Why? (https://www.quora.com/Do-The-Brady-Bunch-kids-get-royalties/answer/Jon-Mixon-1)


It’s been too long - The Brady Bunch first appeared in 1969. That was 55 years ago and only the best contract would ensure that a performer received residual payments for more than a fraction of that amount of time. The Brady casts residuals probably ran out by the early 1980s at the latest.

The series was aired too much - Residuals were (and many cases still are) based upon the number of times the individual episode airs/aired. The Brady Bunch went into syndication pretty much after its first season and was used by some network affiliates to plug their holes in their schedules. Each time it aired, a residual payment was owed and it was a fraction of their original salary for the role. The show aired a LOT in the 1970s alone and that was before it was a staple on the basic cable super channels.

The actors lives were rather turbulent - Several had issues with substance abuse, Robert Reed’s health was failing and they went lengthy periods of unemployment. They almost certainly used a factor to receive cash upfront in exchange for any future residuals.

I never thought they got any. Shows that came out at that age never envisioned cable TV and syndications. Contracts rarely specified residuals for children on a show that was not that popular during its initial run.
When Jean Stapleton left All In The Family syndication was becoming popular. She signed away all of her rights and residuals of the show for $75,000. That money in 1979 was good coin but a drop in the bucket compared to what was yet to come over the next decade with VHRs, DVDs, and lifelong syndication on many cable TV channels.

Gettng paid for residuals at the time were not as generously paid as they are today. If I remember correctly, I think they got paid small residuals for a very limited number of runs, when first syndicated, unless I am thinking of some other show or different actors.

I have heard the cast say they dont make a dime off the show in reruns. Maybe they did for the first year or something. I think they were paid $400 per episode so even if it was for one year, its not very much. However the show has such interest over the past 50 years that each cast member is quite wealthy or a millionaire with Brady related shows, merchandise or creating their own business.

A lot of it depends on your contract and what that says about reruns etc. And back then, nobody knew that a low rating show like this would be a touchstone for so many people 50 years in the future.

It's basically all spelled out in contracts. The producers pretty much have all the power regarding residuals, so there probably not a lot of actors or actresses from that time that had long term residual deals... maybe the really big names could negotiate for it, but kids certainly didn't have much (if any) bargaining power for residuals.

They were probably just happy to get work and would sign anything.

If they were paid $400 per episode and they appeared in about 20 episodes per year (each kid was not to appear in 2 episodes per season to save money), that would put their yearly salary about $8,000 per year. In 1970 the average salary in the USA was $7,600. The medium household income was $8,700.
They were not rich like people are today on sitcoms but they were paid a salary that could support their family if needed. They did some concerts, cartoon, and albums that definitely boosted their yearly salary back then.
Even if they did get residuals it would be chump change because by today's standards it was not much money. $8,000 in 1970 is like making $41,000 today.
I once saw an interview with Sherwood Schwartz about the low pay of his sitcoms. He said the network gave them little money and a contract is a contract. Whether the show is horrible in ratings or it becomes the post popular show on tv. Everyone should stand behind their contract and what they agreed to be paid.

They aren’t kids anymore.