Ashton Kutcher: highest paid TV actor

Actor Ashton Kutcher sits courtside during Game 2 of the Los Angeles Lakers against Denver Nuggets NBA Western Conference quarter-final basketball playoff game in Los Angeles, California May 1, 2012.[Photo/Agencies]

When Ashton Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on the hit comedy "Two And a Half Men", he also took his place as television's highest-paid actor, according to Forbes' annual survey released on Wednesday.

Forbes estimated Kutcher earned $24 million from May 2011 to May 2012, while Sheen, now starring in "Anger Management" on cable television following a very public firing from the hit CBS show, didn't even make the top 10.

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Sheen's $40 million a year ago however easily out-earned Kutcher by some $16 million. Steve Carell, also in the top 10 last year with $15 million before he left "The Office", was also nowhere to be found this year.

Earnings runners-up included "House" star Hugh Laurie and Ray Romano of now-canceled "Men of a Certain Age", with $18 million each.

Other highly compensated actors in the top 10 list included Emmy winner Alec Baldwin of "30 Rock", "Last Man Standing" star Tim Allen, "Men" co-star Jon Cryer and "The Big Bang Theory"'s Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki.

Forbes said its estimates did not include deductions for manager and agent fees, or "the other costs of being a celebrity".