Former Brady Bunch star Eve Plumb has disclosed that the cast of the beloved 1970s sitcom does not earn residual income from reruns. In her recently published memoir, Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond, the 68-year-old actress wrote, 'If I had a dime for every rerun episode, I’d pay off the national deficit. I don’t.' She further clarified on the PauseRewind podcast, as reported by KOMO News, 'We don’t make residuals.'
Historical Context of Residual Payments
The ABC sitcom, which aired from 1969 to 1974, has remained popular through decades of reruns. Susan Olsen, who played Cindy Brady, previously explained on the Oprah Network's Where Are They Now series that the lack of residuals stems from 'the way things were before 1973.' She noted that actors in the early 1970s were only compensated for the first ten reruns, meaning the cast's payments ended in 1979. 'So [we've] made no money since then,' Olsen said.
Comparisons with Modern Shows
Plumb's revelation contrasts sharply with the ongoing residual earnings of the Friends cast. Lisa Kudrow recently admitted that she and her co-stars still collect $20 million annually from the 1990s sitcom. The Friends cast, which included Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and the late Matthew Perry, famously negotiated their salaries collectively, rising from $22,500 per episode in the first season to $1 million each by the final two seasons. They also earned $2.5 million each for the 2021 HBO Max reunion special.
Brady Bunch Cast Compensation Details
Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady, has also been candid about the cast's pay. In his 1992 memoir Growing Up Brady: I Was a Teenage Greg, he wrote, 'Salaries for sitcom actors have changed considerably since the '70s.' He revealed that in the final season, the highest salary among the child actors was $1,100 per week. Williams acknowledged that the $24,000 he earned that year was 'not bad for a teenager' but noted that after agent commissions, taxes, and family contributions, it was 'hardly enough to carry you through the slow periods.'
The Brady Bunch cast also includes Maureen McCormick (Marcia), Mike Lookinland (Bobby), and Christopher Knight (Peter). Despite the show's enduring popularity, the actors have not benefited financially from its extensive syndication.
Lisa Kudrow's Reflection on Friends
Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, recently told The Times that she has only recently come to 'appreciate just how great' the show was. 'There was a genius at work. And whatever any of us do in the future, we will never experience something like that again,' she said, highlighting the unique success and financial rewards of the series.
