The highest paid TV stars of the 1980s
Is it just me, or was television better back in the 1980s? There used to be a time when you could turn on the TV and expect to see a new episode of Cheers, Family Matters, or Dynasty. We didn’t know how good we had it back then.
Today, these shows are major sources of nostalgia, but back in the day, they were cultural phenomena that generated huge amounts of money for their networks and casts. To get an idea of just how successful they were, take a look at the salaries of the highest-paid TV stars from the decade.
Tom Selleck – Magnum P.I
We can’t talk about memorable shows from the ’80s without mentioning Tom Selleck and his iconic mustache on the action-packed detective series Magnum P.I. The show ran for eight seasons from 1980 to 1988 and firmly established Selleck on Hollywood’s A-list.
For his main role on the show, Selleck earned about $4.8 million per season, or roughly $228,500 per episode. That’s nothing to sneeze at.
Susan Lucci – All My Children
It’s hard to believe, but Susan Lucci portrayed the character Erica Kane on All My Children from 1970 until 2011, appearing in 1757 episodes over the course of her career. The role would land the actress numerous Daytime Emmy Award nominations and one win in 1999.
While Lucci’s exact salary for the role during the 1980s isn’t known, by the early ’90s she was making $1 million per episode and is widely regarded as one of the highest-paid daytime TV actresses in history.
Ted Danson – Cheers
To this day, Cheers is considered one of the greatest American sitcoms of all time. The massively popular show ran for 11 seasons on NBC and launched the careers of Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, and many other well-known stars.
As the show’s main character, Sam Malone, Danson was earning about $450,000 per episode in later seasons.
Roseanne Barr – Roseanne
In many ways, Roseanne was an unlikely hit. The Conners were a low-class family, often struggling to make ends meet, who embraced crude humor and a tough-love attitude. But for audiences in the ’80s and ’90s, the show seemed to be the perfect foil to traditional family sitcoms dominating the airwaves.
The show turned Barr into a television juggernaut who earned up to $875,000 per episode for the show’s final season.
Bill Cosby – The Cosby Show
While the actor is now disgraced and living a quiet life while continuing his ongoing legal battles after multiple women came out with accusations against the comedian, at one time, Bill Cosby was the highest-paid entertainer in the world.
At the height of The Cosby Show‘s success, Cosby was earning $1 million per episode as a base salary. With his added credits as a producer, as well as syndication rights, it is estimated that the actor and comedian was earning $4 million per episode.
Angela Lansbury – Murder, She Wrote
When Murder, She Wrote began in 1984, Angela Lansbury was already a respected actress with numerous Academy Award nominations under her belt. Her salary for Murder, She Wrote was $40,000 per episode for early seasons, but later grew to $300,000 per episode over the course of its 12-season run. This doesn’t include her earnings from syndication or her executive producer role, so it’s safe to say that Lansbury made a killing for her work on the show.
Johnny Carson – The Tonight Show
You can’t talk about late-night television without mentioning Johnny Carson. The legendary comedian and host was the face of The Tonight Show for decades. He continued to host the popular late-night show alongside guest hosts, including Joan Rivers and Jay Leno, throughout the 1980s.
Carson renegotiated his contract with NBC at the start of the ’80s and was earning $25 million a year for hosting three days a week, 37 weeks a year. Not a bad deal!
Jan-Michael Vincent – Airwolf
While Airwolf is somewhat forgotten in this day and age, in the 1980s, the high-tech military show was quite popular with teenagers. Airwolf focused on a state-of-the-art helicopter that undertook espionage missions during the Cold War. Besides Jan-Michael Vincent, the cast also included Ernest Borgnine and Jean Bruce Scott.
For his leading role, Vincent earned $200,000 per episode, making him one of the highest-paid television actors at the time.
Ed O’Neil – Married… With Children
Most people today recognize Ed O’Neil from his long-running role as Jay Pritchett on Modern Family. But for those of us who grew up in the ’80s, we knew O’Neil first as Al Bundy on Married… With Children. The unorthodox sitcom focused on a slightly dysfunctional family and was a groundbreaking turn from the more wholesome family sitcoms of the decade.
For his role, O’Neil earned $500,000 per episode in the show’s later seasons, which amounted to up to $13 million per year. The impressive salary made O’Neil one of the highest-paid TV actors at the time.
