Bourbon Street Beat

Star Actors: Richard Long, Andrew Duggan, Arlene Howell, Van Williams
Released: October 05, 1959
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

When it comes to moody private-eye dramas, viewers had a heightened excitement to watch. Take, for instance, Murder, She Wrote, and Columbo. But, like many other shows that started well, Bourbon Street Beat did its best but was not enough to last more than a single season on the air.

Bourbon Street Beat

The show’s plot saw characters like Rex Randolph (Played by Long) and Cal Calhoun (Played by Duggan) solving cases across 39 episodes before the show came to an end. Randolph was transferred to 77 Sunset Strip and was played like a new man being introduced in town. Cal showed up for one episode in the new show but before long hung up his badge.

Tales of Tomorrow

Star Actors: Lon Chaney, Jr., Thomas Mitchell
Released: August 3, 1951
Total Seasons: 2
Production Cost: $40,000 Average Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

The anthology genre may have been on the low for a while but would have been brought back to the scene by films such as American Horror Story. But, if you look back through the years, one may agree that Twilight Zone was the talk of the town. However, none of these would have been the great hit they were without the likes of decades-old films like Tales of Tomorrow. The series featured stars like Lon Chaney, Jr., and Thomas Mitchell amidst many other stars.

Tales Of Tomorrow

Every episode came with a different story and was broadcasted live on ABC. During the various episodes, many actors guest-starred, such as Leslie Nielson and Boris Karloff. Even though Tales of Tomorrow only lasted for two seasons, it carried a total of 85 episodes – that’s a good stretch for the film. Even though it didn’t last long on the air, it sure paved the way for many others in the same genre.

Shotgun Slade

Star Actors: Scott Brady
Released: October 24, 1959
Total Seasons: 2
Production Cost: $52,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

In the 1950s, Western TV shows and films were a huge hit, and their popularity led people to become so tired of them as the decade came to a close. It was as though people were yearning for something different from the average film that dominated screens across the world. This feeling gave Shotgun Slade a popularity boost as it was different.

Shotgun Slade

The plot saw Slade being an investigator who tackled many special cases, a setting relatively strange when it came to Western films. The show lasted for two seasons and 78 episodes, showing how good it was and was a deal-breaker for Scott Brady’s career. After the show ended, Brady continued working on various shows, such as playing the role of Sheriff Frank in Gremlins, a film released in 1984.

Flying High

Star Actors: Kathryn Witt, Connie Sellecca, Pat Klous, Howard Platt
Released: August 28, 1978
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

Males relatively dominated the shows of the 50s and 60s, but the 70s came with a different bang. Women started to climb the ranks and were being fully accepted by the public. One of the films that stood out was Flying High, a comedy-drama kind of mix on CBS. It was a star-studded show as the producers went mostly for models with stunning beauty as they hoped this move would attract viewers.

Flying High

The team was hoping it would hit big, but it fell short as many didn’t see much substance to keep the show going. Sadly, Flying High only went through for 18 episodes before it was ditched from the screen. This resulted from numerous negative reviews and endless people saying they were trying to emulate the popular film Charlie’s Angels.

The Hathaways

Star Actors: Marcy Grace Canfield, Peggy Cass, Barbara Perry, Jack Weston, Harvey Lembeck
Released: October 6, 1961
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown
There is a saying that you ought to be careful how you work with animals and children when it comes to film production. Apparently, ABC never seems to hear that saying when they went ahead to air The Hathaways. The strange yet interesting show featured Peggy Case and Jack Weston as a happy couple and parent to some intriguing kids – a set of chimpanzees. Yeah, we know that’s a huge twist!

The Hathaways

From the very beginning, the show was a disaster and cost the production team a huge budget. There were no sponsors ready to step up, which caused ABC to cover the cost with some help from Ralston-Purina, an animal food company. Critics deemed it the worst possible show ever to grace network TV and leveled it as “degrading.” But, one group of people were fascinated – monkey lovers!

Peck’s Bad Girl

Star Actors: Wendell Corey, Patty McCormick, Marsha Hunt, Ray Ferrell
Released: 1959
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $45,000 Per Episodes (Depending on Inflation)

Peck’s Bad Girl would have been a good movie like many others that were released, but there was a major problem – the audience could not tell what was going on with the film. During that time, white picket fences and Lucille Ball were the hit, and parodies were not welcomed. The show’s idea was to go far beyond what one could imagine, and with the different storylines, the show would eventually start making jokes about other tv shows.

