3 Co-Stars on ‘Seinfeld’ OK Lucrative Deal

Although they came up short of their $1-million asking price, the supporting cast of NBC’s “Seinfeld�--a show billed as being about nothing--has agreed to stay on the job for two more seasons at a per-episode fee that some industry sources speculated might be as much as $600,000 each.

Combined with significant raises for the show’s star and co-creator, Jerry Seinfeld, and others associated with the sitcom, this deal could make “Seinfeld� the most expensive show to produce in the history of television.

An accord was reached late Friday, mere days before NBC is scheduled to announce its prime-time lineup for next season. The two sides had been at an impasse for several weeks and negotiated through the day at Castle Rock Entertainment, which produces “Seinfeld.�

The terms are believed to roughly split the difference between the $1 million representatives for actors Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Julia Louis-Dreyfus initially sought and the $300,000 previously offered. With NBC to air at least 22 episodes next year, that means the trio will each receive more than $13 million.

Seinfeld previously agreed to a sum around $20 million, or nearly $1 million per episode. However, he has only committed to performing next year--which would be the program’s ninth--and has yet to decide on the following year. He also receives a portion of profits from the sale of “Seinfeld� repeats to local television stations.

In a statement, NBC did not discuss specific terms but said the network was able to secure an agreement that was “financially acceptable to all parties.�

Still, TV executives worry that such salary demands could set a dangerous precedent in renewal negotiations on hit prime-time programs. Similar concerns arose in the movie business when Jim Carrey was paid $20 million to star in “The Cable Guy,� setting a standard later insisted upon by other top stars.

The fee NBC will pay the production company to air each episode is expected to exceed $4 million next season. However, the show has also been enormously profitable for NBC, which charges as much as $500,000 for each 30-second commercial during the program.

In addition, the network’s success Thursday, due largely to “Seinfeld� and “ER,� has helped make NBC No. 1 in the prime-time ratings the past two seasons.

Because of uncertainty regarding whether NBC could cement a deal, network officials were said to have assembled two possible schedules--one with “Seinfeld� and one without. Under the latter scenario, the Emmy-winning sitcom “Frasier� would have moved from Tuesdays, where it now airs, to Thursday nights.

Next season’s NBC schedule will feature six new comedies and two dramas, including sitcoms starring Tony Danza and Kirstie Alley.