Ted Danson Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Ted Danson’s Net Worth and Salary: What is it?

Ted Danson, an actor hailing from California, boasts a net worth of $80 million. He became one of television’s most cherished figures with his legendary role as Sam Malone in “Cheers” (1982-1993). Danson’s depiction of the charismatic, ex-baseball player-turned-bartender helped solidify “Cheers” as one of TV’s all-time great sitcoms. His performance earned him two Emmy Awards, catapulted him to fame, and made him the highest-paid actor on television during the series’ final seasons. More details about Ted Danson’s salary during “Cheers” and other earnings can be found in the following section.

Post-“Cheers,” Danson adeptly sidestepped typecasting by embracing a variety of roles. He showcased his dramatic talent in films such as “Something About Amelia” and his comedic skills in “Three Men and a Baby.” His television career continued to flourish with significant parts in “Becker” (1998-2004)—where he portrayed a cynical doctor—and “Damages” (2007-2010), demonstrating his dramatic versatility.

As his career progressed, Danson enjoyed a remarkable resurgence with critically acclaimed performances in “The Good Place” (2016-2020) as the demon-architect Michael, and in “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2011-2015) as D.B. Russell. He also garnered acclaim for his role as a wealthy businessman in HBO’s “Bored to Death” (2009-2011). His accolades include two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ted Danson’s Salary

Danson earned the distinction of being the highest-paid actor on television during the final seasons of “Cheers,” receiving $450,000 per episode. This equated to about $12 million per season in seasons 9, 10, and 11. Adjusting for inflation, this amount reflects approximately $25 million per season in today’s dollars.

During his tenure on the CBS drama “CSI” from 2011 to 2015, Danson’s salary was $250,000 per episode. Across 86 episodes, this amounted to around $21 million in total earnings for the seasons he participated in.

Early Life

Born on December 29, 1947, in San Diego, California, Edward Bridge Danson III, widely known as Ted, grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona with his older sister Jan. Their father was an archaeologist and served as the director of the Museum of Northern Arizona from 1959 to 1975. Ted attended the Kent School, a preparatory institution in Connecticut, where he excelled as a basketball player. He pursued further studies at Stanford University, where he first developed his interest in acting. Seeking a better program for his acting aspirations, Danson transferred to Carnegie Mellon University, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama in 1972.

Career

Danson’s initial paid acting role in television came as a contract player on the daytime soap opera “Somerset,” portraying Tom Conway from 1975 to 1976. The following year, in 1977, he secured the part of Dr. Mitchell Pierson on “The Doctors.” Around this time, he was featured in numerous commercials, gaining recognition as the “Aramis man” for Estee Lauder’s Aramis fragrance. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, he made guest appearances on various television shows including “Laverne and Shirley,” “B.J. and the Bear,” “Family,” “Benson,” “Taxi,” “Magnum P.I.,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and “Tucker’s Witch.”

Danson’s major breakthrough arrived in 1982 when he was cast as Sam Malone, a womanizing ex-baseball player, on the NBC sitcom “Cheers.” Although the show’s ratings were disappointing in its first season, viewership gradually improved, and by 1986, it had become one of the most popular shows on television. In total, “Cheers” spanned 11 seasons and aired its final episode on May 30, 1993, attracting an audience of 80 million for its finale.

the second most-watched finale in history at that time, attracting millions of viewers. For his role on “Cheers,” Danson was nominated for eleven consecutive Emmy Awards and nine Golden Globe Awards, ultimately winning two of each.

After “Cheers” concluded, Danson ventured into drama, stepping away from his comedic roots, and took on a lead role in “Something About America,” where he earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. His appearances also included the CBS series “Ink,” which had a limited run, as well as the miniseries “Gulliver’s Travels.” Subsequently, Danson starred in the CBS sitcom “Becker,” produced by the same company behind “Cheers.” The show became very successful, airing for six seasons from 1998 to 2004.

Starting in 2007, Danson portrayed the corrupt billionaire Arthur Frobisher on the FX Network drama “Damages,” which ran for three seasons, although he became a recurring character in the second season. He has made guest appearances in various shows, including the HBO comedy “Bored to Death,” the crime drama series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “CSI: Cyber,” and the hit series “Fargo.” He also starred in the NBC sitcom “The Good Place,” alongside Kristen Bell, appeared in three episodes of “The Orville,” and held a regular role in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Danson took on the lead role in NBC’s “Mr. Mayor” from 2021 to 2022.

Besides his extensive television career, Danson has occasionally acted in films as well. Some of his noteworthy film appearances include “The Onion Field” (1979) as Officer Ian Campbell, “Body Heat” (1981), “Creepshow” (1982), “Little Treasure” (1985), “Just Between Friends” (1986), “A Fine Mess” (1986), “Cousins” (1989) featuring Isabella Rossellini, “Three Men and a Baby” (1987) alongside Tom Selleck and Steven Guttenberg, its follow-up “Three Men and a Little Lady” (1990), and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). More recently, he has been seen in films such as “The Open Road” (2009), “Big Miracle” (2012), “Ted” (2012), “The One I Love” (2014), and “Hearts Beat Loud” (2018).

Personal Life

Danson has experienced three marriages throughout his life. Initially, he wed actress Randall “Randy” Gosch (now known as Randy Danson professionally) from 1970 until 1975. His second spouse was producer Cassandra “Casey” Coates, with whom he shares two daughters. Currently, Danson’s wife is actress Mary Steenburgen, and together they have two stepchildren, Lilly and Charlie McDowell.

Throughout his life, Danson has been passionate about environmental issues. In March 2011, he published his first book, titled “Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do To Save Them.” In October 2019, Danson and actress Jane Fonda were arrested at a climate-change protest outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Divorce Settlement

Danson’s divorce from his second wife, Casey Coates, is noted as one of the most costly celebrity divorces in history, influenced in part by his affair with actress Whoopi Goldberg. According to the divorce settlement, Ted compensated Casey with $2 million for each year of their marriage, amounting to a total of $30 million. That’s

After factoring in inflation, that amount is equivalent to approximately $50 million today.

Real Estate

Since 1995, Ted has been married to actress Mary Steenburgen. They possess several properties across the nation, with a primary focus on the Los Angeles region. In June 2019, they sold a nine-acre estate in Ojai, California, fetching $8.75 million. This property was purchased by them in 2005 through a trust for $4.5 million. Additionally, they own another residence in Ojai, acquired in 2017 at a cost of $2.4 million. In 2014, they invested $3.5 million on a property in Santa Monica, California, and then in January 2019, they expanded their holdings by purchasing the neighboring property for $5.2 million, thereby creating a spacious private compound. Furthermore, they also have a quaint cottage in Nashville and a six-acre property with multiple residences on Martha’s Vineyard.