From the outside looking in, being part of a major sitcom looks like a good gig. They appear to be fun, and the successful ones can run on television for years. Even when filming stops, reruns can keep the money flowing. At least, that's what it looks like from the outside.
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According to Ted McGinley, who is best known for his work on major sitcoms such as Happy Days and Married With Children, some residual cheques quickly become insignificant.
"Eventually, it doesn't become that much," McGinley told Page Six. "I was on The Love Boat for three-and-a-half seasons, I was on Happy Days for four seasons, I mean, I've been getting residuals all the time. I've got some — I have a whole stack upstairs for one cent."
Despite the low amount of some of those cheques, McGinley did admit that he has a $2 threshold; anything above that will be deposited into the bank. "Anything above $1.89 is going in," he said.
So, what about cheques smaller than $2?
"I keep them as a trophy for how inane the system is," McGinley noted. "Cost a fortune to send it to me."
Hopefully, not all of his residual cheques come in so low, though. After all, he's been on some of the biggest sitcoms of their generation.
Ted McGinley Is Currently on 'Shrinking'
Fortunately for McGinley, he's not solely reliant on his subpar residual cheques. He's still acting, and is currently playing Derek in Apple TV's Shrinking. The show features a strong cast, including Harrison Ford and Jason Segel.
"I spent my entire career wondering what it would be like to work opposite a man like Harrison Ford, Jason Segel," McGinley told PEOPLE.
The show is one of Apple's flagship comedies. It's been well-received and has a unique plot and sense of humor. There's no wonder why it's been such a successful show. Hopefully, if more seasons are produced, McGinley can add to his drip-fed revenue stream. At least that way, he won't be struggling to pay his bills when he eventually calls time on his acting career.
Because let's face it, $2 cheques aren't going to cut it.
