For instance, an actor lands a supporting role on a popular show, is on that show for 10 seasons and then it's over and they can't get any work afterwards. What do they do? How do they pay the bills? Can you live off of residuals? What about health insurance?
What happens to actors once they can no longer get roles?
by Anonymous | reply 388 | April 25, 2018 8:16 AM |
Get a real job? Have their spouse support them? Go back to being okay auditioning for roles? Make "personal appearances" for Saudi princes?
by Anonymous | reply 1 | August 4, 2013 8:27 PM |
RN.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | August 4, 2013 8:28 PM |
If an actor is a series regular on something that lasts ten seasons, if they are smart and do not live beyond their means, thinking they're going to make this kind of money forever, they should be set for life. And also able to do other projects based on the notoriety the series have given them, perhaps.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | August 4, 2013 8:33 PM |
[all posts by ham-fisted troll a removed.]
by Anonymous | reply 4 | August 4, 2013 8:36 PM |
It's all been downhill for old actors since the end of "The Love Boat" and "Murder She Wrote."
by Anonymous | reply 5 | August 4, 2013 8:38 PM |
Someone on a popular show for 10 seasons should always have opportunities afterward, unless they had a terrible reputation in the industry. They might not be the opportunities they want, of course. Lifetime movies, infomercials, reality show contestant, mommy blogger, convention appearances, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | August 4, 2013 8:42 PM |
How many series run ten seasons, R3?
Yes, you can make serious money on a series, particularly if it runs long enough to live on in syndication. The danger is that you become so closely identified with a particular role that you may never, ever work again.
And that's the lucky, talented, successful actors. The vast majority of others drop out of the biz sooner or later, having rarely or never worked at all. But we never hear about those people.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | August 4, 2013 8:42 PM |
It was OP who floated the ten seasons marker, not I. Hell, even five to ten seasons will net an actor a lot of money. And yes, not many series last that long and those actors are very, very fortunate.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | August 4, 2013 8:48 PM |
They become Realtors. Or porn stars.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | August 4, 2013 8:50 PM |
Did you say 'rolls'.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | August 4, 2013 8:51 PM |
I'll bet most of the actors from the Sopranos rarely work again except Michael Imperioli and Aida Tuturro. Little Stephen doesn't have to worry because he has the EStreet Band. But Paulie Walnuts, Charmaine and Artie Bucco, Big Pussy and his wife, Patsy Paresi, etc. Of course Steve Buscemi will always get work as a "leading character actor" and Lorraine Bracco was a well-known film actress already.
But an actor like Billy Batts/Phil will get small roles as a mobster in a few films, but that's about it.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | August 4, 2013 8:53 PM |
R11 Excuse me?
by Anonymous | reply 12 | August 4, 2013 8:55 PM |
Really bad example, OP. A supporting actor on a TV show would get paid between 40-100k per episode, depending on the popularity of the show. Even if it's a non network show (therefore 12 eps instead of 22), that means, on the low end, that means the actor made 4,800,000 over the course of his career on just that show. Minus taxes and agent/lawyer fees, he's made 2,400,000. That's a helluva lot of money for anyone. And if that money is invested well, he should be able to live relatively comfortably, plus get guest spots for a long time afterwards.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | August 4, 2013 8:58 PM |
If an actress is lucky, she'll find a guy with money to marry. A lot of them go that route when their careers slow down and getting work is tough.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | August 4, 2013 9:02 PM |
I know an "actress" (mostly waitress) whose sister was on several MTM shows as a regular character and was a regular on an HBO show. She went to a financial advisor who banked a lot of her money, invested in stable stocks and put her on an allowance. This is done because so many actors think they've hit it big on a tv show, then rarely or never act again. Think Philip Michael Thomas, Lea Thompson. If they blow their money in two or three years, they're in bad shape.
Most actresses have about a 10 year lifespan on TV. So they are advised to save a lot of their money, invest in stable stocks and try to live off interest/dividends.
If an actor is kind of washed up on tv but has a lot of contacts/family in Hollywood, he can become a director of tv episodes.
In middle age, former child stars can go to autograph shows and make some money.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | August 4, 2013 9:03 PM |
Can you live off of residuals alone?
by Anonymous | reply 16 | August 4, 2013 9:27 PM |
Just recently I saw the actor who played Big Pussy on two other shows. Also see the guy who played Uncle Junior a lot... character actors, they can get parts. It's the shiny, bland, toothy sitcom actors who don't last.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | August 4, 2013 9:29 PM |
Dinner theatre and infomercials!
by Anonymous | reply 18 | August 4, 2013 9:41 PM |
If you don't have a major drug habit or other luxurious tastes, you should be able to live comfortably off residuals and investments.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | August 4, 2013 9:45 PM |
Some just drink heavily and get into altercations with police officers.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | August 4, 2013 10:03 PM |
Vicki Lawrence, who enjoyed a huge run on THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW and then MAMA'S FAMILY (and had a recording and nightclub career, to boot)?
Almost filed for bankruptcy in the 90s. The jobs, the endorsements, and the money all dried up, which led to her (unsuccessful) TV talk show. She said that (at the time) she couldn't even pay her SAG member dues.
Not sure how she turned things around, but I'm glad she did.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | August 4, 2013 10:03 PM |
Matt Keeslar, who was in a number of indie films and did some TV, became a nurse.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | August 4, 2013 10:33 PM |
R22, see R2.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | August 4, 2013 10:36 PM |
Matt Keeslar is no longer a nurse. He's getting his BA in biology from Reed College in Portland so he can be an MD.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | August 4, 2013 10:38 PM |
After two seasons on "Boardwalk Empire," Paz de la Huerta's acting career has ALREADY completely dried up and she's doing autograph conventions. that has to be some kind of record.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | August 4, 2013 10:41 PM |
Paz used to fuck Jack Nicholson BTW. So she hasn't been high class escorting yet? That happens to pay very well and other actresses have done so "when the well runs dry."
by Anonymous | reply 26 | August 4, 2013 10:47 PM |
A lot of actors from the Star Trek franchises got into directing and producing, starting their alternate careers during their runs on the show.
I also see a lot of older actors in Hallmark TV movies.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | August 4, 2013 10:59 PM |
A lot of actors in general have gone behind the camera, as directors and producers. Peter Bonerz (Bob Newhart show) and Eric Laneuville (St. Elsewhere) have had even better careers as directors as they did as actors.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | August 4, 2013 11:03 PM |
I'll share the advice I gave Glenn and Sigourney: Invest wisely, dears.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | August 4, 2013 11:10 PM |
They do Hello, Dolly! again.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | August 4, 2013 11:15 PM |
r15 No clues about who the sister is?
by Anonymous | reply 33 | August 4, 2013 11:18 PM |
In the old days they did "dinner theatre". Usually it was light comedies but occasionally somebody would manage to get a serious role that would enable them to do something they'd never be cast to do on tv or in film (Paul Lynde in Strindberg, Martha Raye in Ebsen, that kin od thing).
A lot of people do voice work or Japanese commercials.
Character actors can probably work forever as long they can play a type that's often needed. Sometimes they inherent role like Lanie Kazan doing the shamefully stereotypical Jewish mothers after Shelley Winters died.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | August 5, 2013 1:46 AM |
[quote]Martha Raye in Ebsen
Buddy?
by Anonymous | reply 35 | August 5, 2013 2:08 AM |
They take out adds in Variety!
by Anonymous | reply 36 | August 5, 2013 2:20 AM |
They write their autobiogra[hies
by Anonymous | reply 37 | August 5, 2013 2:25 AM |
R27, you actually posted good pictures. Have you seen her recently?
by Anonymous | reply 38 | August 5, 2013 2:31 AM |
[quote]Think Philip Michael Thomas, Lea Thompson
I wouldn't include Lea. She was a successful film actress way before 'Caroline in the City', and is married to film director Howard Deutch.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | August 5, 2013 2:39 AM |
She doesn't have much of a career going for her.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | August 5, 2013 3:23 AM |
Btw, Whatever happened to joe Regalbuto?
by Anonymous | reply 41 | August 5, 2013 3:30 AM |
I agree R39 on Lea Thompson. Lea has also done ok since Caroline in the City. She has done some bad TV movies and TV show work. Right now, she is on an ABC Family show that will likely be around for a couple of more years.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | August 5, 2013 3:35 AM |
Lea thompson, why did she become such a reject? like the lamest frau ever. i was only a kid in the 80s but she was somewhat cool then.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | August 5, 2013 3:46 AM |
Howard the Duck is what mostly did her in, I'm guessing r44.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | August 5, 2013 3:48 AM |
"Caroline and the City" was well after "Howard the Duck." That show was successful, and had three of the hottest young men on TV (Malcolm Gets, Datalounge icon Eric Lutes, and Andy Lauer. the little guy on rollerskates who had the hottest ass of TV at the time), but it wasn't at all funny.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | August 5, 2013 3:52 AM |
r41...he's a TV director now
by Anonymous | reply 47 | August 5, 2013 4:02 AM |
There is no one answer....some managed their money well and are set for life...some become producers, directors, get married, get regular jobs, some do cheapo made for DVD stuff and voiceovers to survive. Some live in poverty and fade from view.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | August 5, 2013 4:04 AM |
Steve Sandvoss (actual name Max Sandvoss) from Latter Days is now a goat farmer with his brother in New York.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | August 5, 2013 4:05 AM |
Lea's daughter looks a like lot her and is talented. She was in The Ringer a couple years ago.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | August 5, 2013 4:15 AM |
Typically, they marry other has-beens and hope the pairing will generate enough interest to spark interest in their otherwise middling careers.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | August 5, 2013 4:16 AM |
most actresses marry money and have kids....(or it least they used to back when people had money)
by Anonymous | reply 52 | August 5, 2013 4:18 AM |
They return to Broadway!
by Anonymous | reply 53 | August 5, 2013 4:19 AM |
They do either Viagra or Depends commercials
by Anonymous | reply 54 | August 5, 2013 4:22 AM |
[quote]Howard the Duck is what mostly did her in, I'm guessing.
Nope. She did many films after Howard the Duck. Her first post-Howard film was the iconic John Hughes flick "Some Kind of Wonderful".
by Anonymous | reply 55 | August 5, 2013 4:23 AM |
Brenda Vaccaro once had to do tampon TV commercials, much to her chagrin and to the delight of Joan Rivers who included her professional demise in her comical monologues.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | August 5, 2013 4:27 AM |
infomercials
by Anonymous | reply 57 | August 5, 2013 4:28 AM |
TVLAND sitcom
by Anonymous | reply 58 | August 5, 2013 4:32 AM |
Date an over-the-hill rock singer and impersonate a duck.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | August 5, 2013 4:35 AM |
r13 Exactly. The only TV actors that go bankrupt are those that live above their means or thought they would continue getting work to support an expensive life-style. Even supporting actors on basic cable make enough money to put them in the top 10% of income earners.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | August 5, 2013 4:40 AM |
[quote]The only thing better than the actual commercial was the SCTV parody
by Anonymous | reply 61 | August 5, 2013 4:44 AM |
A lot of sci-fi and fantasy actors make very comfortable livings from appearances at conventions. They charge for signatures AND photo ops, so they get between $5-30K per weekend for those, even the small ones, and there are hundreds all over the world every year.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | August 5, 2013 4:45 AM |
r16 Absolutely not. A lot of people don't know but residuals often times only go in effect for the first year of syndication. After that most of it goes to non-creative people(basically the producer and network).
The rules for syndication are a lot better than they were in the 1950's-1970's when actors got very little. But very few people can live off residuals. In addition, how much an actor gets depends on how much they negotiated. Some actors have terrible agents so they get screwed in terms of syndication. It really depends on the show and the contract.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | August 5, 2013 4:51 AM |
low bone density commercials
by Anonymous | reply 64 | August 5, 2013 4:53 AM |
It wasn't until the 80s that you started hearing about the huge salaries TV stars could demand and get. Vicki Lawrence and others from the 70s and before got screwed on royalties as it was pretty standard to only get paid for maybe two cycles of syndicated repeats. "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch," for two examples, have been in constant reruns for over 40 years but the stars haven't seen any money from their shows in years while the network and producers have made millions.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | August 5, 2013 4:57 AM |
I'm on a fairly well-known TV actor's Facebook page, and he recently posted a pic of one of his residual checks that was for a penny. A $0.01 check. Why even bother printing that?
by Anonymous | reply 66 | August 5, 2013 5:02 AM |
I see you trolling Misha Collins' Facebook page, R66.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | August 5, 2013 5:11 AM |
They have to sell their very nice houses, albeit for a sizable profit, and move to a much more modest house - and live off the balance, since I have no more income.
