Celeb Salaries, Then and Now: Kaley Cuoco's $900k Payday Could Have Been Just $1,500 in the '60s


By: CORINNE HELLER

No surprise here: The Big Bang Theorystars Kaley Cuoco,Jim Parsonsand Johnny Galecki would have likely made a small fraction of their salaries if it was the '60s.

The three currently receive about $900,000 per episode of the CBS sitcom—down from $1 million. They three, who were deemed the current highest-paid TV actors, had reportedly agreed this year to take a pay cut in exchange for stars Mayim Bialik andMelissa Rauch to receive raises.

In 1961, Dick Van Dyke, then a major TV star, earned about $1,500 per episode—the equivalent of $12,221, if adjusted for inflation, according to Parade.

SNL has also boosted the salaries of its cast members. Stars such as John BelushiJane CurtinGilda RadnerDan Aykroyd andChevy Chase were paid $750 per show—$3,396 today. Current cast members such as Kenan ThompsonKate McKinnonAidy Bryant and Leslie Jones are paid up to $24,000 per show, based on seniority. The current season has 21 episodes, so that's a more than $500,000 annual salary for some of them.

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Top TV Star Salaries: You Won't Believe Who's No. 1

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Movie actors still command the largest salaries. Jennifer Lawrence, the highest-earning female star, received $20 million for her role in the recent movie Passengers, while her co-star Chris Pratt received $12 million. In 2012, Lawrence had earned $500,000 for The Hunger Games, the movie that made her more famous.

Judy Garland received about $500 per week ($8,763 today) for her role as Dorothy in the iconic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the outlet reported.

Robert Downey Jr.., the highest-paid actor in 2015, received a whopping $40 million for reprising his role as Iron Man in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War, while Dwayne Johnson, last year's highest-paid star, will be paid $19 million for his role in the upcoming movie Jumanji: Welcome to the JungleParade said.

Clark Gable was paid $117,917 ($2,066,542 today) for playing Rhett Butler in another iconic 1939 film, Gone With the Wind.

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Stars and Their Big Movie Salaries

Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Speaking of The Hunger Games and Iron Man, in addition to inflation and Hollywood salary trends, successful franchises play a big part in salary boosts. Original Star Wars actors Harrison FordCarrie Fisherand Mark Hamill got giant pay raises for reprising their roles in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The three were paid $1,000 per week ($4,020 today) for their work on the first Star Wars film, Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, which was released in 1977. They also received 0.25 of the profits from the theatrical release, Parade reported. The movie, which took about a year to film, made more than $775 million worldwide.

 


For Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ford received between $10 million and $20 million, while Fisher and Hamill were paid between $1 million and $3 million each, Parade said. Franchise newcomers received less; Adam Driver, who played new villain Kylo Ren, was paid between $600,000 and $900,000, while main star Daisy Ridley, who played heroine Rey, and supporting actor John Boyega received between $100,000 and $300,000 each.


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