Ray Gets a Raise; Visnjic Extends ER Visit
June 26 -- Comedian Ray Romano, of CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond, and ER's hunky Goran Visnjic are the latest TV stars to profit from staying loyal to their top-rated shows.
Romano is near to landing a new contract that will be worth more than $40 million for two years, or approximately $800,000 per episode, Variety reports.
That's not quite as impressive as fellow funnyman Kelsey Grammer's record $1.6 million-per-episode deal that was announced last week, but it's more than Drew Carey's nearly $750,000 per episode.
Deals for the rest of Raymond's cast, including Emmy winner Patricia Heaton, are expected to be announced soon.
Meanwhile, ER will keep sexy Goran Visnjic in scrubs for four more years on Thursday nights. No public dollar amount has been put on the Croatian actor's services — it's said to be at least six figures — but NBC recently struck a deal with producer Warner Bros. Television to reduce the show's record high per-episode fee from $13 million to between $8 million and $9 million per episode, beginning this fall.
Visnjic's deal follows a contract extension by original cast member Noah Wyle and the surprise return of another first-season vet, Sherry Stringfield. Visnjic is now booked through what will be the medical drama's 11th season, while Wyle and Stringfield will be dispensing meds through its 10th season.
Series producer John Wells said that Visnjic "has been great for the show. He's a wonderful actor and a consummate professional."
