40 Staggering Salaries and Contracts of Huge Celebrities, Athletes and Historical Figures

They made how much?!?!
40 Staggering Salaries and Contracts of Huge Celebrities, Athletes and Historical Figures

On the whole, it’s safe to say that we’re all somewhat interested in peoples’ salaries. Some bolder folks just outright ask, while most of us beat around the bush with a series of more polite questions that could get us in the ballpark. 

Normally, we’re the around-the-bush beaters, but we felt a little bold today and decided to just straight up ask these well-known folks. The answers were quite surprising.

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani made an estimated $90 million per year from one clothing brand. The brand is L.A.M.B., and she's also started others, like the Japanese-inspired Harajuku Lovers and the ready-to-wear brand Design With Purpose. CRACKED.COM

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage was paid $20 million for a movie that was never filmed. EASY BUCK$ In 1998, Tim Burton cast Cage in Superman Lives. Cage was paid before production began, and when the film was scrapped, he got to keep it all. The rest of the budget went to the Will Smith movie Wild Wild West. CRACKED

Benicio del Toro

EASY BUCK$ DENZEL SCIDENT WASHINGTON ACADEMY RUSSELL CROWE AMERICAN GANGSTER Benicio del Toro was paid $5 million to not appear in American Gangster. An earlier version of the film was scrapped before filming. When it picked back up, other actors like Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe were cast, but del Toro was allowed to keep his fee. CRACKED

Bobby Bonilla

EASY BUCK$ Bobby Bonilla Day Не last played for the New York Mets in 1999, but his contract stipulates that he receives a check for $1,193,248.20 from the Mets every July 1st from 2011 through 2035. Fans call July 1st Bobby Bonilla Day. CRACKED

Mike Babcock

EASY BUCK$ TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NHL coach Mike Babcock was paid to not coach the Leafs. The former head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs was fired in 2019, but because of his contract, he was paid $6.25 million annually for the next three years. CRACKED

Johnny Depp

EASY BUCK$ Johnny Depp's pay or play contract. Because of the Amber Heard controversy, Warner Bros. told him to resign from Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. They replaced him with Mads Mikkelsen, but Depp got to keep his $16 million fee. CRACKED

The Hiltons

EASY BUCK$ Paris and Nicky Hilton made $500,000 for dancing at a club. They hosted a party at LAX nightclub in Vegas, and made $250,000 each for a night of free booze and dancing. CRACKED

Bob Hoskins

EASY BUCK$ Bob Hoskins was paid for Robert De Niro's performance. For The Untouchables, Brian De Palma asked Hoskins to play Al Capone if De Niro couldn't make it. When De Niro took the part, Hoskins got a check for $200,000 in the mail, with a note saying, Thanks for your time. Love, Brian. CRACKED

Tim Thomas

NHL goalie Tim Thomas got paid for his year off. EASY BUCK$ BRUINS 3 aUER The Boston Bruins goalie decided to take a year off from hockey in 2012, but wouldn't retire, so the Bruins were forced to pay his $5 million salary and/or trade him. They traded him to the Islanders, who helped with the tab. CRACKED

Justin Verlander

EASY BUCK$ Detroit 35 Justin Verlander is the highest paid bench player of all time. The Astros pitcher has played just 474 games out of a possible 2,754. For the 2,280 games he hasn't played, he has earned $238 million without stepping onto the field. CRACKED

Friends

EASY BUCK$ 20 years later, the Friends residuals are still rolling in. Yes, they all worked a lot in their 10 season run, but since Warner Bros. continues to make $1 billion in residuals each year, their contract to receive 2% of that brings each friend $20 million per year. CRACKED

Rougned Odor

Rougned Odor Texas Rangers TEXAS CRACKED.COM When your contract is already just shy of $50 million, you have to get creative with added incentives. The Rangers threw in a bonus of two horses to sweeten the deal.

Charlie Kerfeld

Charlie Kerfeld Houston Astros CRACKED.COM Kerfeld wore number 37, and wanted everyone to know it: he requested a one-year salary of $110,037.37, and 37 boxes of orange Jell-O.

Troy Glaus

Troy Glaus Arizona Diamondbacks CRACKED COM On top of his $45 million contract, the Diamondbacks agreed to toss a quarter- million dollars at his wife's horse hobby.

Stefan Schwartz

Stefan Schwartz Sunderland A.F.C. ILTY was CRACKED.COM Schwartz had such famous a preoccupation with space and space travel, the team stipulated that he must remain on Earth for the contract to remain valid.