'Teri Garr sells Brentwood home for $ 3,944,500 . She bought the house in 1992 for $1,455,000'. Garr, sadly is battling multiple sclerosis, and had a brain aneurysm in 2006'
by Anonymous | reply 68 | August 5, 2013 5:36 AM |
I'm sure the Star Trek actors make a killing at conventions, as do horror movie actors.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | August 5, 2013 5:42 AM |
They teach acting
by Anonymous | reply 70 | August 5, 2013 5:46 AM |
get out a TV Guide from 10 or even 5 years ago; it's got lots of names in of people who never worked much again.
but they probably needed/need to
by Anonymous | reply 71 | August 5, 2013 5:50 AM |
Not just the Star Trek people, R69. People like Kevin Sorbo and a lot of the nobodies from shows like Battlestar Galactica, Stargate Atlantis, etc. especially the Canadian actors, are regulars on the convention circuit. Supernatural conventions make huge profits, too. I don't blame them, that's very easy money.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | August 5, 2013 6:12 AM |
In the UK they appear on reality shows like I am a celebrity get me out of here, strictly come dancing or celebrity big brother.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | August 5, 2013 8:40 AM |
There was a news article some months back about Joanie on Happy days (erin Moran) who was getting kicked out of her trailer home because she has no money. So, some slip into poverty.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | August 5, 2013 8:55 AM |
Damn.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | August 5, 2013 9:26 AM |
Artie Lange says that he got paid $30K per episode of the Norm McDonald sitcom. So, yeah, they make a lot of money. This is before he became famous on the Howard Stern show.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | August 5, 2013 11:26 AM |
They go to autograph shows, do commercials for local businesses, and sell drugs. Sometimes a local business hires them as a greeter for the cache.
by Anonymous | reply 77 | August 5, 2013 11:36 AM |
Does the convention gig work for the Enterprise stars? I have a feeling that everything or everyone that's related to that show is considered contagious. More topic related: Someone once posted that some of the actors on ENT planned for a seven year run of the show and went through some financial trouble after the show got cancelled after four years. I suppose the financial meltdown in 2007 didn't help. Not sure about residuals. Is that show in syndication? Ever?
by Anonymous | reply 78 | August 5, 2013 12:48 PM |
But isn't Joanie a batshit drug addict? Both those things can eat away at your money and career.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | August 5, 2013 12:50 PM |
A lot of opportunities for doing legitimate theater dried up when the Burt Reynold's Dinner Theater closed. I was fortunate to attend several performances there. I don't remember who any of the actors were though. I have a commemorative glass stored somewhere.
by Anonymous | reply 80 | August 5, 2013 1:02 PM |
r66, every actor [or the few that have actually worked] get residual checks for pennies. After a certain amount of cycles the residual commitment to the actor decreases. Ultimately, if you did a show 15 years ago, you will be getting checks that don't cover the postage on a number of projects.
This isn't a sign of failure or any such thing. Meryl Streep gets those checks, Dustin Hoffman, every big name you can think of get those small residual checks.
The union agreement demands it.
As to what happens to actors who book a series after the series is over it all depends on the actor.
If you continue to be marketable you will get work.
If you don't want to put the effort into a career anymore and you have the passive income from a reasonable syndication deal, you live off that.
Smart actors from the richest to the poorest do not live above their means.
Character actors have the best longevity because A. they tend to be more talented and B. they can be used at any age.
by Anonymous | reply 81 | August 5, 2013 1:48 PM |
Comic con
by Anonymous | reply 82 | August 5, 2013 2:16 PM |
Hopefully, if they didn't have drug habits and had the sense to invest well, they should be perfectly fine.
Face it, most actors and actresses are grossly overpaid, especially by real life standards, the money they make is absurd! If they've been on a long running show or had a long career in movies, they should have more than enough money to support their great grandchildren!
I recall reading that one of the blonds who joined "Three's Company" when Suzanne Somers left, started buying tons of real estate, she became quite well off.
Real estate is always a great investment. A friend's husband, a fireman who retired in his early 40s, started buying tracts of real estate all over Long Island. He then started selling them off, they were made into those generic mini-malls. Between his real estate holdings and his fireman pension, the guy is loaded.
Another friend paid only $1,600 for a small area of land in Florida, he later sold it for $85,000!
I have no sympathy for for famous celebs who don't know how to manage their money, most of the world lives on much less!
These people have basically been either given a gift of talent/looks or in the cases of minimal talent, incredible dumb luck, if they end up druggies and alkies like Lindsey Lohan, well, too bad.
An education and critical thinking goes a long way to help these celebs after their roles have dried up. A lack of education is a big problem with success at young age, most times these kids cannot replicate their success as adults.
Lohan proves that an education is important. Besides coming across as a moron, she unfortunately comes from a family of low life grifters who have used her as a cash cow.
by Anonymous | reply 83 | August 5, 2013 2:22 PM |
I've been a regular on 4 different series: 2 lasted only one season, 1 lasted 4 seasons, and 1 lasted 5 seasons. Am I set for life? Probably, but not a 'large' life, just a modest one.
A couple of notes from what I've read on this thread: your impression of salaries is inflated. I've earned as little as $15K an ep. and as much as $35K an ep. And these were all network series. Cable salaries are even lower. Producers have a way of keeping salaries lower, especially for supporting actors. CBS's Moonves has flat out said that every series has one central character and if you're not that character, good luck getting serious bumps in salary. (And please don't bring up NCIS's actors salaries... when you're the #1 show on television, all bets are off.) Yes, you have a 7-year negotiated deal when you start the series, but producers can come to you and say, 'hey, we need to lower our production costs to get picked up. We're asking all actors to take a 10% cut." What do you do? I usually said, OK.
Expenses are even higher: after taxes, commissions, publicist, lawyer, you're looking at 33%-40% left of your original salary. Incorporating helps (more expenses are deductible, better retirement plan) but still, you're only looking at about a third of your salary actually reaching your pockets.
Residuals are also overstated. The first couple years, they're nice. And by nice I mean very low six figures. The first foreign residuals are great and the first year of syndication is sweet. But they quickly drop to very little. Not zero but close. I would guess that if you've really only done one series and then don't work after that, you'd stop qualifying for health insurance from the union in about 4 or 5 years.
So where does that leave you? For me, it means a paid-off house, charming but small, in a better than OK, but certainly not the best neighborhood in LA. About $1.5 million in IRAs and my corporate pension plan (not including my union pension.) And about a million in other investments. Set for life? I guess. But life can be expensive.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | August 5, 2013 2:38 PM |
Nicole Richie is a perfect example of a person who has re-invented herself, she's a former party girl, she was a heroin addict who wasted her time hanging with that brain-dead moron Paris Hilton.
Nicole has become a fashion designer and a style icon, it could have gone the other way, but it didn't. Perhaps she woke up or she had family and friends who forced her to wake up. Others, like Lohan, surround themselves with leeches who just want her money, her own family have used her and continue to do so. Her mother knows Lindsey is an alcoholic, yet goes out drinking with her, that's pretty vile. Unfortunately, Lindsey doesn't have the brains or backbone to tell her grifter family to take a hike!
Nicole appears to be extremely serious about her career, she's taken her love of vintage clothing and basically turned it into a career. Being a mother has probably also forced her to grow up. If you have no real resposibilties in your life, you will continue with the partying etc.
Of course, it doesn't hurt to have positive intelligent people in your inner circle, people who actually care about you and not just your money or your fame. I also assume Nicole's father Lionel intervened.
by Anonymous | reply 85 | August 5, 2013 2:38 PM |
[quote] They teach acting
That's what I'm doing now.
by Anonymous | reply 86 | August 5, 2013 2:41 PM |
What about health insurance? Doesn't SAG-AFTRA require actors to work a certain number of shows a year?
One of the things I've gathered from this thread is to book a SciFi show, because once you do you can get on the lucrative convention circuit.
by Anonymous | reply 87 | August 5, 2013 2:55 PM |
[quote]So where does that leave you? For me, it means a paid-off house, charming but small, in a better than OK, but certainly not the best neighborhood in LA. About $1.5 million in IRAs and my corporate pension plan (not including my union pension.) And about a million in other investments. Set for life? I guess. But life can be expensive.
Give me a break, most people in this country could only wish they had over 2 million to retire on. Please, shut up. Life can be expensive? Leave CA when you retire!
If you go back to a regular life, that is surely more than enough to live on.
I do realize many in showbiz get used to all the perks, all the free stuff at events in those little goodie bags etc. Getting comped at restaurants and clubs etc. What a joke that is, actors and actresses who can now afford expensive items get them for free?! Of course, I am quite aware giving celebs all those items is free publicity for the companies, restaurants, clubs etc.
Most people, and YOU, can live quite comfortably on 2+ million, two pensions (many of us don't have pensions we've had to invest into our own retirement plans) and social security, especially without a mortgage and all the other expenses you'd no longer have when you drop the publicist etc.
Cry me a river! Boo-hoo!
by Anonymous | reply 88 | August 5, 2013 2:57 PM |
R84,
Was your corporate pension from a previous career?
by Anonymous | reply 89 | August 5, 2013 3:01 PM |
Health insurance.
The unions, SAG and AFTRA have merged. The health plans have not. Yet.
Qualifying: SAG offers 2 levels of insurance, Plan 1 and Plan 2. To qualify for Plan 1 you must earn at least $30K. To qualify for Plan 2 (higher deductibles and co-payments, less coverage) you must earn $15K OR work 76 days.
by Anonymous | reply 90 | August 5, 2013 3:02 PM |
[quote] What about health insurance? Doesn't SAG-AFTRA require actors to work a certain number of shows a year?
IIRC, an actor has to work at least one production a year to keep their insurance from lapsing. There was a thread on here about Tracy Nelson. She didn't act in anything for several years when she had her children. Her insurance lapsed and she faced financial problems when she got cancer.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | August 5, 2013 3:02 PM |
A talented, hard-working actor can have a very long career. Tom Skerritt has been an actor for over 50 years. He is almost 80 years old and he is still getting roles.
by Anonymous | reply 92 | August 5, 2013 3:02 PM |
No, R89, by 'corporate pension' I mean my own personal corporation. When I'm hired as an actor, producers in effect contract with my corporation for my services. I am the sole owner of that corp and have a profit sharing plan associated with that corp.
And R88, your hostility is bizarre. I'm not pretending I'm not well off.
And trust me, any of the corporate officers of all the networks and studios I've worked for have TONS more money than I do. And yet you have no hostility for them.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | August 5, 2013 3:07 PM |
R93,
Thank you for answering my post and also for sharing about your life.
by Anonymous | reply 94 | August 5, 2013 3:17 PM |
Bump
by Anonymous | reply 95 | August 5, 2013 3:23 PM |
[quote]And [R88], your hostility is bizarre. I'm not pretending I'm not well off. And trust me, any of the corporate officers of all the networks and studios I've worked for have TONS more money than I do. And yet you have no hostility for them.
R93, you took my post as hostile? Sorry, it's just the reality of showbusiness. I have relatives out in LA who are accountants for celebs, the stories they tell me are absurd. The entitlement issues are laughable.
Most people in showbiz are spectacularly rewarded, they shouldn't act otherwise, especially when college grads with enormous debt are now working for minimum wage, because they cannot find decent jobs, unless they have family connections for better jobs, they are struggling.
Most people don't make $30,000-$40,000 a year let alone per episode of a TV series! Hollywood people live in a bubble.
This thread is about actors and actresses, not corporate officers or studio heads. They are just as bad as corporate CEOs, I see no difference.
There's a ton of uber wealthy people who basically do nothing, yet get paid way too much. Their job is too keep salaries low while they reap the benefits and keep investors happy. These people fire most of their workers so they can get even larger bonuses while the remaining workers do triple the work, nothing new there.
CEOs and overpaid bosses are just two of the reasons I'm self-employed, I never want to be around that sort of nonsense ever again.
Sorry you took my post as hostile, but the reality is actors and actresses, especially the super famous ones, make way too much money, especially as they aren't curing cancer or AIDs!
Actors and actresses are entertainers, most have way too inflated egos considered that their jobs aren't all that important in the scheme of things. I blame the public for putting them, and musicians, on pedestals.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | August 5, 2013 3:56 PM |
r84 is right on target. Actors are a bargain compared to what they generate for producers.
R88, where is all that putrid bitterness coming from? Get some help with that venom.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | August 5, 2013 3:59 PM |
My GOD r88, r96 you are unhinged. Every actor or self employed person who begins to make a certain amount of money INCORPORATES for a variety of reasons.
Get a grip.
by Anonymous | reply 98 | August 5, 2013 4:01 PM |
They move to the South where the cost of living is cheaper, because "they want to get away from that Hollywood atmosphere." LOL! Then they sell real estate and drugs.
by Anonymous | reply 99 | August 5, 2013 4:04 PM |
Actors salaries just aren't comparable to real world salaries and it is silly to compare what an actor makes compared to what Joe Sixpack makes. The jobs are different, the stress level is different and quite frankly Joe Sixpacks construction job is more stable than an actor's career, which means they are paid accordingly.
by Anonymous | reply 100 | August 5, 2013 4:11 PM |
Thanks, R49.
How quickly we forget! Sandvoss was the HOTNESS when LATTER DAYS premiered. There were half a dozen threads about him on DL. Some predicted he was gonna break out and make it huge. I can't believe it was a full decade ago.
I hope he's happy with his goats and cheese, anyway.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | August 5, 2013 4:16 PM |
Teach yoga.
I remember when VH1 had that whatever happened to series..... I swear the answer for every former bombshell was "they now teach yoga"
by Anonymous | reply 102 | August 5, 2013 4:21 PM |
they toss webmaster salad for privileged postins.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | August 5, 2013 4:21 PM |
[quote]IIRC, an actor has to work at least one production a year to keep their insurance from lapsing. There was a thread on here about Tracy Nelson. She didn't act in anything for several years when she had her children. Her insurance lapsed and she faced financial problems when she got cancer.
