Salaries of Secondary Actors on Hit TV Shows: An Insight into "Home Improvement" and "Last Man Standing"

The Pay Scale for Secondary Actors on Popular Shows

The salaries of secondary actors on hit shows can vary widely based on several factors. For shows like Home Improvement and Last Man Standing, the initial pay for secondary actors, especially child actors, often starts at lower levels but increases significantly over the run of the series.

Salaries on "Home Improvement"

Home Improvement, a popular show during the 1990s, featured child actors like Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who were among the highest-paid, earning around $20,000 to $25,000 per episode by the end of the series. Secondary characters, depending on their prominence, might earn between $5,000 to $15,000 per episode.

Salaries on "Last Man Standing"

The more recent series Last Man Standing offers secondary actors a wider range of earnings, from $10,000 to $30,000 per episode, depending on their role and the show's success. For instance, when the characters played by Kaitlyn Dever and Molly Ephraim were on the show, their earnings likely fell within that range but may have started lower at the beginning.

Replacements and Changes

When actors leave and are replaced, the new actors often negotiate salaries based on their experience and the show's current popularity. If a character is well-established, the new actor might negotiate a higher salary due to the show's success. In general, secondary actors typically earn per episode, and their salaries are influenced by their contracts, the show's ratings, and their bargaining power.

The Complexity of Salaries in the Television Industry

There are numerous variables that affect the salaries of secondary actors. These include the show's success, the importance of the character, the character's popularity, the network the show is on, and many other factors. Specific salary details for supporting performers are not widely published, making accurate answers difficult to provide.

The Pay System in Detail

Actors who are not involved in shooting every day or almost every day on a show tend to be paid a daily rate. In the USA, the base rate, known as "scale," is set by the union SAG-AFTRA at approximately $1,000 per day. Once it regularly gets above a few days a week, producers are likely to offer a lesser weekly rate. The SAG website offers more detailed information on this.

The actual amount offered depends on many variables. Actors with kudos can often negotiate well above scale rates, especially in shows with big budgets. Characters that are indispensable and those who have a big following after a season or two can negotiate more. Other nations and non-union shows have different systems.

Real-World Experience

I recently completed shooting a TV series as number 8 on the cast list, second season, purchased by Netflix. So, as one of the smallest roles yet still in the core cast, I worked 13 days over a period of 13 weeks and was paid a daily rate common in New Zealand, which was nowhere near SAG level.

In short, for a support or guest on a hit show, it is usually daily or weekly, not per episode, and for a supporting or guest actor on a hit show, it will likely be scale or a multiple thereof. The term 'secondary' actor is not used; terms such as lead, support, and guest are used to describe actors.