Why do TV actors struggle?

[Mr. Monitor]

You know I've always wondered why most TV actors can't seem to get jobs after their shows have ended or been abruptly canceled. Most of the actors on shows I've watched are virtually non-existent nowadays.

Is typecasting really an issue?

[80sTrivia]

Type casting might be part of the problem. It can be hard for a viewing audience to accept an actor from a popular television series in another role. Another part of the problem might be money... actors from highly successful shows (such as Seinfeld, Roseanne, Friends and Frasier) are sometimes out-priced in terms of being hired for a new television series. The studios would have to fork over an enormous sum of money and if the series fails... they are out millions of dollars, as most savvy actors have a Pay-or-Play clause, whereas they get all of the money for a season whether the show is picked up or not. Then again, some actors earned such tremendous amounts of money during their hit show's run (i.e. Ray Romano and Tim Allan, and still earn substantial income in residuals and DVD sales) that they aren't in too much of a hurry to find a new series and return to the daily grind of making a hit sitcom. For actors with failed series, studios are more and more hesitant to take a risk and hire them for a new show... so, it's certainly a double-edged sword...

[TJL]

Another thing to consider (especially in the last few years) is because reality programs have become such a big part of the TV landscape, fewer scripted shows (especially sitcoms) are making it to primetime. With fewer slots to fill in the lineups, there is greater competition to get a show on the air, so there are a lot of actors (not to mention writers) waiting around for a chance to get a show on the air.

[evilNpunk]

You know I've always wondered why most TV actors can't seem to get jobs after their shows have ended or been abruptly canceled. Most of the actors on shows I've watched are virtually non-existent nowadays.

Is typecasting really an issue?
I think that yes, typecasting is the major issue. Most people who star in sitoms are seen as "personalities" and not as actors. Hollywood is bad about that.

[snl 70s show fan]

also some actors have bad reps in the biz most producers will overlook it if the show is a big hit but in hollywood .producers talk to each other and most of them tell one another something along the lines of so and so is a great actor but if i had to start over again great or not he is a major pain in the a;; and there is no way i would hire them again it happens every movie and tv set in hollywood

[Mr. Monitor]

Great points all-around guys. Thanks.

[Ant-Lox]

Yup...Reality shows killed most of their jobs....

[TJL]

Yup...Reality shows killed most of their jobs....

I read an article last week (I have to remember where I read it) that said that there are hundreds of TV writers out of work because the networks are greenlighting reality shows instead of scripted programming. I guess the same thing is happening to actors as well.