Didn't she have some mental problems or am I thinking about her mother? One of the Nelsons was a bit loony. Isn't Tracey the niece of the NCIS guy, Mark Harmon? Isn't her mom his sister? Her dad was one of the singing Nelson Brothers, Ozzie & Harriet Nelson's kids?
Can we really have sympathy for a woman who has children and no health insurance for them? No health insurance at all for herself or the kids? Do what I did, get your own. I am far from wealthy, yet I managed to get health insurance, that was MY priority before an expensive car, which I didn't need anyway, as I live in Manhattan.
If her insurance lapsed, surely Ms. Nelson could have applied for private health insurance? If she was considered poor, she could have applied for Medicaid. Seriously.
Here in NY state, you can make $1,000 a month as a single person and be eligible for Medicaid, this has been the case for the past 6-8 years. I know a few single people on Medicaid.
Many people who were formerly ineligible, now can get Medicaid, there are different tiers and requiremnts. I have no idea how the rules might change once the Affordable Healthcare Act goes full throttle, because you know the GOP will get involved and try to keep many off Medicaid, the GOP certainly do not want more people to receive Medicaid.
Currently, you can own a home, co-op or condo and receive Medicaid. It's best to no longer have a mortgage. Years ago, people needed to be nearly homeless, with no funds at all, to get Medicaid, not anymore. You can not have a high mortgage, high maintenance or high rent, your monthly income must be $1000 or less, it can be higher if you have children.
I've been self-employed since the mid 1980s, I'm a freelance Art Director. I've had my own health insurance for years. I pay out of pocket. My premium rate has remained fairly low because I've had the same insurance for many years. I also get a discount if I pay the entire premium once a year. I was told this plan no longer exists anymore, if I were to drop it, I cannot get the locked in rates back.
There is no excuse in this day and age for any American citizen to not have health insurance, unless they are totally unaware of their options. Especially as so many aliens, illegal and otherwise, sure do know how to go about getting health insurance in this country, Americans should be aware and eligible too.
by Anonymous | reply 104 | August 5, 2013 4:24 PM |
Here's a video Tracey Nelson made about health care.
by Anonymous | reply 105 | August 5, 2013 4:33 PM |
[quote]Does the convention gig work for the Enterprise stars? I have a feeling that everything or everyone that's related to that show is considered contagious.
Yes, I've met quite a few of them on the convention circuit. Scott Bakula doesn't need the money so he's rarer to see, Linda Park is a horrible privileged snot who thinks she's above it all, but Connor Trinnear does a LOT of conventions and since he was "the hot one" from that show and the biggest name from the series that does the convention circuit, he does very well with photo ops, meet and greets and panels. And, yes, it is in syndication, as well as a staple on Netflix. Jolene Blalock is also a very gracious and intelligent woman. She's a little shyer than Connor, but she's on the convention circuit pretty regularly, too.
From Star Trek: Voyager, Garrett Wang rarely works as an actor anymore, but he actually works as the director for several Star Trek conventions and convention programming tracks himself, for any actors who no longer have contracts with Creation Entertainment, the corporation that runs the big official Star Trek conventions. He and Tim Russ both do it, actually, and they are very good to the fans who attend because they know what the fans want vs some corporate entity like Creation Entertainment.
You do a con once a month, you can live very comfortably without ever acting again. The money those make can't be understated. Thousands of people paying hundreds of dollars every weekend. I know a guy who played a Klingon in 3 episodes on TNG and has lived off the convention circuit for decades ever since.
by Anonymous | reply 106 | August 5, 2013 5:49 PM |
*can't be overstated, that should say.
by Anonymous | reply 107 | August 5, 2013 5:51 PM |
Justin Lazard who appeared on the show called Central Park West is now a born again Christian.
by Anonymous | reply 108 | August 5, 2013 5:58 PM |
Some out of work actors get totally unhinged. They break up with partners, announce that they no longer drink, and get ugly tattoos up and down their arms.
by Anonymous | reply 109 | August 5, 2013 5:59 PM |
[quote] A lot of people do voice work or Japanese commercials.
My mother's high school best friend has a son who earned millions of dollars doing motorcycle commercials in Japan in the 1970s. In the US he is virtually unknown, but he became almost like a pop star over there due to his commercials.
He makes a good living as a session musician, but he banked some of his Japanese motorcycle millions and invested in high tech stocks and he is very, very comfortable indeed.
by Anonymous | reply 110 | August 5, 2013 5:59 PM |
The take-away from this thread is that most out of work actors and/or third-leads on sitcoms that last aired in 1982 are wealthy beyond comprehension.
by Anonymous | reply 111 | August 5, 2013 6:06 PM |
They get put down op.
by Anonymous | reply 112 | August 5, 2013 6:14 PM |
The join the cast of "Chicago"
by Anonymous | reply 113 | August 5, 2013 10:46 PM |
R84, were your salaries per episode ($15 - $35 K) relatively low because you were a lower-level supporting actor? How did you feel about the lead stars making so much more money than you? Are the salaries reported by TV GUIDE and other publications just PR aka BS?
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, it *seemed* like TV stars' salaries were becoming so huge, even excluding the cast of FRIENDS and SEINFELD. Over the last five or so years, production companies and networks really seem to have cut down on salaries.
by Anonymous | reply 114 | August 6, 2013 1:46 AM |
Well to be fair tv ratings aren't what they used to be r114. Kinda a good thing because it reflects increased competition but the facts are the facts.
by Anonymous | reply 115 | August 6, 2013 2:00 AM |
As a physicist I can't think of a single reason why they wouldn't turn into a black hole? Of course, they would have to have been a very big star to collapse into a black hole.
by Anonymous | reply 116 | August 6, 2013 2:05 AM |
R114, my salaries are what they are because I wasn't a lead and because none of the series I was on was a huge ratings hit. Leads get paid what they do for many reasons -- the line about Moonves alludes to that. Moonves, and thus CBS, will pay the lead of a series huge amounts of money. The supporting cast, not so much. The reporting of star's salaries seems fairly accurate. At least from my limited direct knowledge. And please note: you'll see lots of stories about what Mariska earns on L&O,SVU, but nothing on what Dann Florek earns.
And how do I feel about it? Fine. It's the way it is. I would love to earn more but understand why I don't.
Don't make the mistake in assuming that the salaries on hit shows like 'Friends' and 'Seinfeld' give you any indication on what the salaries are like on, say, 'Mike and Molly.'
by Anonymous | reply 117 | August 6, 2013 2:31 AM |
r117
Are you Bai Ling?
by Anonymous | reply 118 | August 6, 2013 2:34 AM |
Justin Lazard is a born again? The guy spent an entire "Species" movie naked, and was actually hot.
by Anonymous | reply 119 | August 6, 2013 2:35 AM |
Oh, I WISH I were, R118!
by Anonymous | reply 120 | August 6, 2013 2:36 AM |
Depends...
by Anonymous | reply 121 | August 6, 2013 2:52 AM |
BAI LING WELCOME TO DATALOUNGE!
by Anonymous | reply 122 | August 6, 2013 2:54 AM |
They shrivel up and die, OP. Once they stop getting work they become invisible and then they just disappear! Poof!
by Anonymous | reply 123 | August 6, 2013 4:32 AM |
There's no special farm upstate r123?
by Anonymous | reply 124 | August 6, 2013 5:26 AM |
Paul Petersen owns this thread.
by Anonymous | reply 125 | August 6, 2013 7:00 AM |
Thanks for the responses R84 / R117.
Is there something in the contract that states that the actor is playing Lead versus Supporting? For instance, there are some TV shows that have three main stars that could be considered lead. Do contracts use the words 'Lead' and 'Supporting' on them?
Last year, TV GUIDE published salaries for the 2012 - 2013 season, and I was surprised that Lucy Liu was being paid $125,000, yet Johnny Lee Miller was being paid 'just' $65,000. I know that Liu is much more famous than he is, but ELEMENTARY revolves around his character, Sherlock Holmes.
Here is a list of the salaries:
by Anonymous | reply 126 | August 6, 2013 2:14 PM |
[quote]BAI LING WELCOME TO DATALOUNGE!
She gets a great WiFi signal on the roof!
by Anonymous | reply 128 | August 6, 2013 2:21 PM |
R126, the only part of your contract that might indicate if you're a lead or supporting is the section on billing. If you're a lead, you're guaranteed first or second position on a separate card. Every series regular usually gets a separate card, but supporting actors show up later in the crawl.
And Lucy Liu earns more than Johnny Lee Miller for a couple reasons: She has more and higher 'quotes.' And he's a Brit -- one of the unspoken reasons for the English/Australian/Canadian invasion of American television is that they're generally cheaper. At home, they're accustomed to working on television and earning much less.
by Anonymous | reply 129 | August 6, 2013 2:38 PM |
I also suspect that producers find English-speaking foreigners more attractive employment prospects because down the road they will not be drawing on the limited funds in the SAG Health Fund or the AFTRA Health Fund. Retired actors get health insurance through those funds, but I think it's only if they live in the U.S. Many of these people will go back to the countries from whence they came and rely on the free health insurance there.
by Anonymous | reply 130 | August 6, 2013 3:25 PM |
If an actress is lucky, she'll marry a guy with $$$. One that immediately comes to mind is Jolene Blalock, who played the Vulcan on Enterprise. She married the CEO of Live Nation, so she doesn't have to worry about getting acting jobs anymore.
by Anonymous | reply 131 | August 6, 2013 3:39 PM |
Yeah, that doesn't always work out for everyone, R131.
by Anonymous | reply 132 | August 6, 2013 5:17 PM |
Funny. Jeri Ryan is one of my guesses for who R84 is.
by Anonymous | reply 133 | August 6, 2013 5:37 PM |
That is funny, R133. Could be, but she milks the convention circuit, too, she's not just relying on pensions and investments.
by Anonymous | reply 134 | August 6, 2013 5:41 PM |
R120 If you are Jeri Ryan, I fucking love you girl.You are so fucking hot(I'm a gay guy BTW). It's too bad that your French husband doesn't like corn!
by Anonymous | reply 135 | August 6, 2013 5:49 PM |
Why can't actors treat their success casually? Like, yeah I was on a sitcom for a few years, made some good money- now I'm in real estate.
A hit show is like being on a roll in Vegas; might not happen again. Most likely won't.
I for one get tired of the same old actors resurrected again and again, decade after decade. It's like hey there's Swoozie Kurtz *yawn*
I don't think showbiz is a "career".
by Anonymous | reply 136 | August 8, 2013 9:34 PM |
R136, Swoozie Kurtz has worked constantly over the last twenty years.
by Anonymous | reply 137 | August 9, 2013 1:08 AM |
well r136, we will let "shobiz" know you do not consider it a career.
I am sure it will be devastated.
Self important cunt
by Anonymous | reply 138 | August 9, 2013 1:13 AM |
Hey r88? I thought your post was very hostile....and pissy!
Go get yourself a pension. The actor guy WORKED FOR IT!
by Anonymous | reply 139 | August 9, 2013 1:21 AM |
Clark Johnson (Meldrick Lewis on Homicide) still acts, but he's a director now with some great credits: The Wire, The Shield, Kings, Homeland.
by Anonymous | reply 140 | August 9, 2013 1:27 AM |
R88 needs to change her fucking tampon already.
by Anonymous | reply 141 | August 9, 2013 1:43 AM |
If they invest well, and dont have a crazy drug habit, they can do very well long after they have appeared in anything. A perfect example is Billy Mumy, a child actor from the 1960s. Everything he earned was invested, mostly in real estate, so by the time he became an adult he had no need to keep working, which was great because the job offers were not what they used to be. He really lucked out because he has spent pretty much his whole adulthood doing whatever the fuck he wants to do and not care about maintaining his celebrity status or earning a living.
by Anonymous | reply 142 | August 9, 2013 2:19 AM |
R84 and others, how much do guest-starring roles on a broadcast network (FOX, CBS, The CW, ABC, NBC) pay? What about cable shows?
Can former supporting and lead actors make enough money by guest-starring on shows?
by Anonymous | reply 143 | August 10, 2013 8:52 PM |
R143, 'top of show' -- the prevailing rate most actors are paid to guest on a series -- is about $7,500 for an hour long show and $4,800 for a half hour. I think. I can never keep those numbers in my head. Cable is less than that. Many shows will absolutely not 'break top' (pay more than top of show). But some will. I usually break top. But I have guested on shows at top of show if I really want to do the show.
So can you earn a living just by guesting? Sure. But you won't get rich. I find it very hard to string together more 10 guest gigs a year. Hell, I'm happy if I get six guest eps in a year.
by Anonymous | reply 144 | August 10, 2013 9:11 PM |
When I was growing up there was cadre of actors who were professional guest stars.. One week you would see one or more of them on Medical Center, the next week Mannix, the week after that on Barnaby Jones. Few ever seemed to get their own series, and fewer yet ever got work on the big screen.
The fraternity include actors such as Bradford Dillman, John Vernon, Jason Evers, Dane Clark, Paul Burke and Lloyd Blocher.
