The Good Old Days in Today's Dollars

Florence Lawrence, aka "The Biograph Girl," launched the star system when she left Biograph Studios for IMP when Carl Laemmle, who later founded Universal Pictures, agreed to give her a marquee identifying her by name on screen and in advertising. Salaries predictably began to rise and studios have been cursing and crying ever since:

1912: By the end of the year Lawrence was the highest paid actor, making $250 per week. $4,949.47 in 2005 dollars.

1913: Mary Pickford signed a contract worth $500 a week. Approximately $9,554.95 today.

1914: Pickford re-signs for double her weekly fee worth $18,662.02 adjusted for inflation.

1915: Pickford doubles up again and receives $36,845.05 in 2005 dollars weekly compensation.

1916: Charlie Chaplin banks $10,000 per week ($182,401.26). Plus a $150,000 ($2,736,018.91) signing bonus.

1919: Fatty Arbuckle becomes the first star to be guaranteed a million dollar yearly salary. $12,299,270.97 in 2005 dollars. A sum that surely came in handy during the subsequent witch-hunt that destroyed his career and personal life.

But, damn were those studios raking in the dough in those days. Paying Miss Pickford $36 g's a week! And Roscoe signs for $12 million! Yes sir, those were the good ol' days. I wonder how many execs still curse cute little Canadian Florence Lawrence's name.

The initial figures were published in William Goldman's Adventures In The Screen Trade.

Interestingly, Steven Soderbergh is now calling for a salary cap for actors.

And, now studio execs via Entertainment Weekly seem to be questioning the relative worth of some of the current stock of high-priced talent.

La plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.