Ted McGinley has revealed that he holds a “whole stack” of residual checks made out for a single penny each, a byproduct of a television career spanning back to the 1970s.
The 67-year-old actor, known for his roles in “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat,” and his seven-season run as Jefferson D’Arcy on “Married… with Children,” explained that his extensive work history means he has “been getting residuals all the time.”
However, McGinley noted that payouts naturally diminish over the years. “Residuals step down. Eventually, it doesn’t become that much,” he said.
Because those payments have dwindled, McGinley admits he does not bother cashing the one-cent checks. He is not, however, too proud to deposit other small amounts. “I’d say about $2,” he said regarding his banking threshold. “$1.89, it’s going on!”
The modest payouts contrast with McGinley’s current career resurgence. The “Revenge of the Nerds” star has recently been experiencing a wave of public appreciation for his role as Derek on Apple TV+’s “Shrinking.”
McGinley told a reporter that the recognition is something he “never thought would happen — ever.” For decades, he said he believed his window for major collaborations had closed.
“I spent my entire career wondering what it would be like to work opposite a man like Harrison Ford, Jason Segel,” he shared.
Now sharing the screen with Segel, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, and Brett Goldstein, McGinley described the role as an unexpected breakthrough. “I never thought I would be on a show like this,” he said. “I’m so honored that they would allow me to be a part of it.”
McGinley recalled auditioning for film roles and wondering what it would be like to act opposite Harrison Ford, whom he described as the world’s biggest movie star.
“I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I [would] get this shot,” McGinley shared. “I remember always going in on films and whatnot and thinking, I wonder what it would be like, I’d just give anything to see what it would be like to work opposite a guy like Harrison Ford, just the biggest movie star in the world. What is it like?”
The experience has exceeded his expectations. “It’s amazing,” he gushed. “This has been that gift. It’s been that opportunity to just watch,” adding that Ford is kind to everyone on the set and “sets you at ease. He’s there to work.”