The sorority included Lois Nettleton, Jessica Walters, Nancy Kovack, Joanna Barnes, Salome Jens, and Anne Francis
Do young or middle age actors nowadays have the same opportunities for work as guest stars?
by Anonymous | reply 145 | August 11, 2013 3:17 AM |
R145, now that so many productions have moved to Vancouver because of how cheap it is to film up there, you see the same Canadian guest stars over and over and over. So... maybe still in Canada.
by Anonymous | reply 146 | August 11, 2013 3:46 AM |
r145
Lloyd Bochner, father of Hart Bochner.
by Anonymous | reply 147 | August 11, 2013 8:19 AM |
Yes, R145, actors still have opportunities to work as guest stars. In fact they have even more today.
When i was growing up, there were three broadcast channels, that's it. So it was relatively easy to keep track of what actor was guesting on which show.
Today, it's... what? 5, 6 channels? Plus how many cable channels with fiction programming? A dozen? The number of guest star roles is many times larger today than it was 3 decades ago. So many that it's actually difficult to follow who exactly is working where.
by Anonymous | reply 148 | August 11, 2013 3:59 PM |
I have no bones with what R84 earned.
The pathetic whine at the end that "life is expensive" with more than a million to retire on is laughable.
Especially when he adds later that he's "not pretending" he's "not well off".
You're rich, dude. Top of the bracket in the U.S.
America's value system is so out of whack.
by Anonymous | reply 149 | August 11, 2013 4:11 PM |
I agree with R148, there are quite a bit of guest starrring roles these days. There are some actors who have "on deck" type agreements with broadcast and cable networks for guest starring or reccuring roles.
by Anonymous | reply 150 | August 11, 2013 4:15 PM |
Well this site has gone to the shits.
How did we get this far into the thread and not ask R84 / R145 if he or she is gay, and what he or she is doing on DL?
So much more interesting than this residual bullshit.
by Anonymous | reply 151 | August 11, 2013 4:28 PM |
Exactly r151. Also have we ever gossiped about him/her.
by Anonymous | reply 152 | August 11, 2013 4:34 PM |
The key question has to be when were the 4 season / 5 season series on.
All big three network.
If we can't figure this out, we should hang it up.
by Anonymous | reply 153 | August 11, 2013 4:50 PM |
Dave Foley is the actor with the scoop on things.
by Anonymous | reply 154 | August 11, 2013 4:52 PM |
What are these "on deck" agreements, R150? I know an actor who's been recurring on a show, and he never knows from one episode to the next whether they want him back. Sometimes they tell him he'll be working in a couple of weeks only to cancel at the last minute.
by Anonymous | reply 155 | August 11, 2013 5:06 PM |
I think R150 is referring to a talent holding deal where a network can contract with an actor they're hot on.
They'll sign the actor for a term, usually a year, during which they get exclusive rights to have him as a regular in a series or pilot. These deals usually include minimum compensations which can include a negotiated number of guest gigs on their network studio shows. If no pilot or series comes of it, they still have to pay them some minimum compensation.
They went out of favor ten years ago but have started popping up again in the last 5 years.
On a related note, networks used to promise their series stars a TV movie to sweeten their series contract. In the late-80s, I once saw a list of all the CBS talent that were owed TV movies. Top of the list? Sherman Hemsley who was owed FIVE TV movies.
And sorry, R153, but I purposefully left things vague or even misleading enough to make figuring out who I am nearly impossible.
by Anonymous | reply 156 | August 11, 2013 5:27 PM |
You're not getting off that easily, if that's the phrase, R156.
Clearly one thing one does when one is no longer a series regular is haunts DL. :)
Can't you at least answer the question if you're male or female, gay, and how you ended up here, suddenly in our midst...?
by Anonymous | reply 157 | August 11, 2013 5:46 PM |
R156,
Please do stay anonymous. We lose all of our best insiders (and the best gossip) when the DL detectives start sniffing out details. Look what happened to SWF.
By the way, SWF--if you're out there, come back!
by Anonymous | reply 158 | August 11, 2013 5:55 PM |
What networks are handing out these talent holding deals, R156? Never heard of contracts like this. Maybe it's because my friend is represented by second or third tier agency. Are they only making these deals with actors represented by the big five?
by Anonymous | reply 159 | August 11, 2013 6:13 PM |
Some of the names mentioned here are bringing back memories. I remember when Matt Keeslar and Steve Sandvoss were "it boys" at the datalounge and now they aren't even acting anymore.
by Anonymous | reply 160 | August 11, 2013 6:14 PM |
All of them are, R159. I'm not sure how you've missed them, they tend to get lots of publicity when it happens. ABC signed Vanessa Williams to one when Desperate Housewives was cancelled. Jason O'Mara and Scott Michael Foster also had agreements at ABC. Lucy Griffiths has one at CBS.
It really isn't a matter of what agency you're with, it's a matter of being perceived as hot. And not sexually hot, rather professionally hot.
by Anonymous | reply 161 | August 11, 2013 8:22 PM |
[quote]"Caroline and the City" was well after "Howard the Duck." That show was successful, and had three of the hottest young men on TV (Malcolm Gets, Datalounge icon Eric Lutes, and Andy Lauer. the little guy on rollerskates who had the hottest ass of TV at the time)
Don't know if anyone here saw him but Andy Lauer was one of the contestants last week on ABC's "Wipeout." They tagged him with the title "Middle Aged Guy" or something like that (he looks pretty aged in the face but still has a pretty hot body). He didn't win, btw.
by Anonymous | reply 162 | August 11, 2013 9:19 PM |
I think Jennifer Aniston is a good example of what OP means. She was on Friends that was on enough seasons for syndication. Her last season she got $1 million per episode. I think she made $22 or $24 million that year. Not sure what she gets for residuals. She's invested well, been in a number of loser films, but she's still quite rich and lives well.
by Anonymous | reply 163 | August 12, 2013 12:07 AM |
Wow. I just Googled myself (bad idea and yet I occasionally can't resist) and discovered this site. For the record, I'm not gay. Neither is my publicist :)
by Anonymous | reply 164 | August 12, 2013 12:14 AM |
r164
The web master now has your IP address.
You in danger, girl.
by Anonymous | reply 165 | August 12, 2013 12:18 AM |
R84 what wud someone like Patty Duke get 4 guest starring in a network show and also a cable show?
by Anonymous | reply 166 | August 12, 2013 1:49 AM |
Wow, thought Steve Sandvoss was working pretty steadily in the industry. I guess he just decided to walk away.
Here's hoping some of the cast of Spartacus hit it big, just like the two leads from the cast of HBO's Rome. Well, one is doing well on Grey's Anatomy, the other had a few bombs.
by Anonymous | reply 167 | August 12, 2013 2:20 AM |
Bump
by Anonymous | reply 168 | August 12, 2013 2:07 PM |
Let's take Desperate Housewives as an example. Who is going to hire a bunch of 40something broads these days? I think Felicity whats her name had something of a career and might be employable, but who is gonna hire Marcia Cross and the one who played Lois Lane. The only genre hiring 40something women is daytime soaps. Eva seems to be transitioning to politics and producing.
by Anonymous | reply 169 | August 12, 2013 2:20 PM |
Years ago it seemed there were somewhat different choices.
Some actors whose careers had dried up went the route of ex-athletes and lent their names (and faces) as front men to car dealerships, furniture and carpeting stores (with unbeatable prices), or restaurants.
Real estate has long been a factor, and probably rescued more than a few actors who had the good luck of timing to have bought big and then sold bigger in L.A. The real estate business, both as celebrity/realtor and as development partner, has long offered opportunity for transition out of acting.
Relocation continues to play a role, though the advent of reality shows and other "opportunities" seems to see a lot of ex-celebrities clinging to Hollywood rather than cashing out their real estate and buying a llama ranch (see link to article about Timothy Bottoms, an actor's bad choices and bad luck, and training wild horses on his ranch in Big Sur). A lot of ex-actors went the route of being a big (if slightly washed up) name in a small pond where their money and name went further, now they just seem to cling on pinning all hopes of a celebrity edition of Big Brother.
The actors who give up on their careers before their careers irrevocably give up on them are always more admirable than the sad souls who cling to their 1983 hair style and hold out for a big comeback.
by Anonymous | reply 170 | August 12, 2013 2:53 PM |
[quote] I think Felicity whats her name had something of a career and might be employable, but who is gonna hire Marcia Cross and the one who played Lois Lane.
I think Marcia Cross could end up on another primetime soap later on.
by Anonymous | reply 171 | August 12, 2013 4:37 PM |
There's a distinction between people who become celebrities because they've acted in various projects, but aren't committed to the art and skill of acting, and people who are dedicated actors. The latter will pursue any opportunity to practice their craft. Someone who achieves a little bit of fame as an actor and then becomes, say, a realtor was never a true actor in the first place.
by Anonymous | reply 172 | August 12, 2013 4:54 PM |
[quote] If her insurance lapsed, surely Ms. Nelson could have applied for private health insurance?
She had cancer. No one would insure her.
by Anonymous | reply 173 | August 12, 2013 5:11 PM |
Desperate Housewives wasn't the first successful show Marcia has starred on. She had been in the business 20 years before DH came along, she's well established as a soap star. She's had a pretty great career already even if she were never to work again (which I doubt will be the case).
by Anonymous | reply 174 | August 12, 2013 5:19 PM |
Heather Menzies?
by Anonymous | reply 175 | August 12, 2013 5:28 PM |
Wow, R170. Thanks for posting that Timothy Bottoms interview. Absolutely fascinating.
by Anonymous | reply 176 | August 12, 2013 5:34 PM |
R16 In the old days no. Reaiduals were small. I THINK some of the stars of long running shows, the oncemwhomare making a half million or a million permisode, may be taking someon that money in the form of delayed residuals, so in their cases,if I am correct, yes.
by Anonymous | reply 177 | August 12, 2013 5:35 PM |
[quote]What happens to actors once they can no longer get roles?
They spontaneously ignite while simultaneously an angel loses his wings.
by Anonymous | reply 178 | August 12, 2013 5:36 PM |
Mark Wahlberg on 9/11: "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn’t have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don’t worry.'"
by Anonymous | reply 179 | August 12, 2013 5:46 PM |
I like Felicity Huffman but think Marcia Cross is more likely to resurface on TV for reasons R174 stated. And Felicity lacks Marcia's glamor.
Felicity should go back to theatre, where she started. I don't think she and Bill Macy are hurting for money.
by Anonymous | reply 180 | August 12, 2013 5:58 PM |
Didn't they lose some money to Madoff r180?
by Anonymous | reply 181 | August 12, 2013 7:31 PM |
R84 ?
by Anonymous | reply 182 | August 12, 2013 7:36 PM |
R181 that was Kevin Bacon and Kyra Segewick.
by Anonymous | reply 183 | August 22, 2013 6:15 AM |
If an actor appears in the credits but doesn't actually appear in that episode, does that actor get paid anyway? It seems that a lot of series regulars are not in an episode or two a year.
by Anonymous | reply 184 | August 22, 2013 12:08 PM |
bump for more WEHT stories. Who's selling real estate? Working in a bar/restaurant? Selling air conditioners at Sears?
by Anonymous | reply 185 | August 24, 2013 2:19 PM |
I wud like an answer to r184 question
by Anonymous | reply 186 | August 24, 2013 2:40 PM |
R184, it depends on the actor's deal. Although many series regulars are guaranteed "all shows produced" as part of their contract, many are not. "All shows produced" means exactly that: an actor gets paid for all shows produced in a season even if he doesn't appear in one or more of them.
Many actors, however, have a "10/13ths" or even "7/13ths" deal. That means that for every 13 episodes they are guaranteed to be in 10 or 7 of them. Thus for a regular 22 episode season order, they would be in a minimum of 17 (for 10/13) or 12 (for 7/13) episodes. Their names will still be in the credits as a regular, but they don't appear in the episode and don't get paid.
If, however, they're guaranteed 'all shows produced' and for whatever reason they're not in a particular episode, they still have to be paid. There is a question about whether they receive residuals for that episode, however... I'm not sure of the answer to that question.
by Anonymous | reply 187 | August 24, 2013 5:10 PM |
We rob a cleaners, do a soft-core porn flick, then OD. If we're lucky, our offspring will follow in our footsteps.
by Anonymous | reply 188 | August 24, 2013 5:38 PM |
The majority become alcoholic, slur incessantly about how the biz ate them up and spit them out, refer frequently to their 8 x 10 glossies and die.
Its an enchanted life.
by Anonymous | reply 189 | August 24, 2013 6:03 PM |
I gave flying my best shot.
by Anonymous | reply 190 | August 24, 2013 6:28 PM |
Fairly interesting link about child actors who have left the biz to pursue other interests. I didn't recognize all of them, but still.
