Real Name: Peter Bergman
Salary Deal: $1 million
For a million dollars a year, Peter Bergman let everyone know he wasn’t really a doctor, but he played one on TV. He did, too, as an actor on the General Hospital soap opera. His tagline for the line of Vicks products he promoted became one of the most famous taglines of the next few decades. There are probably still ads being made that parody it.
Robinson made his last appearance at General Hospital in 2002 – his character, Dr. Webber, lost his life due to a candlestick, though thankfully Robinson himself is still alive and well.
“I've Fallen and Can't Get Up” Lady
Real Name: Edith Fore
Salary Deal : $200,000
Edith Fore has fallen plenty of times, but don't worry, because she has a LifeCall Medical Alarm bracelet. This series was one of the best-known commercials, and the catchphrase continues to create a little bit of laughter even now.
Madam Fore earned a pretty penny for her acting prowess: She raked in $200,000, but it's possible she could have done it for free. Her LifeCall bracelet really did save her life when she fell at home, sustaining both a hip injury and a head injury. She was inspired to appear in the commercials because of this and turned the experience into a famous commercial.
The “Got Milk?” Trivia Guy
Real Name: Sean Whalen
Salary Deal : $50,000
Yet another ultra-famous commercial tagline, “Got Milk?” got its start in a campaign with Sean Whalen playing Aaron Burr, a trivia buff and history enthusiast. While the ad was mocked, it brought fame to Whalen. The commercial was directed by Michael Bay of all people, and it wasn't even Whalen's first.
He's been in ads for DiGiorno Pizza's deep-dish pizza, Bud Light, and has even appeared in movies such as Twister, Charlie's Angels, Employee of the Month, and The People Under the Stairs, among others. Whalen received a salary of $50,000 for the ad. While the details of the ad have been forgotten, the question truly remains: Got Milk?
Morris the Cat
Real Name: John Morris
Salary Deal : $56,000
How much is this Garfield knock-off worth? $56,000 a year, if you can believe it. Of course, the cat isn't really getting that money. The character is a combination of a real cat named Morris, and a sarcastic, deadpan voice-actor John Morris. The best part about this is the matching names is one hundred percent a coincidence.
Morris the cat was famously picky, but not, of course, for 9Lives, the cat food that started advertising in 1968. Before he rose to fame, Morris (the cat) lived at Hinsdale Humane Society, and they currently have a page on their website dedicated to him. They call him “the quintessential American success story.”
The Trivago Guy
Real Name: Tim Williams
Salary Deal : $20,000
Despite a Texas birthplace, Tim Williams grew up in Germany and speaks fluent German. He's starred in plenty of German films and television, while also appearing in English-speaking films such as Valkyrie (which is set in Germany), Labyrinth of Lies, and Ninja Assassin.
Hotel site Trivago has featured Tim Williams in their successful ad campaigns since 2012, with a salary deal worth $20,000. He's studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. He's appeared on shows like The Sopranos, and recorded his first musical album, Magnolia City, in 2018. He's currently focused on his music as his main project.