Woody Harrelson – Cheers
Woody Harrelson joined the cast of Cheers during the show’s fourth season. He played bartender Woody Boyd, a role that led to Harrelson winning an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Near the end of the series, Harrelson and other major cast members were making about $200,000 per episode.
Jaleel White – Family Matters
Jaleel White’s character on Family Matters, Steve Urkel, was originally written for a one-time appearance. However, his character was so well received that White was promoted to a series regular, spawning the memorable catchphrase, “Did I do that?”
At the height of his success, White was commanding a salary of $180,000 per episode or $4 million per year. Not too shabby for a teenager.
John Stamos – Full House
On Full House, Uncle Jesse, played by John Stamos, instantly became a major heartthrob of the ’80s and ’90s. The family-friendly sitcom revolving around a widower, his brother-in-law, and a friend trying to raise three young girls was never a critical hit, but audiences loved the unconventional family dynamic. The show ran for eight seasons and nearly 200 episodes.
Stamos earned around $35,000 per episode when the series started but ended up making up to $150,000 per episode in later seasons.
Bob Saget – Full House
As dedicated dad Danny Tanner, late actor Bob Saget appeared in all 192 episodes of Full House. Like Stamos, Saget had a modest salary per episode when the series started that ballooned to around $100,000-$150,000 per episode once the show’s success took off.
In addition to Full House, Saget was also the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos from 1989 to 1997, where he was pulling in $70,500 to $86,600 per episode. Apparently, it pays really well to be Bob Saget.
Joan Collins – Dynasty
Dynasty had it all – fashion, betrayal, romance, and of course, lots of drama. The primetime soap opera quickly became one of the defining shows of the 1980s thanks to its gripping storylines and memorable performances.
For her role as Alexis Carrington, actress Joan Collins earned up to $120,000 per episode. However, her high salary came with a catch: producers could only afford to pay her for about half of the episodes per season.
Larry Hagman – Dallas
Competing with Dynasty was another primetime soap opera that dominated the airwaves in the ’80s: Dallas. Known for its thrilling cliffhangers – including the famous “who shot J.R.?” storyline – Dallas kept people on the edge of their seats and became a cornerstone of entertainment in the 1980s.
Larry Hagman quickly became the show’s breakout star for his portrayal of J.R. Ewing. At the show’s peak popularity, he was earning $100,000 per episode. Hagman continued to portray J.R. until his death in 2012.
David Hasselhoff – Knight Rider
Was there a better crime-fighting duo than Michael Knight and KITT in the 1980s? In Knight Rider, David Hasselhoff starred as Michael Knight, a field agent participating in a government pilot project to reduce crime. Assisting Knight was KITT, a high-tech car that operated with artificial intelligence.
Even though Knight Rider only ran for four seasons, it remains one of the most memorable shows from the era because of its unique concept. While Hasselhoff’s exact salary on Knight Rider is unknown, the actor earned millions during the show’s run. It is believed that his high salary – which was almost equal to the show’s entire production costs – was one of the factors in the show’s cancellation, as the network was concerned about budget constraints.
Betty White – The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls was one of the unexpected hits of the decade. Who knew that a show centered around four women in their twilight years would become such a fan favorite? During its entire seven-season run, The Golden Girls was a top 10 show in ratings and popularity.
For her role as Rose Nylund, Betty White’s salary was $30,000 per episode when the series started. That salary increased over time, but her real earnings came from syndication payments. Annually, White earned about $3 million in backend residuals once the show wrapped.
Christina Applegate – Married With Children
Like Ed O’Neil, Christina Applegate also benefited from Married… With Children’s unstoppable popularity. The young actress quickly became a teen idol thanks to her role as rebellious Kelly Bundy.
Applegate was only 15 when she was cast on the show and started off earning $20,000 per episode, which is still quite impressive for a teenager. In later seasons, her salary was boosted significantly, and she made over $125,000 per episode.
Tony Danza – Who’s The Boss?
Who’s The Boss? starred Tony Danza as a former baseball player who decides to take on a domestic role as a housekeeper, working for a successful female advertising executive. The gender role reversal kept audiences engaged and entertained, while launching the career of Alyssa Milano, who played Tony’s daughter, Samantha Micelli.
Danza made $60,000 per episode during the series’ run.
