Charlie Sheen, Mariska Hargitay Among TV's Highest Paid Stars

Access Hollywood - September 30, 2009 7:13 PM PDT
Story photo: Charlie Sheen, Mariska Hargitay Among TV's Highest Paid StarsCharlie Sheen and Mariska HargitayGetty ImagesAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Charlie Sheen is at the top of the scripted TV heap, according to TV Guide.

The mag reported that the "Two and a Half Men" star takes home $875,000 an episode for his role as Charlie Harper on the CBS sitcom.

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Last year, "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini led the pack with a whopping $1 million an episode for the final season of the HBO mob drama.

Among the rest of TV's highest paid men in 2009 are "24" star Keifer Sutherland ($550,000 an episode), "House" doctor Hugh Laurie ($400,000) and Christopher Meloni of "Law & Order: SVU" ($400,000).

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Lower down on the list were such stars as "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin ($300,000), "Grey's Anatomy's" McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey ($250,000) and "Mad Men" main man Jon Hamm, who earns $75,000 per episode - just above "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford ($50,000).

On the ladies' side, Christopher Meloni's "Law & Order: SVU" counterpart brings home top dollar - along with a quartet of successful "Housewives."

Mariska Hargitay earns $400,000 an episode for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on NBC's "SVU," tying her with four "Desperate Housewives" stars - Eva Longoria Parker, Teri Hatcher, Marica Cross and Felicity Huffman.

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TV's other highest-paid women include "30 Rock" creator Tina Fey ($300,000) and "The Closer's" Kyra Sedgwick ($275,000).

However, actors aren't the only ones in TV land with serious paychecks. Among the stars of late night, CBS' David Letterman earns $32 million a year, outdistancing the salary of any actor - and also his NBC competitors, Jay Leno ($30 million) and Conan O'Brien ($14 million). And a number of newscasters are also top earners, led by Katie Couric at $15 million a year and Matt Lauer at $13 million.

And in the world of reality, generally bargain rates compared to scripted television, some stars still earn paychecks to write home about. Ryan Seacrest earns $15 million a year for his "American Idol" hosting duties, while reality stars such as former couple Jon and Kate Gosselin take home $75,000 an episode for TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8." No word yet if that number may shift in November, when the show relaunches as a Jon-free "Kate Plus 8."

(AH NATION: Who do you think are primetime TV's most overpaid stars? CLICK HERE to let your voice be heard!)

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Charlie Sheen - TV - Katie Couric - Mariska Hargitay - Ryan Seacrest

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comments 1-10 of 74  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • pine nut
    fellow bloggers help me out here with hugh laurie how do we get to the producers they should have to walk with a cane the nimrods
    report abuseposted January 7, 2010 11:22 AM PST
  • pine nut
    hugh laurie he is a gem i read where he really has a bad hip due to the fact he has faked a bad wheel with the cane. holy crap if this is true he is a MD on the show have his character have surgery n fix the damn thing this is the most idiotic thing i have ever heard in my entire life there was a red head who was on ER who used the canadian crutch n it hurt her also wtf is wrong with producers
    report abuseposted January 7, 2010 11:20 AM PST
  • pine nut
    875,000 per episode this is just so wrong no one is worth that much $ esp bad boy charlie who needs his A** kicked up between his ears...cut this loser off he does not deserve that kind of $
    report abuseposted January 7, 2010 11:16 AM PST
  • Larry B
    Two and a Half Men is excellent................I am hooked like on crack......I have to watch IT...........I MUST SEE MORE........NEED IT BAD
    report abuseposted December 11, 2009 7:52 PM PST
  • Rich
    Charlie's show sucks. That is way too much money for that dweeb. The cast is dumb and there is no plot except Charlie getting laid.
    report abuseposted October 31, 2009 7:30 PM PDT
  • Jim
    ------************---------OMG, she looks so beautiful. Just saw her profile on millionaire dating site """""M i l l i o n a i r e 4 M e . c o m"""""" last week. I am wondering what kind of relationship she is looking for on that site. Is she single now? -----********
    report abuseposted October 2, 2009 1:18 AM PDT
  • Jim
    ------************---------OMG, she looks so beautiful. Just saw her profile on millionaire dating site """""M i l l i o n a i r e 4 M e . c o m"""""" last week. I am wondering what kind of relationship she is looking for on that site. Is she single now? -----********
    report abuseposted October 2, 2009 1:18 AM PDT
  • Nina
    well... i can understand how Charlie Sheen can take home THAT much money. who DOESN'T love Two and a Half Men? im an avid watcher...
    report abuseposted October 2, 2009 12:59 AM PDT
  • Nina
    well... i can understand how Charlie Sheen can take home THAT much money. who DOESN'T love Two and a Half Men? im an avid watcher...
    report abuseposted October 2, 2009 12:59 AM PDT
  • Susie Q
    They are all waaay overpaid, especially for 20 minutes of T.V. time on a stupid sitcom!
    report abuseposted October 2, 2009 12:36 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 74  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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