So much for the idea that being regular on a TV series leaves you "set for life."
by Anonymous | reply 191 | August 30, 2013 10:21 PM |
Dancing With The Stars
by Anonymous | reply 192 | May 4, 2014 4:45 AM |
According to the Times this weekend, the actresses who are running out of work (late 20s to 40s) are copying Gwyneth and starting "lifestyle businesses". Gwyneth, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon. I think Jessica Alba might be legit. I saw her "all-natural" baby products on a big display at Target.
by Anonymous | reply 193 | November 15, 2014 7:05 AM |
How do actors receive residuals when most shows that aren't hit half-hour sitcoms don't go into syndication on cable TV anymore? And do they get residuals from streaming on Netflix/Hulu/Amazon?
by Anonymous | reply 194 | November 15, 2014 7:33 AM |
The smart actors and actresses bought real estate with their salaries, preferably in a down market, and paid it off ASAP. They also didn't buy 10,000 square foot mansions but bought reasonable houses in decent but not OTT neighborhoods to keep property taxes and upkeep costs low.
If they own their homes, they can feel reasonably comfortable they can manage without worrying about the next job for a while. or they can sell the home in an up market and use the profit to move to a cheaper area or out of state.
by Anonymous | reply 195 | November 15, 2014 7:43 AM |
I'd like to add to R194's question: if you appear in a movie, do you get residuals? And if you do, would that only apply if you're one of the main characters?
What about actors who only have a small role in a movie? Do they receive just a one off payment?
And what happens if a movie bombs? Do all the actors receive their full salary?
by Anonymous | reply 196 | November 15, 2014 8:02 AM |
Another question: why do some reasonably skilled and attractive actors get a few minor guest roles and then fall of the radar, and some barely competent actors pop up in everything? I'm thinking of someone like Traci Dinwiddie as Pamela Barnes in Supernatural. She was good in the role but seems to be only doing ultra low-budget indies now. Again, Dinwiddie was good in Nicole Conn's Elena Undone, but her co-star Necar Zadegan has gone on to have a much more high profile/mainstream career.
by Anonymous | reply 197 | November 15, 2014 9:25 AM |
Are you talking about Gale Harold as Brian Kinney in Queer As Folk?
by Anonymous | reply 198 | November 15, 2014 9:45 AM |
They go to Broadway and win a Tony.
by Anonymous | reply 199 | November 15, 2014 10:05 AM |
Twitter meltdown. Or, they keep working.
by Anonymous | reply 200 | November 15, 2014 10:35 AM |
OP might find the link below interesting.
It all is basically as others have said. Smart actors/entertainers get good financial advisors early and just as with anyone else begins planning from the first pay check for retirement be that forced or otherwise. Though not an actor Lace Bass IIRC took such advice which is why he is well off long after his boy band days are over.
by Anonymous | reply 201 | November 15, 2014 10:54 AM |
Residuals (f any) usually are negotiated as part of the contract. Where they are given the thing can provide income for decades.
by Anonymous | reply 202 | November 15, 2014 10:58 AM |
As to answer the OP's larger query, as usual there is a website devoted to supplying answers.
by Anonymous | reply 203 | November 15, 2014 10:59 AM |
That site reminds me of the old "Washed UpDate" newsletter, R203. Back in the 1990s, Greg Bulmash, an attempted actor, put out regular newsletters about old TV stars and where they were now. It was somewhat affiliated with the IMDb, too.
I wish I'd kept some of those. I seem to recall there was quite a bit of dirt in a few of those newsletters.
by Anonymous | reply 204 | November 15, 2014 11:13 AM |
An actor who's had a supporting role on a show for 10 seasons never has to work another day in his life.
Not living the high life, that is. Just living normally.
by Anonymous | reply 205 | November 15, 2014 11:15 AM |
Any idea what a supporting role on How to Get Away With Murder pays. Someone I know is on the show. I'd love to know but can't ask.
by Anonymous | reply 206 | November 15, 2014 11:41 AM |
R205, the late Ron Palillo did that, he lived in a nice house in Florida in an otherwise ordinary neighborhood. He was not in Tribeca or the Beverly Hills.
by Anonymous | reply 207 | November 15, 2014 11:59 AM |
Whoa, based on that fantastic site, I see how wrong I was about Ron!
by Anonymous | reply 208 | November 15, 2014 12:15 PM |
Let me put it this way OP. Have you ever heard of Jeff Conaway?
by Anonymous | reply 209 | November 15, 2014 12:24 PM |
Very soon, Sean Hayes will be able to tell you what happens
by Anonymous | reply 210 | November 15, 2014 12:38 PM |
Saw an interview with the actress who did the voice for "Wilma Flintstone". She said all the actors were given the choice of either slightly smaller pay but a percentage of residuals, or take the money upfront. They all chose the former as they assumed the Flintstone cartoon would not be around long.
The actress made some sort of gesture or whatever as if to say "boy were we wrong". *LOL*
Not only are the Flintstones still broadcast USA/worldwide there is or was VHS, comic books, and other merchandise. Just think of all the money they lost.
Since we all love Bewitched it is good to know Elizabeth Montgomery got a piece of the action. Am assuming her estate and thus by extension heirs are still getting regular checks.
R204
Wasn't that site great!
Richard Grieco of 21 Jump Street was the hot Italian Stallion of that time as supposed to be going places. That kid "The Situation" needs to read up on the history of television show "hunks" and how they often end up.
Ron Palillo was totally a class act. He may be on that "washed-up" site, but the man was hardly that. He lead a happy, busy and rewarding both personal and professional life. Often wondered what happened to the guy after Welcome Back Kotter, and never pegged him as gay. Am so happy he managed to find someone to settle down with and that they had >40 years together.
by Anonymous | reply 211 | November 15, 2014 1:31 PM |
R211, part of Grieco's problem is that he never did any work to show that he even had any chops (which he doesn't). I know Jumpstreet was a drama, but unlike Depp, I don't remember Grieco doing anything special acting wise. Looking good will get you in the door, but you have got to show that you are more than a body if you want a shot at the long term. Especially when the face and body start to go south.
Plus, I heard he was an arrogant as hell for no reason. People don't have too much patience for that shit.
by Anonymous | reply 212 | November 15, 2014 1:42 PM |
Fabulous! I me, working for tips.
by Anonymous | reply 213 | November 15, 2014 2:30 PM |
They learn how to cook meth.
by Anonymous | reply 214 | November 15, 2014 5:06 PM |
[quote] Any idea what a supporting role on How to Get Away With Murder pays. Someone I know is on the show. I'd love to know but can't ask.
My guess is $25k. It could be around 40k per episode if the actor you know has been in the business a long time.
by Anonymous | reply 215 | November 16, 2014 12:05 AM |
I read that Andy Samberg from SNL recently bought a house in LA for 6 or 7 million. Unless he comes from family money, I think he'll probably end up selling that a few years from now. I can't imagine SNL residuals and the lead role on Brooklyn99 pays for that.
by Anonymous | reply 216 | November 16, 2014 11:46 PM |
Can someone please explain Andy Samberg's appeal? I don't understand it.
by Anonymous | reply 217 | November 17, 2014 12:02 AM |
Some of the hit cable shows really don't pay well at all, and they do 13 episodes a year instead of 22-26. It's trendy to want to be a star on a cable show, but network shows pay much better.
by Anonymous | reply 218 | November 17, 2014 1:04 AM |
They take them out back and shoot them.
by Anonymous | reply 219 | November 17, 2014 1:09 AM |
[quote]Not living the high life, that is. Just living normally.
That may be the problem for most of them in a nutshell.
I know a guy who did a commercial several years ago. Nothing special, not a huge product, pretty run of the mill. They called him back and he did a series of commercials for them.
He invested some of the money and also bought himself a house. A nice house but nothing fancy, and not in California or any other overpriced real estate mecca. He also did some traveling. Again, in his own modest way. No 5-star hotels or resorts, just some places he always wanted to see.
After about three years, he got a call from the people who did the commercial. He went back and did some more commercials for them.
He says he'll never have to work again if he doesn't want to.
by Anonymous | reply 220 | November 17, 2014 1:24 AM |
R218, You are right. Unless you are one of the leads, even if the show is a hit, you don't make that much money on cable. I know the leads on the Sopranos, Mad Men and True Blood made really good money, but the supporting were not making anything close to what the leads made. But then, unless you pull a Michael Pitt, the leads have much more bargaining power than a supporting player.
by Anonymous | reply 221 | November 17, 2014 1:43 AM |
Rumors are Jon Hamm, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgard earned 275k for Mad Men and True Blood. Good salaries but for 13 eps every year or 18 months.
For 22 or 23 eps per year, Simon Baker on the Mentalist makes about 300k per ep, the leads on Grey's Anatomy (including Christina Oh until she left) make 350k, Mariska on Law And Order, 400k, Mark Harmon on NCIS makes about 550k per week, and the Big Bang Theory actors just got bumped up to 1 million per episode.
The longtime supporting actors on shows like Grey's and NCIS do very well. Some make around 200k an ep.
The two leads on Bones make about 250k per ep and that show is in its 10th year. David Boreanaz is the prime example of an actor who, betweeen Buffy/Angel/Bones, should never have to work again if he doesn't want to.
by Anonymous | reply 222 | November 17, 2014 2:02 AM |
Clarification: Hamm, et al, didn't start out at 275k salary, but those were their salary ranges by the latter seasons.
by Anonymous | reply 223 | November 17, 2014 2:07 AM |
I believe Katee Sackhoff made approx 35k per week for Battlestar Galactica, even though she had third billing in the credits behind Olmos and McDonnell. I thought she would have made more. Maybe they lowballed her because she was so young and it was her first big role, or was that a normal cable TV salary?
by Anonymous | reply 224 | November 17, 2014 2:10 AM |
35 K a week even for a 13 episode show is half a mil a season.
by Anonymous | reply 225 | November 17, 2014 2:13 AM |
r220, it's true a lot of actors live beyond their means when they're on top because they think it'll never end. And they get lots of free stuff while they're hot. They don't get those freebies anymore when they fall out of favor, so that's more money out of their pockets they have to spend when they're making less money.
by Anonymous | reply 226 | November 17, 2014 2:17 AM |
r225, that's not even close to what someone who had her equivalent place/lead in the credits on a network show would be making. It may be a high number to normal people, but it's not a high number for TV.
by Anonymous | reply 227 | November 17, 2014 2:20 AM |
R227 - Yes, it is low compared to what the stars of The Big bang Theory are getting, but it ain't bad pay.
by Anonymous | reply 228 | November 17, 2014 2:24 AM |
The highest paid actor on The Walking Dead, Andrew Lincoln, was making $90,000 per episode until this season, much less than a network lead would be paid. The supporting actors made much less than he did, but are making more for this season and next with their new deal, as is Lincoln.
by Anonymous | reply 229 | November 17, 2014 2:24 AM |
You can always become a shill for Fox News.
by Anonymous | reply 230 | November 17, 2014 2:28 AM |
r228, the latter part of this discussion has been about the salaries of cable TV vs the salaries of network TV. It's not a matter of it being bad pay, it's a matter of it being less pay across the board even though a role on cable is often seen as more prestigious.
by Anonymous | reply 231 | November 17, 2014 2:31 AM |
Someone was saying there is more opportunity for guest spots because there are more channels, but that's deceiving, because so many celebrities do guest roles now. So, in many instances, actors in the guest star category have now been bumped down to the co-star category, and those originally in the co-star category have been bumped down further, etc.
That said , how much typically does a celebrity get to guest star on a show? Whether it's SVU, Will & Grace, In Treatment, Hot in Cleveland, etc. No doubt it varies but what is the general range?
by Anonymous | reply 232 | November 17, 2014 2:32 AM |
There are a precious few shows where the actors have made what is known as "fuck you money." In other words, enough to retire on.
Friends, Big Bang, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, maybe Will and Grace are some obvious ones that, between payrolls and syndication, are there.
But yeah, I think that, say, Dr. Bailey or Karev from Grey's shoulda been socking away their money in savings.
by Anonymous | reply 233 | November 17, 2014 2:35 AM |
It's also key to remember that for many of these actors, every year they make $500K is balanced out by many years when they're lucky to make $50K.
Figure $2M in the bank at the end of a successful run: at 3% interest, that's only $60K/year, at 5% it's $100K
If the actor is in LA, that's not a whole lot of money. Especially since they have to spend money to keep up appearances etc. If they have a family, it's even less.
So yeah, it's a tough business, made even tougher by the fact that they never know what they'll be doing or how much they'll be earning from week to week - makes it hard to plan.
by Anonymous | reply 234 | November 17, 2014 2:39 AM |
r233: Actually, Dr. Bailey is one of the lucky ones with fuck-you money. She makes almost 200k a week now. She's been on the show for 10 years. Do the math. Even if she started at, say, 30-40k in 2004, she was making 125k by 2007. Grey's isn't going anywhere for a couple of years, either, and has made syndication and foreign sales money, too.
by Anonymous | reply 235 | November 17, 2014 2:43 AM |
"That said , how much typically does a celebrity get to guest star on a show? Whether it's SVU, Will & Grace, In Treatment, Hot in Cleveland, etc. No doubt it varies but what is the general range?"
What do you mean by a celebrity? Are you talking a movie star who makes one guest appearance, or someone like Halle Berry who does a short series like Extant? the salaries are definitely going to vary.
by Anonymous | reply 236 | November 17, 2014 2:59 AM |
r 222, I saw those numbers too (TV Guide, I think), but those were from a few years ago, from maybe even based on the previous season. I can only image what they were making after that, especially since some of the contracts were up for renegotiation. Plus, I had no idea until about a year ago that some of these stars also get "bonuses" in the form of cash, cars, etc. Probably some tax dodge. Plus, Hamm has money for all those Infinity voiceovers and Skarsgard has some CK/fashion campaigns. Doesn't Claire Danes have some make-up commercials? Plus, actors get tons of money for appearances at various events. That is not even including the money they make on movies they do during their hiatus.