Don Johnson – Miami Vice
Was there any show on TV cooler than Miami Vice? It had everything: beautiful beaches, stylish clothes, hit music, and high-energy action sequences. Audiences tuned in every week to watch Sonny and Rico chase down the bad guys and put them behind bars.
As one of the main characters, Don Johnson only earned about $30,000-$35,000 per episode for the show’s first season. After Miami Vice proved to be immensely popular, Johnson renegotiated his contract and began earning $90,000-$100,000 per episode, with some believing he earned up to $150,000.
Michael J. Fox – Family Ties
Michael J. Fox was one of the young, up-and-coming actors of the 1980s who found incredible success on television before transitioning to movies. As Alex Keaton on Family Ties, Fox portrayed a teenage Republican who provided a stark contrast to his Baby Boomer parents.
Since he was a child actor, Fox initially only earned about $8,000 per episode of Family Ties. As the show’s audience and popularity grew, Fox’s salary rose to about $100,000 per episode.
Bruce Willis – Moonlighting
Moonlighting is considered to be one of the first modern dramedys on TV. The show starred Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd as private detectives and was notable for its mix of humor, mystery, and romance.
Shepherd was already an established star when she was cast, but Willis was more unknown. As a result, he only made about $25,00 per episode when the show started, but eventually made over $100,000 in the show’s final seasons due to its popularity.
Mr. T – The A-Team
Mr. T was the undeniable breakout star of The A-Team, a show about former military commandos who become mercenaries helping those in need. The action-adventure show climbed near the top of the ratings during its second season and is considered one of the most recognizable shows of the era.
As the show’s popularity grew, Mr. T began receiving competing offers from other networks. To keep him, NBC ended up giving him a salary of $80,000 per episode, making him the highest-paid cast member of the show.
Delta Burke – Designing Women
Designing Women told the stories of employees working at an interior design company in Atlanta, Georgia. The ensemble cast included the likes of Jean Smart, Annie Potts, Dixie Carter, and Delta Burke, playing strong, opinionated women who were fresh voices for television at the time.
For her role, Delta Burke earned about $55,000 per episode on the show. It’s estimated that she received about $4 million in total for her work across the show’s five seasons, including a salary of $1.5 million for the last season. The actress also negotiated a lucrative contract that allowed her to collect earnings from merchandise and syndication revenue.
Bea Arthur – The Golden Girls
Like her co-star, Bea Arthur also enjoyed a comfortable salary as a result of her starring role on The Golden Girls. Arthur’s salary for the show’s early seasons is estimated to be about $30,000 per episode. This amount scaled with the show’s success, reaching up to $50,000 per episode.
Like White, Arthur also profited greatly from the show’s residuals and syndication contracts. At the time of her death, Arthur’s estate was reportedly worth about $25 million, largely due to the success of The Golden Girls.
Lisa Whelchel – The Facts Of Life
A spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life revolved around Mrs. Edna Garrett, a housekeeper in a girls’ dormitory, helping the youth who lived there as they navigated common problems like dating and body image. During the show’s third season, it became NBC’s highest-rated comedy.
Playing Blair Warner in the series, actress Lisa Whelchel earned a salary of $55,000 per episode.
Nell Carter – Gimme A Break!
In Gimme A Break!, actress Nell Carter played a housekeeper who is hired to care for a widowed police chief and his children. Carter ended up earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her role on the show.
Initially, Carter earned $30,000 per episode but demanded that amount be raised for the show’s 1984 season. She was successful and earned $45,000-$50,000 per episode in the show’s later seasons.
Ricky Schroder – Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons is a bit of an obscure sitcom from the 1980s that featured a young Alfonso Ribeiro before his Fresh Prince days. Ricky Schroder played Ricky Stratton, a boy who moves in with his wealthy, estranged father. The show ran for four seasons on NBC and then moved into syndication.
For his role, Schroder earned $25,000 per episode.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar – Saved By The Bell
In one of the worst contracts in television history, Mark-Paul Gosselaar admits that he and his young Saved By The Bell castmates did not make much from the teen sitcom, despite its success. Gosselaar and Mario Lopez have both spoken out, saying that they only made about $1,500-$3,000 per episode and were not entitled to any of the show’s residual or syndication payments.
In later years, many of the show’s cast members spoke out, saying they were taken advantage of by the network, which generated millions of dollars in profit from the show’s popularity.
