Ted Danson’s Salary from “The Good Place” Doesn’t Come Close to His Payout from 1980s Sitcom “Cheers”

The comedic and acting prowess of television icon Ted Danson remains unquestionable. His ability to deliver every dialogue with wit and grace still leaves everyone mesmerized. The actor is 76 years old now and has no plans of slowing down anytime soon, making many fans wonder how he remains ageless.

At the same time, his career spanning decades in Hollywood has fans wondering how comfortable he is in life vis-a-vis his net worth. Having been on numerous successful shows that ran for multiple seasons and movies that did well at the box office, Danson’s net worth must be thankful for his salaries from Cheers and The Good Place.

How much did Ted Danson earn from The Good Place?

The Kristen Bell-starrer sitcom ran for four successful seasons where a saleswoman tries to hide her past actions after she’s dead so that she can experience comfort and luxury in the afterlife. In the series, Ted Danson plays the god-like character Michael who has created the entire afterlife scenario and takes care of things around the place.

For the interesting role in The Good Place, Danson took home a sum of $250,000 per episode. Though this was the initial agreement, his pay must have been revised over time and been significantly higher. Being such a successful and celebrated actor on the show, Danson was paid the highest among the other cast members.

Ted Danson’s Whopping Salary on Cheers

Back when the trend of sitcoms was on the rise, Danson’s Cheers stole the spotlight for all the right reasons. The actor played the lead character Sam Malone who was a bartender in Boston. Cheers gained wide popularity and fandom because of its unique and heartfelt concept that showcased various stories of people from different walks of life.

Running for 11 seasons in 1982 was a huge deal for any show, let alone being nominated for numerous Emmy awards. When the sitcom was in its last few seasons, Danson famously earned $450,000 per episode and was thus, the highest-paid actor on television. He also went on to make $500,000 per episode as people’s love for Cheers just kept on increasing.

On the other hand, Cheers would have continued for more seasons had Danson agreed to remain on the show. He wanted to explore more avenues in Hollywood rather than portray the same role for more years to come which is why the show ended after 11 seasons.

Ted Danson continues to earn from Cheers

Sitcoms are timeless. From the older generation that revels in nostalgia every time they play an episode to the younger masses who are always on the lookout to watch something easy and comforting, sitcoms are the go-to choice for all. As a result, the past shows are earning loads of money from reruns and so is Danson, thanks to Cheers.

The actor reportedly still makes $5 million a year in residuals. As long as the show continues to make people laugh and enjoy a sliver of popularity, actors including Danson will keep making money even if he chooses to stop acting tomorrow.

Ted Danson’s Net Worth in 2024

The Three Man and a Baby actor leads a lavish life with a net worth of about $80 million. Considering how much he made on The Good Place and with Cheers, the amount should have seemingly been higher. However, his divorce proceedings made quite a substantial dent in his bank account as the settlement dictated he pay $2 million to his ex-wife Casey Coates for every year they have been together.

Since they were together for 15 years, Danson had to pay her $30 million, which would have been $50 million today. Hence, the actor’s net worth is a little less than that of other high-profile actors with similar backgrounds.

Nevertheless, the Cheers residuals and his continuing legacy in Hollywood ensure that he will lead a comfortable life in the future too. He booked a role soon after The Good Place in a show called Mr. Mayor where he played the titular character.