Regardless, whether you are riding high or not, I would always act like it might be my last gig and not buy a 6-7 million dollar house like that chick from the OC, even though she was making good money and it was really popular at the time. What is she doing now? The house is in foreclosure.
by Anonymous | reply 237 | November 17, 2014 3:00 AM |
"It's not a matter of it being bad pay, it's a matter of it being less pay across the board even though a role on cable is often seen as more prestigious."
Exactly. And over the long term, those 13 episode seasons represent a lot of lost salary during an actor's prime years, especially for a supporting role. Which leads back to the OPs question: What happens when these actors no longer get roles? What happens is the ones who starred on 13 episode shows usually have a lot less money to work with than those who starred on 22-24 episode shows.
by Anonymous | reply 238 | November 17, 2014 3:03 AM |
237, those are 2014 salary numbers from a variety of sources.
by Anonymous | reply 239 | November 17, 2014 3:04 AM |
By "guest appearance" I mean guest appearance. Like how much would Sharon Stone have collected for her stint on SVU, or Will & Grace?
And shows like the above which make/made a habit of using celebrity guest stars - what was their general budget?
by Anonymous | reply 240 | November 17, 2014 3:05 AM |
Will and Grace probably paid pretty well. That was a different time, network TV still had money back then.
Nowadays nothing really pays particularly well supposedly.
by Anonymous | reply 241 | November 17, 2014 3:10 AM |
If you're Salma Hayek, you marry a multibillionaire (François-Henri Pinault). Go Salma!
by Anonymous | reply 242 | November 17, 2014 3:12 AM |
"Nowadays nothing really pays particularly well supposedly."
Uh, wrong.
by Anonymous | reply 243 | November 17, 2014 3:12 AM |
R242 Jamie Gertz didn't do too badly either. I forget what her husband does but he's seriously rich.
by Anonymous | reply 244 | November 17, 2014 3:14 AM |
Timothy Van Patten starred on "The White Shadow" in the late 70s but has now been a director on virtually every HBO series this decade and last. He's won a couple of Emmys for directing.
by Anonymous | reply 245 | November 17, 2014 3:17 AM |
R241 I know the main 4 eventually got a shitload (600k an sp) but I still wonder about the guest stars. Or how much the parents (Debbie Reynolds/Sydney Pollack etc) got. Or how much people like Rob and Ellen got paid - they're kind of the "working TV actor" types I think a lot of people here are talking about.
by Anonymous | reply 246 | November 17, 2014 3:18 AM |
Courtney Cox said she was working on her real estate license when she got the roll for Cougartown.
by Anonymous | reply 247 | November 17, 2014 3:19 AM |
Jonathan Frakes, Commander Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation, is also a regularly working TV director.
by Anonymous | reply 248 | November 17, 2014 3:20 AM |
CC is a houseflipper, R247. I doubt she needed it for new income.
by Anonymous | reply 249 | November 17, 2014 3:22 AM |
My guess would be Rob and Ellen probably made like 3 thousand per episode.
by Anonymous | reply 250 | November 17, 2014 3:23 AM |
R250 you think that's it? Isn't that scale?
by Anonymous | reply 251 | November 17, 2014 3:25 AM |
The people I wonder about are the actors who are on the CW shows. A lot of them film in Atlanta so people have to move there and maybe pay double rent and stuff.
Ian Somerhalder only made like 30K an episode I read and he is like the biggest star. The others must make very little after expenses.
by Anonymous | reply 252 | November 17, 2014 3:28 AM |
Don't forget that even the actor who gets 1 or 2 roles a year has to pay a commission to an agent. Many regularly working actors also have managers, publicists, attorneys who take part of the actor's salary, too. And the actor has to pay taxes, of course.
by Anonymous | reply 253 | November 17, 2014 3:31 AM |
Yes, actors do pay taxes but if one recalls many now set up production or some sort of company. This allows many things to become expensed and or tax deductible.
by Anonymous | reply 254 | November 17, 2014 3:33 AM |
The CW has to put them up in living quarters during filming and a per diem. Some may buy a house, like Katie Holmes did in Wilmington during Dawson's. But that was strictly for long term investments.
Look at someone on a CW show, like DL fave Colton Haynes. He probably makes about 15K an episodes, but the free shit he gets (clothes, leases, travel) is a great supplement.
by Anonymous | reply 255 | November 17, 2014 3:33 AM |
[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]
by Anonymous | reply 256 | November 17, 2014 3:34 AM |
R253 yeah - that's the one thing that sucks about being at all famous - you sure ant underreport your salary. :)
by Anonymous | reply 257 | November 17, 2014 3:35 AM |
True r253 plus the unions get a cut too. 2% to the union, 5 to the manager 10 to the agent, I don't know what the lawyer gets, plus 37% to the IRS, that is like 54% gone off the top.
by Anonymous | reply 258 | November 17, 2014 3:36 AM |
r240, an actor/actress who posted on this thread last year - see r84 - and beyond said this about guest star pay:
'top of show' -- the prevailing rate most actors are paid to guest on a series -- is about $7,500 for an hour long show and $4,800 for a half hour. I think. I can never keep those numbers in my head. Cable is less than that. Many shows will absolutely not 'break top' (pay more than top of show). But some will. I usually break top. But I have guested on shows at top of show if I really want to do the show.
by Anonymous | reply 259 | November 17, 2014 3:36 AM |
[QUOTE] And the actor has to pay taxes, of course.
This is a very key fact many on this thread overlook.
You can do "income averaging" to factor in the lean years, but if you're pulling down $750K/year on a show, you're also likely paying close to half of that in taxes. And as R253 said, there's an agent, a publicist, an attorney, a social media person (if the publicist doesn't handle that) and a financial manager - someone who handles your money for you since paying bills while shooting on location isn't easy (unless you have a spouse who remains home in LA)
by Anonymous | reply 260 | November 17, 2014 3:37 AM |
The free stuff an actor gets is a great supplement for now, but not later. A great collection of free shoes don't pay the mortgage.
by Anonymous | reply 261 | November 17, 2014 3:38 AM |
R258 plus if you really want to get anywhere these days - especially if you want to get continual exposure between projects - you really must have a good publicist. Some have more then one. And they charges fucking Kings Ransom - 10K a month minimum.
You have to try to guess if it's worth the investment - certainly many have gotten a lot of fashion/cosmetic deals and paid appearances because their publicists make sure they're in all the magazines (both the Life and Style and the vogue/bazaar level).
by Anonymous | reply 262 | November 17, 2014 3:42 AM |
I wonder if r84 is Valerie Cherish.
by Anonymous | reply 263 | November 17, 2014 3:42 AM |
Some people tried to guess who he/she was, but IIRC he/she said he/she figured that would happen so he/she fudged the details of the resume a little bit.
by Anonymous | reply 264 | November 17, 2014 3:48 AM |
He/she wrote: "I purposefully left things vague or even misleading enough to make figuring out who I am nearly impossible."
The guesses were Bai Ling and Jeri Ryan for some reason. r84 said he/she wishes he/she were Bai Ling.
by Anonymous | reply 265 | November 17, 2014 3:51 AM |
They wished to be Bai Ling? That's odd. Bai Ling was on the roof after all.
by Anonymous | reply 266 | November 17, 2014 3:54 AM |
[quote]Cable is less than that.
Cable still has to pay SAG-Aftra rates.
by Anonymous | reply 267 | November 17, 2014 3:55 AM |
[quote]Ian Somerhalder only made like 30K an episode I read and he is like the biggest star.
That's no doubt only for the first season. Salaries go up. I guarantee you he is making much more than that now.
Tom Welling started off making ~30k and ended up making 175k an episode for Smallville.
by Anonymous | reply 268 | November 17, 2014 3:57 AM |
Those drama shows are grueling though. My friend dated a girl on one and they broke up because he never saw her. She would be gone like 16 hours a day.
by Anonymous | reply 269 | November 17, 2014 4:00 AM |
"Cable still has to pay SAG-Aftra rates."
The pay rates differ for network and cable, just like they differ in pay for 30 minute show, 60 minute show, and miniseries. The rates also differ on cable for writers and directors. The unions are all going to have to address this disparity next time bargaining comes up, especially with Amazon and Netflix getting in the game and wanting things done as cheaply as possible.
by Anonymous | reply 270 | November 17, 2014 4:05 AM |
Which is still a pittance compared to some actors on the big 3, or 4 networks, R268.
It's crap.
It's even more shitty considering Smallville was on for 10 fucking years!!
The CW actors get screwed, for sure.
by Anonymous | reply 271 | November 17, 2014 4:07 AM |
I read Kristen Johnston's book and she said her 3rd Rock money didn't last and she had to go back to work.
by Anonymous | reply 272 | November 17, 2014 4:10 AM |
I have started watching Disney/Nickelodeon with my niece when she comes over and am surprised how many former tv stars pop up on those shows.
by Anonymous | reply 273 | November 17, 2014 4:12 AM |
Tom Welling was a nobody model who was more of a look than a real actor and became a famous name who made many millions from Smallville.
I don't see that he got screwed.
Yes the payscale is not the highest on the CW. Everyone knows that. They are also hiring actors who are nobodies who could never command a high salary in the first place. If you are a young, pretty face trying to make it in the industry you are still dreaming of landing that CW role.
by Anonymous | reply 274 | November 17, 2014 4:18 AM |
[quote]you are still dreaming of landing that CW role.
and then never working again afterwards.
by Anonymous | reply 275 | November 17, 2014 4:22 AM |
Erin Gray, who had roles on Buck Rogers and Silver Spoons, still acts occasionally. But her main business is running a booking agency for sci-fi stars who attend conventions. She started with her Buck Rogers costar and now represents a lot of actors from genre shows. From what I understand, her office negotiates their contracts with convention runners, makes sure the actors get everything promised, and takes a commission of their convention fees. I've always thought that was a really interesting transition for an actor. She saw a niche and filled it.
by Anonymous | reply 276 | November 17, 2014 4:22 AM |
Infomercials. Supermarket openings. Movie Classics cruises.
by Anonymous | reply 277 | November 17, 2014 4:22 AM |
When was the last time an actual infomercial aired?
by Anonymous | reply 278 | November 17, 2014 4:29 AM |
David Hyde Pierce sold his house for about twice the money he paid for it several years after Frazier finished and work slowed down for him. Made a few million in profit.
by Anonymous | reply 279 | November 17, 2014 4:32 AM |
[quote]Frazier finished and work slowed down for him.
actually he moved to New York and has worked pretty steadily in the theatah!!!
by Anonymous | reply 280 | November 17, 2014 4:36 AM |
[quote]What happens to actors once they can no longer get roles?
They get rolls.
by Anonymous | reply 281 | November 17, 2014 4:51 AM |
They get "rolls"
by Anonymous | reply 282 | November 17, 2014 4:55 AM |
6 weeks in Chicago on Broadway
by Anonymous | reply 283 | November 17, 2014 4:58 AM |
"I read Kristen Johnston's book and she said her 3rd Rock money didn't last and she had to go back to work."
Habitual drinking and drugs add up, moneywise. Plus most people are less likely to get hired with those habits.
by Anonymous | reply 284 | November 17, 2014 5:06 AM |
R284 they're also less likely to get hired if they look like Kristen Johnston.
by Anonymous | reply 285 | November 17, 2014 5:13 AM |
The Walking Dead folks are ridiculously underpaid, from actors to producers. That show is doing old-school network type numbers on cable(not the "two million viewers in the right demo so we can call it a hit!" numbers). I think they got a raise recently. It probably wasn't big enough.
by Anonymous | reply 286 | November 17, 2014 5:14 AM |
good point, r285.
by Anonymous | reply 287 | November 17, 2014 5:21 AM |
I wonder also, I have a friend on fb, we used to hang out at music venues, he used to play in a band and then he moved out to LA to pursue an acting career but I don't know how he survives. He has a family too. I think he made money in real estate before it crashed. He does voice over work, for games etc. He also appeared in a few episodes in a new show.
Another person I used to know, he studied acting in college and went out to LA to "make it" but he didn't. He appeared in a few episodes of a few sitcoms etc. He now teaches acting in some university somewhere.
by Anonymous | reply 288 | November 17, 2014 5:31 AM |
A few go over to the other side as agents or (more commonly) personal managers. They can leverage whatever connections they still have from the biz plus it's a lot more lucrative then teaching acting.
Although I almost did a spit take when I read somewhere that Richard Kline (Larry from Three's Company) teaches acting somewhere in New Jersey. I'm half-tempted to seek it out and go.
by Anonymous | reply 289 | November 17, 2014 7:47 AM |
R260, the IRS quit allowing "income averaging" in the 90s. Only farmers can do it now.
by Anonymous | reply 290 | November 17, 2014 8:12 AM |
bim,p
by Anonymous | reply 291 | November 17, 2014 8:13 AM |
The women usually just marry some rich guy.
by Anonymous | reply 292 | November 17, 2014 8:18 AM |
I have nothing to add to this topic. Sorry.
by Anonymous | reply 293 | November 17, 2014 8:20 AM |
r260
No one in the US pays half of their income in taxes. That's just ridiculous. The US has a marginal tax rate. They pay the same marginal rate that everyone else does for lower levels of income and it only gets to 35-39% at $405,000. Look at the link below.