Pecks Bad Girl

The film was narrated by Patty McCormick, who played the role of Torey Peck, and from the way it was done, many people could not tell it was actually a comedy film. So, in the same breath, it was released, it was canceled shortly after. There is limited information on the series, seeing it ran so short – imagine, there is no Wikipedia page about the tv show!

Broadside

Star Actors: Sheila James, Joan Staley, Edward Andrews, Kathleen Nolan, Dick Sargent
Released: September 20, 1964
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $65,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

In the 60s, male-based drama films were the most popular, so when ABC aired Broadside 1964, it was a welcome for many viewers. The show featured a new wave of women from the Navy who would have been a part of World War II, such as Kathleen Nolan, who played a leading role. The show received good ratings from viewers thus, there was shock and disbelief when the show was removed from the air.

Broadside

After running for 32 episodes, the production company noted they didn’t have enough space to create the theme for the show. Well, maybe there was more to the cut that the team was not telling us as a similar film got a chance to move to Italy to continue filming with a similar theme they noted they couldn’t create for Broadside.

Convoy

Star Actors: John Gavin
Released: September 17, 1965
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $12 Million

Broadside had company in the war-based tv show genre as Convoy was released in the mid-1960s. The NBC-aired film featured Commander Dan Talbot (John Gavin) and his crew as they channeled a cargo ship taking food and other critical supplies to the other troops as they labored in World War II. One major drawback to the film was that it was shot in black and white as they wanted to incorporate old war footage seamlessly. But, viewers were more fascinated by technicolor films that were being released.

Convoy

Convoy, however, didn’t have many ratings from the beginning as it came up short on quality compared to other films that were making the rounds during that time. Viewers were hoping it would be the hit movie they were looking for, instead, it became nothing more than a “dead weight” people could really do without.

Holmes & Yo-Yo

Star Actors: Jack Sher, Lee Hewitt
Released: September 25, 1976
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $40,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

Getting the perfect duo on stage is the dream of every tv network, as this will get the viewers tuned in. Take, for instance, the likes of Cagney & Lacey and Starsky & Hutch, they are the perfect matches that always attract people. If the production is done right, it could be a movie living through history. However, even though this was the dream for Holmes & Yo-Yo, it didn’t quite reach the mark everyone was looking for. ABC was hoping the twist YoYo would help bring off what the comedy show didn’t manage to give.

Holmes And Yo Yo

The series, from the get-go, was an imminent disaster but somehow made a mark in attracting a few people. However, it wasn’t up to the standard ABC was hoping for. Sadly, Holmes & Yo-Yo made it to numerous lists, including TV Guide’sList of the Worst 50 Shows of All Time.

The Brothers Brannagan

Star Actors: Stephen Dunne, Mark Roberts, Barney Phillips
Released: September 24, 1960
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

We have to give a little credit to the production team of The Brothers Brannagan for pulling off a fairly good show with a meager budget. The show’s plot featured two brothers, Mike and Bob, who had a passion for solving crimes whenever they came their way. It wasn’t a “new kid” on the block as many other shows had a similar setting – this may have been the major reason for its short run.

The Brothers Brannagan

Stephen Dunne and Mark Roberts managed to run 39 episodes over a few months during the early stages of the 1960s. It didn’t hit so popular like many other shows, but it was a great show nonetheless. However, if the production team had managed to stretch the budget a little further, there could have been more episodes or maybe more seasons – who knows?

Coronado 9

Star Actors: Rod Cameron
Released: September 6, 1960
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $60,000 Per Episodes (Depending on Inflation)

Many people would always be fascinated to see Rod Cameron as he was a popular face for TV shows in the 50s and 60s. As such, when Coronado 9 came out, the production team was looking for a major hit. The show featured Cameron, playing the character of Dan Adams, who used his US Navy experience to solve crime and mystery cases.

Coronado 9

Even though there was much hype about the show being released, it seemingly fell short of the true goal they intended to achieve. The show only managed to go to 39 episodes, and maybe it was due to a few personal issues going on in Cameron’s life. Interestingly, during the filming of the show, Cameron divorced his wife and married her mother. This pushed the director to label him the bravest man he has ever come across.

Diver Dan

Star Actors: Allen Swift, Frank D. Freda, Suzanne Turner
Released: January 4, 1960
Total Seasons: N/A
Production Cost: Unknown

Kids in the 60s were not as hard to please as kids nowadays, even though there were no smartphones and other technology devices. The form of entertainment during the day was non-computerized toys and animation that only came alive in mind. Cartoons, too, were a bit popular, especially with programs such as Diver Dan, an NBC-aired program.

