If you think you haven’t heard of Judith Sheindlin, think again. Sheindlin is the official name of the beloved Judge Judy. Judy makes a living by presiding over real-life court cases, where the audience is able to see her sharp wit at work while she makes her judgments.
While the producers didn’t originally think the show would be a success, they were wrong. Judy makes $47 million for all her many televised appearances, which averages out to about $900,000 per episode. Fun fact, did you know that Judge Judy showed up in a cameo on the Disney+ series “How I Met Your Father?” We’re sure she got a nice paycheck for that as well.
Andrew Lincoln – $650,000
The zombie trend in entertainment isn’t over. "The Walking Dead" is perfect proof. This post-apocalyptic zombie show follows Rick Grimes, a former police officer who wakes up after an injury in a zombie-filled world. Grimes is played by Andrew Lincoln, who exited the show in 2018.
Before Lincoln left "The Walking Dead," he was the highest-paid actor on the set, making $650,000 per episode. His departure was in large part the result of a desire to spend more time with his children, who got much older during his eight years on set. Lincoln reprised his role as Grimes in the spinoff "The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live."
David Hyde Pierce – $750,000
Kelsey Grammer earned a notable paycheck of $1.6 million while on "Frasier," but his co-stars were also paid pretty well. David Hyde Pierce played psychiatrist Niles Craine on the series, the younger brother of Frasier Crane. For that role, Pierce earned $750,000 per episode.
Although he didn’t earn as much as his onscreen brother, Pierce walked away with quite a bit of money in his pocket at the end of the series. He also won numerous awards for his performance, earning him increased notoriety as an actor. Pierce also had a noteworthy role in the cult classic comedy "Wet Hot American Summer."
Alan Alda – $235,000
Before there was Charlie Sheen, there was Alan Alda. Alda’s salary looks much lower compared to Mr. Sheen’s, but the star was working far before Sheen found success. From 1972-1983, Alda starred as Hawkeye Pierce on "M*A*S*H." He really made the role his own and it would end up being his biggest claim to fame.
In the early days of the show, Alda made just $10,000 per episode. As the show gained popularity, however, Alda’s paycheck was bumped up to $235,000 per episode. That is a huge increase! At the time, he was one of the highest-paid actors on TV.
Jennifer Lopez – $500,000
Before there was Katy Perry, there was Jennifer Lopez. In 2012, she agreed to be a judge on "American Idol" for $500,000 per episode. Lopez’s salary was nothing close to Perry’s despite the fact that Lopez has more experience in the industry and more talent in both acting and singing.
She was the perfect choice to judge up-and-coming singers, but she probably should have been paid more. JLo is another example of a pop star who had already made enough money to never have to work again. But she was more than happy to step onto our TV screens and warm our hearts.