# Paychecks for dead actors?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 10, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492 "2001-04-10T17:26:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![heembo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@heembo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heembo)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492/1 "2001-04-10T17:26:08Z")

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When an actor dies, who gets their residuals? For example, every time the movie “Animal House” is aired on TV, who gets John Bellushi’s money? Is it split evenly among those recieving a residual from the project, does one person or entity start gobbling up the money, or does the residual cease to exist? Is it cheaper for a company to air a movie with all dead actors? What up?

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**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492/2 "2001-04-10T20:04:03Z")

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IANAL, but I assume that all residuals (or any other payment) must be made for as long as the contract calls for, whether the actor in question is dead or alive. If the actor is dead, then it goes to their estate.

So in your example, the person(s) who inherited John’s estate get any payments, broken up between them in whatever fashion his will calls for.

Ugly

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**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492/3 "2001-04-11T00:31:07Z")

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Most all performers of any note set themselves up as corporations for tax purposes. The payments are made to the corporation FSO (For Services Of) the performer. So, yes indeed an actor can be long deceased and residual payments will still be collected by the corporation. And the corporation may continue to exist as a viable business entity. Think licensensing of the actors image, etc.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paychecks-for-dead-actors/61492/4 "2001-04-11T00:46:52Z")

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**wring** ’s reply from the [duplicate thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=66998):

> [@](#):
>
> I’d think that this works the same as any other asset when the owner dies. If Frank Smith owns  
> stock, the stock doesn’t go to other stockholders when he dies, it would go to his beneficiary’s.
> 
> ```
> Of course, not all performers in a movie/tv show are eligible for royalties, I believe some work for a
> specific fee.
> 
> ```