Diver Dan

The series featured a diver who would explore life underwater and done in a live format with puppet fish. The effects of the series were done via shooting through an aquarium. A total of 104 short films were made but had to be accumulated to make 30-minute shows. The other short films were directed to other programs like Felix & Diver Dan.

Dog And Cat

Star Actors: Kim Basinger, Lou Antonio, Matt Clark
Released: March 5, 1977
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

Kim Basinger was a popular figure during this period, and this gave Dog and Cat some edge when it came to viewers being eager to watch. Basinger was a supermodel of the day and was trying to make her way into the acting industry. The actress went on to do well for herself in other movies, but from the look of things, Dog and Cat was not the one to make it happen big for her. After all, the show only lasted for six episodes.

Dog And Cat

The movie saw Basinger acting alongside Lou Antonio as partners in the Los Angeles Police Department. The series was popular for taking on some unusual cases and also featured an interesting storyline. However, seeing a female lead in the crime-solving case film, many people criticized it for trying to be like Charlie’s angels.

Johnny Midnight

Star Actors: Yuki Shimoda, Edmond O’Brien, Barney Phillips, Arthur Batanides
Released: January 3, 1960
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $50,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

If you haven’t noticed something unique about tv shows back in the days, we will help you out – private detective series were a major hit. Though they are still popular now, the 1960s saw major channels searching and lobbying to get a good show that would be intriguingly successful. Johnny Midnight was all about a New York City-based detective whose character was played by Edmond O’Brien.

Johnny Midnight

The show somehow paid tribute and respect to the other films that were released before it as it featured a film-noir setting and was also done with some narration. Midnight, throughout the film, could be seen going after perps, who didn’t care to obey the rules and guidelines set out in Times Square and Broadway. Jack Chertok was the producer for this film, and after a good run, he channeled another film on this list, My Favorite Martian.

Sea Hunt

Sta Actors: Lloyd Bridges
Released: January 4, 1958
Total Seasons: 4
Production Cost: $40,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

It was pretty complicated when it came to underwater films and production and would cost quite a lot to cover. However, Sea Hunt stood out differently, and we can safely say that it still manages to portray what the genre was really trying to say even to this day. Lloyd Bridges played the lead role of Mike Nelson,, a freelance scuba diver and would readily be on call.

Sea Hunt

Viewers were inclined to watch as the show created an avenue for intriguing and immense details. The overall interest of the show kept viewers entertained,, which gave the show the edge in staying alive for four seasons. However, even though the show was quite popular, it met an abrupt end, and from the look of things, it was clear no future episodes would be released.

David Cassidy: Man Undercover

Star Actors: David Cassidy, Wendy Rastatter, Simon Oakland
Released: November 2, 1978
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $90,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

During the 1970s, David Cassidy was in the prime of his career after a successful run in The Partridge Family. He was a famous teen star and made his way through fame as he got older. After that show ended, the producer for the film Man Undercover thought he would be a great choice. He played an undercover cop named Dan Shay, and even though he was quite popular, he couldn’t manage to keep the show going.

David Cassidy

Each episode that was released saw Shay coming forward as an undercover in a different case and would use passion to get to the center of the crime at hand. Sadly, even though he was popular, the character was not enough to keep viewers entertained and intrigued to watch. Executives who worked closely with the film were surprised to know many people were losing interest in the film. But, there was nothing that could be done to change the current situation. Because of this, the show only managed to go ten episodes.

It’s a Man’s World

Star Actors: Glenn Corbett, Ted Bussell, Micheal Burns, Randy Boone
Released: September 17, 1962
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $85,000 Per Episode (Depending on Inflation)

Many comedy tv shows feature a group of friends sharing an apartment,, which is nothing new to the genre. But, how often do you see four guys sharing a houseboat? Yeah, not too often, and this is what the show It’s a Man’s World brought to the scene – something different. It featured a mix of two orphaned brothers Wes and Howie (played by Corbett and Burns, respectively).

Its A Mans World

The show had a strong backstory and interesting storyline but was seen by many movie critics as running ahead of its time. This led NBC to cancel the show prematurely (mid-season) as it featured hot topics like feminism and unrest between different generations up and coming in the time. After the show ended, Glenn Corbett managed a cop a top position in the film Route 66, one similar to It’s a Man’s World, but more established.

Me and the Chimp

Star Actors: Ted Bessell, Scott Kolden, Anita Gillette, Kami Cotler
Released: January 13, 1972
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $1 Million Per Episode
CBS was taught some useful information about what is best for television from The Hathaways but decided to turn a blind eye to all those lessons. Instead, the channel decided to go for a similar show in the 1970s known as Me and the chimp. The show featured a normal American family living their usual life accompanied by their chimp, Buttons – a former space chimp. Some of the star actors included Mike Russell and Ted Bessell.

