Ted McGinley said his stable personal life and strong sense of frugality have helped him weather the peaks and troughs of show business.
The 67-year-old “shrinking” actor, who first got his break as a violent jock in the 1984 film “Revenge of the Nerds,” said in a recent interview that he has never worried about where his next paycheck will come from, and neither has his wife, actress Gigi Rice.
“Fortunately, no one ever said anything like that to me when I went into the house,” he said. “I have a wife who loves me, I have two children who love me, and I have friends that have nothing to do with business, and it doesn’t exist outside of that part of my life.”
“I mean, it’s very healthy,” the “Married with Kids” alum added.
And McGinley spoke with refreshing candor about how he’s weathered the financial ups and downs.
“I’m very cheap,” he explains with a laugh, and luckily he and Rice are on the same page.
“We’re both very frugal people, and I’ve always been a very frugal person. I’ve been working since the third grade, mowing the lawn and organizing papers. That’s how I saved money.”
Because of his long television career, which included appearances in the 70s on shows like “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat” and “Dynasty,” and a seven-year stint on “Marriage with Children,” McGinley said he still receives large residual checks, sometimes as much as a penny.
He admitted he did not cash out the money, but anything over 4 cents would be deposited into his account.
McGinley is currently starring in the comedy-drama “Shrinking,” but admitted that he was worried about the fate of his character when he was hospitalized with a heart condition earlier this season.
“I thought, oh, please stop, please stop,” he recalled. “At one point I asked Bill[Lawrence, the show’s co-creator]’Bill, are you going to kill me?'” And he made a funny joke, and I walked away thinking, So is it yes or no? I didn’t think he was playing with me. ”
McGinley, who said she “never dreamed” she would be co-starring Harrison Ford, said she has been overwhelmed by the response to the series, which explores themes of mental health, therapy and grief.
He said he hears from fans every day who tell him how much the show has helped them and their families.
“It means a lot to me that people are so open about therapy, and it’s very interesting,” he added.
