popular Bruce Wayne and there was a young Jim Gordon, played by the affable Ben McKenzie. Gotham had a successful run and ran for five seasons and got concluded in 2019.
Scott White was the creator of the show, though it was Ben McKenzie who wrote the show and was also the director of a few of the episodes himself. The show had a total of 100 episodes before Fox stopped the show. Bane was regarded as the last super villain who appeared on the show.
Trey Parker, South Park
Seasons: 24
Final Episode: N/A
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million in total*
The South Park creators enjoyed a superb run at television and earned $500 million in royalties from their show. The show had the teen delinquents Cartman, Stan, and Kyle lighting up the screen with the show. The show was irreverent, goofy, and a whole lot of fun.
The creators were also the ones who lent the voice to the show, they all happened to be roommates in college. The show popped on our screen in the late nineties and is currently in its 24th season. It can be compared to other shows which also enjoyed enormous popularity such as Family Guy and The Simpsons.
Stephen Amell, Arrow
Show Residuals: Up to $100,000 in total*
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Stephen Amell of the series
Daniel Zuchnik/GettyImages
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
Show Residuals: Up to $500 million*
Matt Stone the other star of South Park and had a great run on television. He hatched up the idea of the show along with Trey Rogers in their college dorm room and is now busy splitting the profits which total $500 million in net worth.
The famous roommates conceptualized the popular show way back in 1997. South Park is still enjoying a fantastic show and is now in its 24th season. It is still enjoying its run on Comedy Central and has launched scores of merchandise along with it. It may not be family-audience friendly but it has its charm among the young adults and adults alike!
Claire Foy, The Crown
Show Residuals: $0*
The Crown is all about the Royal English characters from the 1940s. It throws light on the Queen’s reign, as Elizabeth II was crowned queen when she was fairly young.
Claire Foy played a young effervescent Queen Elizabeth II. Although it is a popular show and enjoying its reruns. But the main characters are unlikely to get any royalties from the show since it all belongs to Netflix which is a great pity for the actors of the show as the show has already achieved a cult status.
Morena Baccarin, Gotham
Show Residuals: Up to $10,000 per year*
Morena Baccarin is another popular actress who was part of the DC Universe series Gotham, she plays the role of Dr. Leslie Thompkins. There is an interesting fact about her as she and Ben McKenzie walk down the aisle on the show. In her case reel imitated real as she married Ben in real life too.
The duo got hitched in 2017. The actress has several other interesting projects on her CV as she plays Inara in Firefly as well as Vanessa/Serenity in Deadpool and completely owns her title of ComicCon legend. She has also been part of shows such as The Mentalist and Homeland.
Seth McFarlane from Family Guy
Residual Earnings: Up to $4,00,000 a year
With 18 seasons running, the Fox animated sitcom happens to be one of the longest-running television shows. Seth Mcfarlane is the creator of the show. He is also credited for creating Orville and American Dad. He has also developed Larry & Steve as well as The Life of Larry, two popular animated films.
Back in 2013, the voice actors of the show were given impressive hikes in their remunerations. The comedy has been syndicated and is equally popular on streaming platforms. As a result, the show is reported to be worth $2 billion. Therefore, the show residuals have automatically reached millions. McFarlane’s earnings from the residuals have been calculated to be up to $4,00,000 in a year.
Desi Arnaz, I Love Lucy
Residual Earnings: Up to $7.5 million a year
Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball were married at the time of I Love Lucy. The viewers completely adored them on the show. However, the two decided to split in the 60s. But quite surprisingly, they didn’t appoint any divorce attorney because they didn’t want them to earn money from their divorce. Instead, the couple decided to work together even after separating.
Though technically they were not together, they chose to be working partners and keep on operating their production company as well as I Love Lucy. However, the duo decided to sell Desilu, their production company in 2018. But by then, the show’s residuals had already touched millions. Desi Arnaz’s residual earnings have been estimated to be up to $7.5 million.
Bob Denver from Gilligan’s Island
Residual Earnings: Up to $90 million
Gilligan’s Island premiered on CBS on September 26, 1964, and its final episode was aired on April 17, 1967. The show ran for 98 episodes and garnered positive reviews during its original run. Gilligan, the title character, is recognized as a cultural icon. Bob Denver played the role of Gilligan and received rave reviews for his performance.
The show had been very popular among the viewers back then and has been in demand for reruns. Over the last four decades or so, the residual earnings of the show have been reported to be around $90 million. It has been almost forty years since the last episode of Gilligan’s Island was aired. Unfortunately, Denver is no more. He lost his life to cancer in 2005.
Rose McIver from Zombie
Residual Earnings: Up to 5% of total salary
The CW supernatural crime show has been adopted from the series of comic books that goes with the same name that's created by Michael Allred and Chris Roberson. The series was first aired on TV in 2015 and the last episode was broadcast in 2019.
Rose McIver portrays the main role of Olivia Moore. Rotten Tomatoes gave him a 91% rating while IMDb gave it an 8 on 10. The show ran for five seasons and McIver's residual earnings have been estimated to be up to 5% of the total salary.