On the first $406,750, people making that much pay $118,118.75 - that's a 29% average tax rate on that amount. They then pay 39% for the excess.
With deductions for mortgage payments (you can deduct 1 MILLION per year), plus retirement income protection, state taxes, etc. ,people find plenty of ways to shelter much of that income.
You don't even need an accountant to figure that out. You just read the IRS brochures.
by Anonymous | reply 294 | November 17, 2014 8:30 AM |
thank you R61 from 3 years ago! Never too late to appreciate a funny youtube! Are you still alive by the way?
by Anonymous | reply 295 | November 17, 2014 8:31 AM |
R294, no one is saying that they pay half of their income in taxes. They are saying that deductions for taxes, lawyers, agents, publicists and all the rest--aggregated-- leaves them with 50% or less.
by Anonymous | reply 296 | November 17, 2014 8:38 AM |
r294 if you had read the rest of the thread you would have realized that we are adding the manager, agent, lawyer, and union percentages (another 17%) onto the tax rate
by Anonymous | reply 297 | November 17, 2014 8:40 AM |
Well, R297, the author of that post was obviously misinformed or had an inability to transfer his thoughts to the written word and only scored a 380 on his English SATs and was condemned to 5 years at Missoula, Montana Community College.
by Anonymous | reply 298 | November 17, 2014 8:45 AM |
Glue factory.
by Anonymous | reply 299 | November 17, 2014 9:00 AM |
R296 and R297, check your own reading comprehension, especially you R296 with your alleged 800 SAT score.
As you can clearly read in my post, I responded to R260 who in fact did say that actors pay "close to half of that in taxes" in additon to other payments to agents and such. So the claim that "no one is saying" that they pay half of their taxes is not quite accurate.
But even taking on your own premises, if you read my actual post, an actor making $406,750 in AGI (in 2014) would pay 29%. An actor making $750.000 would pay the SAME tax on the first $406,750. Again, that is ADJUSTED gross income, so the deductions for mortgage, state income taxes, and all sorts of professional expenses -- including those agent fees -- are deductible.
So your math doesn't add up either. One does not pay taxes on top of all those other expenses, as those expenses become further deductions for taxes.
In other words, it is very easy for an actor making $750,000 to reduce that by a substantial amount and not pay more than a third of income tax, with all of their other expenses and fees related to their work reducing their AGI even further.
Back to school for both of you.
by Anonymous | reply 300 | November 17, 2014 9:40 AM |
r300 deeply needs to be right
(and they are limits to deductions)
by Anonymous | reply 301 | November 17, 2014 9:48 AM |
there^^^
by Anonymous | reply 302 | November 17, 2014 9:50 AM |
R2 , R22 : Update on Matt Keeslar:
From Wikipedia, with URL below —
[quote]He graduated Phi Beta Kappa [sic] from Reed College with a biology degree in May 2014."
I saw the "Frank Herbert's Dune" miniseries (2000) and found him rather cute and sexy there.
by Anonymous | reply 303 | November 17, 2014 9:52 AM |
r301, he happens to actually be right.
He's right that it's not taxes on top of fees and expenses, even with limits the fees and expenses also add up to deductions. And he's right about the overstatement about how much the rich pay in taxes. Someone making half a million in AGI (after deductions) pays on average about a third.
Since when has DL become a weeping ground for the rich? We all know that they find creative ways to reduce their taxes.
by Anonymous | reply 304 | November 17, 2014 9:59 AM |
I've known a few actors.
Most never get to live off their wages from acting. The few that do it's only for a few years. Otherwise it is back to the real world in furniture factories or waiting tables etc. You can't really sustain acting and a proper career. So it's only when you chuck it in you go on to nursing or teaching etc. Real jobs are draining.
This is from someone who got dragged into school/amature dramatics because I had a big voice with knack for learning lines and carrying a tune. I'd do 2 minor speaking parts and another 2-3 walk on scenes. I hated every minute of performing, but I liked the camaradere.
by Anonymous | reply 305 | November 17, 2014 10:09 AM |
R301 / R297, you were the one who first "corrected" me rather than reading the post I responded to.
I think you're talking about yourself.
As for limits to deductions, it's not what you think. Again, you forget the limit on mortgage deductions is $1M. So if you paid $100,000 in mortgage interest in 2014 and made $500,000, you would knock your income down to $400,000 and put you in the 29% tax bracket.
Yes, you had to pay $100,000 in interest, but because you would have been a higher tax bracket, you're effectively getting 35%-39% subsidized as you would have paid taxes on that amount of your income but for your deduction.
Think of it this way: For a poor actor who is making $50,000 and paying $5,000 in mortgage interest, he could reduce his income to $45,000 because of that same deduction. So true he would also pay less tax being in the 25% tax bracket, so instead of paying $1,250 on that extra $5,000 he gets that subsidized for his mortgage with his deduction. But the richer person gets a bigger effective subsidy for being in a higher tax bracket. It's the perk of being wealthy.
Not quite fair is it.
by Anonymous | reply 306 | November 17, 2014 10:10 AM |
[quote]Look what happened to SWF.
What did happen to her?
She was hardly anonymous, having revealed to DL things like having been Kevin Nealon's girlfriend, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 307 | November 17, 2014 10:28 AM |
Agree with r231 about the disparity in money on the networks vs cable. Joss Whedon was often asked by fans why he wouldn't pitch a series to cable, since the perception was that Fox/UPN/WB were always jerking his shows over and he'd have more freedom on cable. He said there's no comparison in the money/show budgets from networks and the money in cable.
After the Avengers movie, he probably could have gotten whatever show he wanted on cable. He went to ABC with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
by Anonymous | reply 308 | November 17, 2014 10:38 AM |
R11
[quote]But an actor like Billy Batts/Phil will get small roles as a mobster in a few films, but that's about it.
No, he stars in lots of crappy direct-to-DVD gangster movies, usually alongside fellow Sopranos cast members like the guy who played Big Pussy. Take a look at his IMDB page.
by Anonymous | reply 309 | November 17, 2014 10:41 AM |
[quote]Erin Gray, who had roles on Buck Rogers and Silver Spoons, still acts occasionally. But her main business is running a booking agency for sci-fi stars who attend conventions. She started with her Buck Rogers costar and now represents a lot of actors from genre shows.[/quote]
That sounds like a cool job.
by Anonymous | reply 310 | November 17, 2014 10:43 AM |
Yeah but she asked us to not name names, R307, because she didn't want her true identity said out loud, as it were. Then someone started a nasty thread about her and it was removed, but from then on she posted anon.
That said, I don't think she posted here anon for very long. And she doesn't post here now... well, you know.
by Anonymous | reply 311 | November 17, 2014 10:50 AM |
According to Keanu Reeves, he doesn't get offered studio movies anymore. Obviously he should have enough money from The Matrix to live off forever, but I would be curious to know what his salary is for independent movies. He's also trying to get something going on television, whether he's producing or planning to star, I can't remember. Seems like a lot of movie-only actors are trying to get into television now, either through creating shows or acting in them.
by Anonymous | reply 312 | November 17, 2014 10:55 AM |
R312 47 Ronin wasn't a studio movie?
by Anonymous | reply 313 | November 17, 2014 11:00 AM |
I find it ironic that someone like Jenna Elfman is still recognized as Dharma, but doesn't work that much. But nobody remembers who the hell played Greg, but he's been a supporting cast member on Criminal Minds for 10 years. So he had two successful series and is probably set. (But anonymously set.)
by Anonymous | reply 314 | November 17, 2014 11:00 AM |
R306 and other - regardless of who is right, I think the original point was that the actor takes home a lot less than you'd think - whether that's 50% less or 30% less - and that there's only a limited time to bank what they are making - they may make $500K for four years and then back to $50K
But since you seem to know a lot about taxes - what happens to actors working on shows that film in Canada? Do they have to pay both Canadian and American taxes on their income?
And aren't California state taxes among the highest in the US?
by Anonymous | reply 315 | November 17, 2014 11:00 AM |
R312 , might you know what's the reason for Keanu Reeves not getting studio movies anymore?
by Anonymous | reply 316 | November 17, 2014 11:03 AM |
r313, it was a studio movie but was a massive flop. I assume that was the beginning of his not getting offers anymore.
by Anonymous | reply 317 | November 17, 2014 11:03 AM |
r316, I think it's nothing more than he's considered bankable like he was. His last string of movies weren't high grossing.
No one will say it, but Matt Damon is currently in the same situation. I think that's why he and Paul Greengrass are finally open to another Bourne movie, and why his production company with Affleck is jumping into a lot more TV production.
by Anonymous | reply 318 | November 17, 2014 11:10 AM |
Speaking of Thomas Gibson (Gregg as in D&G)there is this little tidbit which helps shed light on actor's wages.
by Anonymous | reply 319 | November 17, 2014 11:18 AM |
Thanks, R318. Matt Damon will have to work out, IMO. Elysium is where I first noticed that he was heavier. That film attained success, but seems to have been a team and ensemble effort this time.
by Anonymous | reply 320 | November 17, 2014 11:21 AM |
I know someone who has a supporting role on a CBS show. Not sure what the correct term is, but they're in almost every episode although they don't do much heavy lifting.
Anyway, they took the job convinced the show would be a flop. It was supposed to be good money for a few months and then back home to their real life with some bills paid and money in the bank. Much to their surprise the show is a hit, and now they're stuck in LA with a contract to do this for several more years.
That great paycheck isn't so great when it means maintaining a vacant house on the other side of the country, completely disrupting their life, putting their "real" career on hold, and spending their days sitting around waiting to give their 3 lines per episode.
Rich people's problems, I know, and there's 10,000 actors who would kill to be in that position, but I mention it just to point out that the money isn't everything when you're doing the math on this.
by Anonymous | reply 321 | November 17, 2014 11:26 AM |
Matt Damon is really an excellent character actor who, when he was younger, looked like a movie star. I think he'll go through a bit of a lull in his career, wise up, and then get endless powerful supporting roles through his 50s, 60s and beyond.
by Anonymous | reply 322 | November 17, 2014 11:32 AM |
r321, your acquaintance should be counting his blessing every single day. Most actors would kill for a steady paying gig like that.
"putting their "real" career on hold"? What real career is that? And why can't he put his vacant house on airbnb?
by Anonymous | reply 323 | November 17, 2014 11:37 AM |
Here's another part to this: what do actors do when they're not working? The ones who have enough money not to have to wait tables?
Do they just get drunk all day or work out or are they constantly scrambling for that next gig, reading scripts, learning lines and auditioning? Or does auditioning only happen a certain time of year, when people are putting pilots together?
by Anonymous | reply 324 | November 17, 2014 11:39 AM |
If R321 is talking about the actor I think he is, the real career will be waiting when the show is over. I know you're only young once but seriously, get the money now and go back to the "real" career later. I don't think doing TV is as big of a hit to someone's reputation as it used to be, anyway.
by Anonymous | reply 325 | November 17, 2014 11:49 AM |
OK, may we be filled in? Why all the mystery?
by Anonymous | reply 326 | November 17, 2014 12:09 PM |
r315, I'm not an expert on Canadian taxes, but the US is notorious as one of the few countries in the world to tax citizens for income earned abroad. Even the US excludes some income for full-time foreign residents and gives tax-credit to avoid double taxation. Canada most likley does not double-tax its citizens.
But back to the main point.... It is still BIZARRE to be bludgeoning this point that people who get paid a huge salary don't get to keep it, or to suggest that they have to pay so much more than taxes. Very few people have their income structured so that they get to keep all of it.
Yes, many actors might argue that they need to live at a higher standard of living in a secure property, etc., if they're "stars", so they can't live like ordinary people and save the rest for later. But someone making $750K has far much more than 10 times the earning power of someone who makes $75K. They have more money to invest, more to save, and their fees and costs of doing business are above-the-line deductions (so not subject to limitations for other deductions). People with small incomes live on credit and have to control their spending just to save, much less invest.
I have much more sympathy for a Broadway performer who does a show for a year and makes $150K and then goes to a year auditioning for smaller shows. And I have even more sympathy for an actor who struggles and is grateful for a commercial and an off-broadway gig.
by Anonymous | reply 327 | November 17, 2014 12:23 PM |
r324, it depends on the actor. Some use the time off to spend with their families or start families. Some believe in "strike while the iron's hot" and are always trying to get another role. Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother was auditioning for pilots before How I Met Your Mother was over, and she made and still makes loads of money from that show. (She was cast in a pilot earlier this year, but it didn't move on to series.)
