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'Married... with Children' star Ted McGinley reveals he gets penny residual checks from his hit TV shows
By Christina Dugan Ramirez
Published May 31, 2026
Ted McGinley is the latest celebrity to reveal the shocking amount he still receives from residual checks.
In a new interview with Page Six, the "Married... With Children" star — who also found fame on "Happy Days" and "The Love Boat" throughout the 1970s, ’80s, and '90s — said he's holding on to a "whole stack" of checks each worth a total of one penny.
"I’ve been getting residuals all the time," said McGinley, who admitted the checks become smaller and smaller as the years go by.
While McGinley doesn't bother to cash the small checks, he can't get himself to toss them either.
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Ted McGinley is pictured alongside a cast photo from the television show Married… with Children in 2019. (Getty Images)
The actor said he more than likely has a total of $2 worth of checks.
McGinley isn't the only celebrity who's been upfront about the shocking residuals they've received throughout the years.
The actor also found fame on "Happy Days" and "The Love Boat" throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s. (Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
During an appearance on the "McBride Rewind" podcast, Jodie Sweetin — who earned stardom from her role as Stephanie Tanner on "Full House" during the show's entire eight-season run from 1987 to 1995, then again in the spinoff "Fuller House" from 2016 to 2020 — shared the shocking amount she received from her latest residual check.
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Sweetin, at the time, said she "got a one-cent check the other day."
"There's no syndication anymore because it's all in streaming," she continued. "Who gets paid for that? Nobody gets paid for that," she said.
Jodie Sweetin, known for her role as Stephanie Tanner on "Full House" and its spin-off "Fuller House," opened up about her residual checks earlier this year. (Getty Images)
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"Sure, in my 20s, there would be money, but not reliable," she noted. "You don't know how much it's going to be or how often they're going to run the show. So, sometimes you're like, 'Oh, cool. That was nice.' Then sometimes you're like, 'All right, well, there's a nice dinner out.'"
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"You just kind of don't know. So, it's not something you can rely on," Sweetin added. "I always say, people think I live some extravagant life. I'm like, 'Honey, I drive my 2023 used Hyundai Sonata that I love. I rent my house. I have credit cards that are maxed out.' I live a normal life," she explained. "And yeah, there are moments when you're like, 'This is going well,' and there are times when you're like, 'I need a day job.'"
In 2025, former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell addressed what he said was a misconception in the entertainment world.
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"That’s the perception of the world – it’s always been this way: It’s like, you know, ‘Oh, you made a Folgers Coffee commercial. You must live in a mansion in Hollywood. I saw you on TV, you’re rich,'" Bell said during an appearance on "The Unplanned Podcast."
"That's far from the case," Bell continued. "And especially – which is the bummer for most of us on Nickelodeon – we don't get residuals for our shows."
Bell noted that most networks pay actors residuals for work used after its initial run, but said Nickelodeon only offers a one-time payment to actors.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/married-with-children-star-ted-mcginley-reveals-gets-penny-residual-checks-hit-tv-shows