Real Name: John Lehr
Salary Deal: Unknown
It’s unknown how much this famous ad campaign actor brought down for all those prosthetics and makeup, but he’s one of the most recognizable characters, even in an industry (insurance) that is full of long-running characters. There were other cavemen, but Lehr was the main actor.
He’s been in other ads (sans caveman getup) as well as appearing as an actor in the comedy series “JailBait” and as the lead role in the series “Quick Draw.” He’s also one of the few – maybe even the only – ad characters to get his own television show, though it was short-lived.
The Duncan Hines Redhead
Real Name: Lindsay Lohan
Salary Deal: $7,500
We all know about this world-famous redhead now, but when she was just a child – before even The Parent Trap – Ms. Lohan spent plenty of time acting in commercials. One such commercial was for Duncan Hines, which got Lindsay for a salary of only $7,500.
Lindsay's mother Dina took her to the audition and reported Lindsay would quit acting if she didn't get the part for the commercial. Luckily for fans of the remake of The Parent Trap, she stuck with it. Duncan Hines peddles plenty of sweet treats, but the best thing they might have done was get Lohan's career started.
The 1990s “Noxzema Girl”
Real Name: Rebecca Gayheart
Salary Deal: Unknown For the first time on this list, we have two faces from the same brand. Rebecca Gayheart started her modeling and acting career with Noxzema in the 1980s, through the 1990s. Her career really took off thanks to a short student film by director Brett Ratner, a name you may recognize as the director of films such as Rush Hour, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and more, as well as a producer for many more.
Gayheart isn't in the Noxzema ads anymore, but she was in the recent Tarantino blockbuster Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as well as the TV series Dead Like Me. She is also married to Euphoria actor, Eric Dane.
The Black Allstate Guy
Real Name: Dennis Haysbert
Salary Deal: $3-$4 million per year
Allstate has a number of well-known campaigns to get people to remember the name, but Dennis Haysbert appears in all of them. At least, his voice does. He's the guy with the voice richer than chocolate pudding who asks you if you're in good hands.
His booming voice can also be heard in movies such as “Major League” and TV shows like “24,” just to dip our toe into this actor's long history. He's been a spokesperson for Allstate for some time, and they want him to stay around – they're paying him seven figures to keep him from leaving.
Lil' Sweet From Dr. Pepper Ads
Real Name: Justin Guarini
Salary Deal: $250,000 per year
If you've caught one of the recent Dr. Pepper ads, you might have watched singer Lil' Sweet belt out a tune for this soft drink. He's played by professional singer Justin Guarini, but you'd already know that if you had been watching American Idol since the very beginning. Guarini was number two in the show's first season, losing to Kelly Clarkson in the final elimination.
His falsetto is earning him a quarter of a million dollars thanks to Dr. Pepper, but he's also putting out plenty of his own music, and a CEO of the company Profit Under Pressure LLC, which serves leaders and influencers for the brand management. He's also a constant face on and off-Broadway in numerous theater roles.