Hugh Laurie, Oprah Winfrey, Charlie Sheen

If you're an actor who lands a lead role on a TV series, you can count on a big payday. But it won't be as big as it used to be.



Network and studio executives tell TV Guide Magazine they've adopted a get-tough policy on salaries for stars of the new fall shows. While the salary for a lead has been $150,000 to $200,000 per episode in recent years, most deals for stars of new series were between $75,000 and $125,000. "No one broke the bank on anything this year," says one former studio head.

Fall TV: Get scoop on your favorite shows and stars

A case in point is a negotiation with a veteran film actor who for years has been coveted by several networks to do series TV. He was in discussions for a lead role in one of the new dramas that made the fall schedule. His asking price was $250,000. The network and the studio said no way. When the actor refused to go below $200,000, the network and studio moved on and hired someone else.Why the hard line? The broadcast networks have been in a cost-cutting mode since ad revenues were hard-hit by the recession. While the ad market is recovering, they are also coping with a changing long-term financial picture as DVR playback and online viewing have greatly diminished the ratings on the second network run of shows, once the source of windfall profits.There is an effort to keep talent costs down on their veteran hits as well. ABC's Brothers & Sisters , which once had four actors earning $150,000 or more per episode, will lose

Rob Lowe and have only 18 episodes next season instead of the typical 22. Some regulars will appear in fewer episodes. Marg Helgenberger 's new deal with CSI also calls for her to have a lighter workload next season and helps to trim the show's budget in the face of declining ratings.

Check out TV veterans returning in new shows this fall

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If a show is on the rise, it's a different story. The stars of The Big Bang Theory Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco —all currently make well under $100,000 per episode. Their bank accounts are about to benefit from the show's rise to the top of Nielsen rankings among viewers in the 18 to 49 age group and a successful sale into syndication. "I think they'll give an extra year to their studio, Warner Bros., in exchange for each of them getting $150,000 to $200,000 an episode," says one network executive. "They'll get bumps from there and could get up to $300,000 an episode. If it's a hit show, you start paying."Additional reporting by William Keck and Michael Schneider(House)(Law & Order: SVU)(CSI: Miami)(CSI)(NCIS)(CSI)(The Closer)(Rescue Me)(CSI: NY )(Grey's Anatomy)(Bones)(Burn Notice)(The Good Wife )Body of Proof )(Parenthood)(HawthoRNe)(Outlaw)NCIS: Los Angeles)NCIS: Los Angeles)(Royal Pains)Memphis Beat)Criminal Minds)(Blue Bloods)NCIS)White Collar)(Castle)(Criminal Minds)(Mad Men)(Chase)(Hawaii Five-0)(Justified )Hawaii Five-0)(Rizzoli & Isles)(True Blood)(The Event)(Chuck)The Vampire Diaries)(The Secret Life of the American Teenager)(Hellcats)(The Late Show)(The Tonight Show)(The Conan O'Brien Show)(The Ellen DeGeneres Show)(Jimmy Kimmel Live)(Chelsea Lately)(Lopez Tonight)(American Idol)(The Soup)(America's Got Talent)(Kate Plus 8)(Jersey Shore)(Two and a Half Men)(Two and a Half Men)(Desperate Housewives)(Desperate Housewives)(Desperate Housewives)(Desperate Housewives)(The Simpsons)(The Simpsons)(30 Rock)(Entourage)(The Office)(Two and a Half Men)(Californication)(Entourage)(Entourage)(iCarly)(Nurse Jackie)($#*! My Dad Says)(Rules of Engagement)(Modern Family)(Rules of Engagement)(Hot in Cleveland)(The Big Bang Theory)(The Big Bang Theory)(Modern Family)(Glee)(The Big Bang Theory)(Glee)(Wizards of Waverly Place)(The Suite Life of Zack and Cody)(Modern Family)(Today)(CBS)(NBC)(ABC)(Today)(Fox News)(ABC)(MSNBC)(Fox News)(CNN)(ABC)(MSNBC)(CNN)