Auditions occur year-round, but pilot season is January to April.
by Anonymous | reply 328 | November 17, 2014 12:26 PM |
R321 Tell Swoosie we said hi!
by Anonymous | reply 329 | November 17, 2014 12:27 PM |
R321 sounds like he's talking about Barrett Foa.
by Anonymous | reply 330 | November 17, 2014 12:28 PM |
r321's post: There are actually a number of actors who fit this description, especially on CBS procedurals new and old, so I'm not going to bother trying to figure out which one it is. Nice story, r321, - sorry people are trying to dig so much for the person in it.
by Anonymous | reply 331 | November 17, 2014 12:32 PM |
James Wolk is the new Allyson Hannigan.
by Anonymous | reply 332 | November 17, 2014 12:34 PM |
[quote]Here's another part to this: what do actors do when they're not working? The ones who have enough money not to have to wait tables?
[quote]Do they just get drunk all day or work out or are they constantly scrambling for that next gig, reading scripts, learning lines and auditioning? Or does auditioning only happen a certain time of year, when people are putting pilots together?
They are probably learning lines on their days off and other prep work before filming shows or movies. Some actors working on cable shows have more time to do movies and they are probably auditioning on days off or sending in tapes. Some actors do modeling work or voice work for audiobooks, commercials, documentaries etc in addition to tv and movie work.
Filming for pilot season is mostly done during the spring. Actors can be hired for pilots months before filming.
by Anonymous | reply 333 | November 17, 2014 12:46 PM |
There is truth to what r324 is asking, lets not pretend otherwise R333.
When an actor who has a say a television project that is in hiatus from shooting or an actor has some downtime between projects there is plenty of lounging around the house, binging on series/movies, drinking/weed etc. What you would imagine a lot of people would do if they weren't currently working.
by Anonymous | reply 334 | November 17, 2014 12:50 PM |
R324 We get wrecked, then we eat a pork pie, then we drop a couple of Surmontil-50's, so we miss out Monday but come up smiling Tuesday morning.
by Anonymous | reply 335 | November 17, 2014 1:07 PM |
[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]
by Anonymous | reply 336 | November 18, 2014 12:14 AM |
What happens to actors once they can no longer get roles?
You get a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and a trip to the Actor's Fund home.
by Anonymous | reply 337 | November 18, 2014 12:30 AM |
I am a 50 yr-old who works a 9-5 type job. I have a lot of vacation time piled up because if I have nothing specific to do or somewhere to be I get bored after a while. I can't imagine having so much free time, like these wealthy actors who say they will take a year off to recharge. What do you do all day?
by Anonymous | reply 338 | November 18, 2014 12:37 AM |
What do you do all day?
trophy care can be surprisingly time consuming r338.
by Anonymous | reply 339 | November 18, 2014 12:40 AM |
R338, I imagine that I'd just be on DL all day.
by Anonymous | reply 340 | November 18, 2014 12:42 AM |
For women, it's all maintenance. Hours in a gym with a trainer, dermatology sessions, mani/pedi. I saw JLo once and she did look hot. All turned out. No normal woman can devote the time needed for that. It's their job.
by Anonymous | reply 341 | November 18, 2014 12:45 AM |
I'm sure Jennifer Lopez works at it but she's just naturally beautiful.
by Anonymous | reply 342 | November 18, 2014 12:52 AM |
No, she isn't. It was "stripper hot"
by Anonymous | reply 343 | November 18, 2014 12:54 AM |
r342=frau post
by Anonymous | reply 344 | November 18, 2014 12:55 AM |
They become acting teachers.
by Anonymous | reply 345 | November 18, 2014 1:13 AM |
Just saw a headline "Inside Jennifer Lawrence's new $8 million house".
Why does a 24-year-old who was anonymous three years ago need an 8 million dollar house?
Better hope the gravy train lasts, girl. It won't, but you can hope.
by Anonymous | reply 346 | November 18, 2014 1:47 AM |
[quote]What happens to actors once they can no longer get roles?
Earrings
Caftans
by Anonymous | reply 347 | November 18, 2014 1:56 AM |
[quote] I think the worst part would be to be still recognized , like erik estrada but broke......is he broke? i see he is doing the xmas parade in hollywood. What happens when you are like famous, tina louise but you dont have any money to go with your fame. ? that must be the worst.
I'm not so sure. I think maybe not being recognized, remembered, whatever you want to call it, might be worse than being broke. I think once you taste fame it's hard to live without it.
by Anonymous | reply 348 | November 18, 2014 2:17 AM |
[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]
by Anonymous | reply 349 | November 18, 2014 3:09 AM |
"Earrings. Caftans."
In other words, the Linda Dano phase.
by Anonymous | reply 350 | November 18, 2014 6:04 PM |
[all posts by tedious, racist idiot removed.]
by Anonymous | reply 351 | November 18, 2014 6:06 PM |
I was a series regular for three years. It's been 7 years since I left the show and I'm still living off residuals. I do conventions too.
by Anonymous | reply 352 | November 18, 2014 6:57 PM |
If you are a male and you have a father in the business, then you direct
by Anonymous | reply 353 | November 18, 2014 7:11 PM |
R351,
How much is AMC paying the Walking Dead actors?
by Anonymous | reply 354 | November 18, 2014 10:19 PM |
John Kerr (Tea and Sympathy, South Pacific) and Lara-Jill Miller (Gimme A Break) went to law school. Kerr had a practice in Beverly Hills. Miller, an NYU Law School grad, tried to re-start her acting career.
Richard Cromwell, who was the gay first husband of Angela Lansbury, became a ceramicist.
Eric Brown, who played Ken Berry's son on Mama's Family, was a press spokesman for a New York congresswoman and later a pubic relations director for a philanthropy.
Alan Autry (Grace Under Fire) was elected mayor of Fresno. Ben Jones (Dukes of Hazard) was elected to Congress. Fred Grundy (The Love Boat) was elected to Congress and later headed Goodwill Industries.
Mark Shera (Barnaby Jones) runs a sound production company. Lyle Waggoner (Carol Burnett Show) run a business that rents trucks and trailers to movie sets
Ann Prentiss (Captain Nice) died in prison
Jerry Fogel(The Mothers-in-Law) did political commentary for a television station in the Midwest
by Anonymous | reply 355 | November 19, 2014 5:28 AM |
Johnny Whitaker, who played Jodie on Family Affair and who was one of the busiest child actors of the late 1960s and early 1970s, said that his parents invested all of his earnings in U.S. Savings Bonds. When he reached his age of majority, he had the principal of what he made as a child actor, but savings bonds have little return on investment. He said that he was glad that his parents didn't lose his money, but wished that they would have invested the money so that there have been dividends,
by Anonymous | reply 356 | November 19, 2014 5:45 AM |
[You do realize that this is a troll, right? It just craves attention. You might want to stop talking to it.]
by Anonymous | reply 357 | November 20, 2014 2:14 AM |
[quote]John Kerr (Tea and Sympathy, South Pacific) and Lara-Jill Miller (Gimme A Break) went to law school. Kerr had a practice in Beverly Hills. Miller, an NYU Law School grad, tried to re-start her acting career.
Jan Handzlik, Patrick from [italic]Auntie Mame,[/italic] became an attorney as well.
by Anonymous | reply 358 | November 20, 2014 3:43 PM |
R355: Lara Jill Miller still does cartoon voices.
by Anonymous | reply 359 | November 20, 2014 3:53 PM |
Barry Williams from the Brady Bunch has been performing a variety show with songs from the 70s in Branson, Missouri for a couple of years now.
It has good ratings on TripAdvisor (4 1/2 stars) and Yelp (four stars) so who knows. Might be good. Branson is steady work if your show is a hit. Tony Orlando has been there forever and Johnny Mathis performs there, at least for the holidays.
by Anonymous | reply 360 | November 24, 2014 5:55 AM |
I'm wondering how lucrative voice-over work is for actors. I noticed a lot of actors who were famous for one or two big TV roles have some voicework for cartoons/video games on their IMDB pages now. Maybe it's enough to pay the bills?
Examples are Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze. Neither of them work that much (and after Prinze's bitching about working with Kiefer Sutherland, he probably won't be working much in the future). But they have voicework listed on their imdbs, Prinze more than Gellar.
by Anonymous | reply 361 | November 24, 2014 6:00 AM |
r352, have you done any guest appearances or movie roles in the years since you left your series, or do you live entirely on residuals and conventions? Do you still consider yourself a working actor or did you move into another field?
by Anonymous | reply 362 | November 24, 2014 6:03 AM |
I hope Taylor Lautner hasn't been a big spender in the Twilight movie era b/c it looks like that'll be his peak. Not even 25 years old -poor dude. There was a time when Hollywood thought he would transition into an action star and were fighting to give him deals, but that thought came and went quickly when Abduction flopped. He really has nothing major lined up now.
by Anonymous | reply 363 | November 24, 2014 6:16 AM |
Tatum O'Neil was paid $2,000 for the film, Paper Moon, for which she won the Academy Award for supporting actress, in 1973.
Two thousand fucking dollars. Did she get screwed or what? Her father, however, made a lot more.
This info was in their books.
by Anonymous | reply 364 | November 24, 2014 6:33 AM |
bump Because I haven't yet finished reading the link that was provided about washed up celebrities.
Did you take time out to watch the awful audition tape for Chris Klein when he auditioned for Mama Mia?
Holy Shit!
by Anonymous | reply 365 | November 24, 2014 7:16 AM |
What happens to actors once they no longer can get holes?
by Anonymous | reply 366 | November 24, 2014 7:35 AM |
Upcoming TV pilot season casting will let us know which movie actors are having a harder time finding work. If strictly movie actors are available to "do their first TV series", then the offers are slowing down for them. (See: Halle Berry, 2014.)
But it's good for TV fans. The HBO show Westworld remake, which just got picked up to move to series from its pilot, stars Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, and Miranda Otto.
by Anonymous | reply 367 | November 24, 2014 10:38 AM |
Wow. Westworld sounds good.
by Anonymous | reply 368 | November 24, 2014 8:17 PM |
[quote]Upcoming TV pilot season casting will let us know which movie actors are having a harder time finding work. If strictly movie actors are available to "do their first TV series", then the offers are slowing down for them.
It was announced yesterday that Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon will star in a "limited series" (meaning 13 episodes) from David E. Kelley. It's being shopped to the cable networks. Surprised about Witherspoon, not surprised about Kidman.
by Anonymous | reply 369 | November 26, 2014 6:49 PM |
real estate
by Anonymous | reply 370 | November 26, 2014 8:24 PM |
TV vs movies isn't like it used to be in the past. Prestige, quality and/or limited series shows are just as legitimate as movies. Breaking Bad. True Detecive. House of Cards. It's a better medium for building characters. Something I would hope at least some actors care about.
by Anonymous | reply 371 | November 26, 2014 8:42 PM |
Acting is a really tough gig because if you're cast you could be looking at a few hundred thousand a year versus zero, and even if you do get cast and the series does get made, you can't do much long term planning.
Most working actors I know live very frugally.
by Anonymous | reply 372 | November 26, 2014 9:25 PM |
Ask Jim J. Bullock
by Anonymous | reply 373 | December 2, 2014 3:07 AM |
If they were famous enough, they go on Kickstarter and try and get people to fund a vanity project.
by Anonymous | reply 374 | December 2, 2014 3:18 AM |
Infomercials, infomercials, infomercials!
Daisy Fuentes has one now for some sort of hair weave/extension. In fact anyone who watches OTA broadcasts knows you can't get away from the once famous how hawking a wide array of goods and services.
by Anonymous | reply 375 | December 2, 2014 4:18 AM |
R161, Scott Michael Foster? Still hot, in at least one sense. And as for the other, he's recently secured a role in that 'Once Upon A Time' nonsense, so maybe Disney will be picking up the tab for some of his expenses.
by Anonymous | reply 376 | September 14, 2015 10:46 PM |
I've always wondered that about especially with Patty Duke. She hasn't worked in years I wonder how she lives?
by Anonymous | reply 377 | September 14, 2015 10:53 PM |
They go on to become supers in Northwest Valley apartment complexes.
by Anonymous | reply 378 | September 14, 2015 10:59 PM |
Why does Lorraine Bracco work? I think she is awful.
by Anonymous | reply 379 | September 14, 2015 11:02 PM |
This entire thread makes me ascared!
by Anonymous | reply 380 | September 14, 2015 11:28 PM |
[quote] Why does Lorraine Bracco work? I think she is awful.
I agree, she is awful. Rizzoli and Isles will end in a couple of years. If Bracco is lucky, she will get another supporting mom role on a show.
by Anonymous | reply 381 | September 15, 2015 3:52 AM |
One thing I don't understand; Actors and actresses who have already made it, yet continue to take every job offered to them? Why aren't they more selective? It can't be a "paying the bills" issue , because almost every one of them come from privilege. Are they just super greedy or what is the deal?
by Anonymous | reply 382 | December 16, 2017 8:58 PM |
Bump
by Anonymous | reply 383 | April 25, 2018 7:18 AM |
by Anonymous | reply 384 | April 25, 2018 7:27 AM |
by Anonymous | reply 385 | April 25, 2018 7:27 AM |
by Anonymous | reply 386 | April 25, 2018 7:28 AM |
by Anonymous | reply 387 | April 25, 2018 7:29 AM |
They manage apartment complexes in the deep Valley, only resurfacing as ancillary characters in Harry Bosch novels.
by Anonymous | reply 388 | April 25, 2018 8:16 AM |