Me And The Chimp

As you would imagine, the chimp was a highlight for the show as he would generally get in trouble around the family home. However, it was not a major interest for the audience, and the Buttons was later returned to his trainer while Bessell went further into his acting career. He would later direct the show The Tracey Ullman Show.

SuperTrain

Star Actors: Edward Andrews, Harrison Page, Nita Talbot, Charlie Bell, Patrick Collins, Robert Alda
Released: February 7, 1979
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Over $1 Million Per Episode
Well, let’s take you on an intriguing imagination trip…just imagine a luxurious vessel filled with the likes of swimming pools, fully-equipped gyms, shopping malls, and a classic nightclub. Sounds like somewhere you would want to be, right? Well, it was a fictitious train created just to entertain you in the film, Supertrain. The various episodes cover life on the train, but we must say it came with quite a hefty cost.

Supertrain

There were nine episodes, but we have to say it was quite expensive to keep up with this setting. Due to the setting of the movie scene, it turned out to be the most expensive series ever to be released during the time. The team ensured a lot was put into advertising to increase viewership to at least recover some of the expenses incurred. However, NBC had to save itself from a wreck with the chance it took to air the film and end the show.

Another Day

Star Actors: David Groh, Hope Summers, Joan Hackett, Al Eisenmann, Lisa Lindgren
Released: April 8, 1978
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: $62.8 Million

When the actors of Another Day started in 1978, they had high hopes of the show going big, but little did they know it was only a matter of weeks until they would be off the air. The show was canceled the same month it debuted on-air as it featured an old-fashioned style that didn’t capture the attention of many. It showed Don Gardner working and supporting his family with just his salary – yeah, a little flat.

Another Day

Many people saw the film as pretty baseless and nothing exciting to pull viewers back each time. After all, times were changing by the day, and the show lacked all of that, especially seeing they were heading into the 80s and those types of movies were gradually phasing out. CBS realized they made a huge mistake and decided to cut the show before it cost them any more issues.

Doc Elliot

Star Actors: James Franciscus
Released: May 1, 1974
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

The famous Doc Elliot (Benjamin R. Elliot) was a character who went from a big life to serve a rural community in Colorado. As time went by, his job saw him become very much tired and fed up with going out daily. So, as time passed in his life, he started doing house calls and meeting his patients to protect the services he knew best.

Doc Elliot

However, the famous doctor Elliot didn’t get a chance to see how much he could offer the local community as the show lasted for only 14 episodes. After the show ended, James Franciscus went on to further his career in the Italian acting industry. He did well for himself until 1991, when he died from emphysema.

Gemini Man

Star Actors: Ben Murphy, Katherine Crawford, William Sylvester
Released: September 23, 1976
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost: Unknown

If you know anything about Marlon Brando, then you can clearly make a connection between him and Ben Murphy. This made way for him being the perfect fit to play the secret agent bad boy Sam Casey. Each time Casey comes in contact with intense radiation, he would become invisible. The film was written based on the book, The Invisible Man, done by H.G. Wells. Interestingly, it was the third time the book was being produced into a film

Gemini Man

11 episodes were made, but only five managed to make it on air as viewers were already tired by the time it reached midway. They noted the plot was flat, repetitive, and there was nothing to excite them. However, even though it didn’t do too well in the United States, it worked a little better in the United Kingdom – all 11 episodes were released but not strong enough to create a second season.

The Blue Angels

Star Actors: Don Gordon, Dennis Cross, Warner Jones, Morgan Jones, Robert Knapp, Micheal Galloway, Ross Elliott.
Released: September 26, 1960
Total Seasons: 1
Production Cost Unknown

Dennis Cross did well in the film, The Blue Angels, as he played Commander Arthur Richards. The show seemingly did intense research on the United States Navy to make the plots for the film. Interestingly, a popular actor, Burt Reynolds, added a sweet twist to the film and showed up in a few episodes as Chuck Corman.

The Blue Angels

Many other guest actors appeared on set, including DonHaggerty, Ed Nelson, and Dick Jones. The show was quite popular among people,, but it still lacked something that should have pulled more viewers to watch. After a total of 39 episodes, the show came to a halt.

If you liked reading about these vintage TV shows, we bet you’ll find the next article interesting as well…

How Actors Are Living Through Their Movie Reruns

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