Mark McGwire

Mark McGwire St. Louis Cardinals MCGURE 25 CRACKED.COM Just before his big 1998 home run competition with Sammy Sosa, Big Mac put a stipulation in his contract that he'd get $1 per fan that came out to Busch Stadium (after 2.8 million). They wound up getting 3.2 million fans to the stadium that season --up from 2.4 milion in '97.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls BULLS ه2 CRACKED COM Most pros are contractually barred from playing pickup games, but the best of best have enough leverage to include a love of the game clause. MJ put his to good use, putting in iconic extracurricular performances at a couple UNC alumni games (and also the Olympics).

Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens Toronto Blue Jays ovston 22 CRACKED.COM In 1996, the Blue Jays agreed to let Clemens' kids practice in the Skydome, and gave them lockers in the clubhouse right next to their dad's.

George Washington

George Washington PRESIDENT CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1789 $25,000 ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $4.5 million

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein PRINCETON UNIVERSTY K4 CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1933 Einstein suggested a $10,000 lower salary, but the university wanted to ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW ensure he was $178,000 the highest paid scholar there.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1953 Monroe was under contract $18,000 with 20th Century Fox. Her freelance ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW co-star received $175,600 $100,000 for the movie.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens PICKWICK PAPERS GRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1836 In his first book, £400 Dickens made a farthing (1/4 of a British penny) ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW per word. $238,000

Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart AVERAGE YEARLY INCOME CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1786 3,000 florins ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $400,000

Beethoven

Ludvig van Beethoven YEARLY INCOME CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1809 Beethoven made 4,000 florins this allowance via three patrons on the condition ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW he remained $530,000 in Vienna.

Judy Garland

Judy Garland WIZARD OF OZ CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1939 For comparision, her male $500/week co-stars made $2500 to 3000 per week. The ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW dog who played Toto made $9,300/week $125/week.

Jane Austen

Jane Austen MANSFIELD PARK GRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1814 £300 ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $60,000

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci KING OF FRANCE CRACKED COM YEARLY STIPEND 400 ducats Da Vinci received a generous yearly payment from the King. For reference, 1 ducat was 10 days pay for one of da Vinci's students.

Michaelangelo

Michelangelo SISTINE CHAPEL CRACKED.COM COMMISSION FOR 1508-1512 3,000 ducats For reference, Michelangelo was making good money when he received 200-450 ducats per sculpture.

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson BROOKLYN DODGERS CRACKED.COM 1947 SEASON PAY $5,000 ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $58,000

Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth RED SOX CRACKED.COM 1919 SEASON PAY $10,000 ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $150,000

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe YEARLY INCOME CRACKED.COM SALARY IN 1835 $624 ESTIMATED SPENDING POWER NOW $18,500

Judge Judy

Judy Sheindlin JUDGE JUDY CRACKED COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $47 million To discuss her contract, she presents an envelope with her desired salary. One time, the CBS President tried to counter with his own. She didn't open it, saying This isn't a negotiation.

Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest AMERICAN IDOL CRACKED.COM PER YEAR OF SHOW (2012) $45 million Seacrest's salary jumped from $5 million to $15 million in 2009.

Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon THE TONIGHT SHOW CRACKED.COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $16 million Jay Leno reportedly made $30 million a year for hosting The Tonight Show.

Dr. Phil

Dr. Phil DR. PHIL - an - - THE - food Bullet DN omen CRACKED.COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $50 million As a producer and star, Dr. Phil makes 50% of the show's advertising profit. (This isn't including product placement and signing bonuses.)

Katy Perry

Katy Perry AMERICAN IDOL Americ Ido CRACKED COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $25 million Her co-hosts Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryan made $10 million and $12 million, respectively.

The Fab 5

The Fab 5 TSE QUEER EYE GRACKED COM PER EPISODE $7,500 Bobby, Karamo, Tan, Antoni, and Jonathan were paid $5,000 per episode in Season 1.

Conan O’Brien

Conan O'Brien CONAN (TBS) CRACKED.COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $12 million O'Brien was paid $45 million to leave The Tonight Show.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW GRACKED.COM PER YEAR OF SHOW (2017) $50 million DeGeneres spends much of her money on real estate. She and her wife are known for flipping high-end homes.

Vanna White

Vanna White WHEEL OF FORTUNE D CRACKED COM PER YEAR OF SHOW $4 million She has worn over 6,500 dresses, never repeating an outfit.

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