DARK SHADOWS FORUMS

General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '08 II => Topic started by: Taeylor Collins on July 03, 2008, 11:36:42 AM

Title: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Taeylor Collins on July 03, 2008, 11:36:42 AM
I know Sy Thomasoff does.  It is written in the DS Almanac, however I wondered if it was standard practice for a  soap actors contract to have residual payments in it.  Just curious. Anyone have and idea?  Thanks!  I have always been curious about this!
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: MagnusTrask on July 03, 2008, 01:02:42 PM
I think TV actors in general got screwed in the 60s as far as reruns.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Brandon Collins on July 03, 2008, 04:19:54 PM
No, I don't think they receive residuals from DS. IIRC, this came up in some other thread a while back.

Back in the 60s, most actors didn't think about putting residuals in their contracts because there wasn't really a market for reruns like there is today. And certainly, no one that worked on DS ever thought it would see a resurgence in the 80s and 90s, with reruns and the VHS tapes from MPI, as well as now with the DVDs from MPI. Because they never thought DS would be seen after it went off their air, and because most soaps (until Soapnet that is) didn't ever show reruns of their episodes, its safe to say that the residuals clause was not in any contract.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Taeylor Collins on July 03, 2008, 08:19:12 PM
If you beleive Sy he says he had it drawn into his contract.   I just was reading about it in the Almanac.  I know POM PRESS isn't known for there perfect books.  However, he wrote the piece.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on July 03, 2008, 08:39:57 PM
As Brandon mentioned, this has been discussed on the forum before. One example:

I hope that helps to clear things up.  [ghost_smiley]
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: michael c on July 03, 2008, 10:33:13 PM
i think i read somewhere that dick york,who played the original 'darren' on "bewitched",was ill and for many years lived in poverty even though his series has essentially aired daily somewhere in syndication(not to mention current dvd sales)for the past forty years.

so yeah back in the 1960's most actors probably never thought about adding residual clauses to their contracts.

however the casts of recent shows like "friends" will probably be living high for the rest of their lives.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: MagnusTrask on July 03, 2008, 10:41:26 PM
Whilre Dick York was in that condition in Michigan, he still went out of his way to try to help people who had money problems, survival problems I mean.   I don't know how he did it.

Syndication was big already in the 60s... actors just left decisions to agents because they were told they had to, and were out of their depth, being performers not businesspeople.    A few horror stories had to come out before actors started educating themselves.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Taeylor Collins on July 04, 2008, 01:01:52 AM
Yeah I remember that about Dick York.  Just think about the GIRLS on Charmed.  They can probably quit working.  IF they wanted to.
Title: Re: Does the cast get residuals?
Post by: Miss_Winthrop on July 04, 2008, 01:38:53 PM
I do remember reading that about Dick York and the physically debilitating disease he had. It is terrible how that man suffered in the end.

I wonder if DS is not the only daytime soap that saved the daily episodes.  I've seen some early, early scenes from All My Children on YouTube. I would love to get my hands on the earliest episodes of AMC and Days of Our Lives. I have the complete DS episodes and to have the other two would be heaven for me.