Former “Who’s the Boss?” actor Danny Pintauro finds himself juggling five jobs to stay financially afloat, despite the fame he earned from the popular sitcom. Surprisingly, Pintauro reveals that he receives no financial benefit from the show’s residuals.
The actor, known for his role as Jonathan Bower on the ABC series that ran from 1984 to 1992, recently shared insights about his current financial situation, months after an image of him delivering Amazon packages caught widespread attention online.
Pintauro, now 50, discussed his circumstances on the “Pod Meets World” podcast, stating, “[Amazon is] one of the five different gig jobs that I’m doing right now.” He went on to explain that acting is merely one of several gigs he relies on to make ends meet.
“We’re gig actors. Acting is the gig. It’s one of the six gigs,” Pintauro stated, highlighting the reality many entertainers face today.
The former child star represents an increasing number of performers who need to pursue various jobs outside the entertainment industry to support themselves financially. He emphasizes that relying solely on acting often doesn’t suffice to cover living expenses.
“We have to do what we have to do to survive,” he told hosts Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong, who starred on the ’90s sitcom “Boy Meets World.”
“We have got to keep moving as humans. And I know you can all relate to what that looks like. We’re all doing it. I am not different from you in that sense.”
Pintauro, who starred alongside Tony Danza, Judith Light and Alyssa Milano during the eight-season run of “Who’s the Boss?,” also revealed he does not rely on residual checks from the show.
“I don’t make money from residuals,” Pintauro bluntly stated.
The actor said public reaction to his Amazon job shifted after he explained the financial realities many working actors face.
“The flack just disappeared,” he said.
Still, he recalled being ridiculed years ago for taking a summer job at Gap near the end of his run on “Who’s the Boss?”
“For a long time, it was they love to see the downfall,” Pintauro said. “There is something about that. Just humans love to see other people being miserable … and especially someone that they have placed on such a pedestal to see that person come down a bunch of levels.”
In addition to delivering packages, Pintauro said he works as an acting coach, teaches classes and workshops, and builds and sells dioramas.
“I’ve got Amazon and then I’m an acting coach,” he shared. “So that developed because I’ve been teaching acting for the last almost 10 years. In Austin, I was teaching eight classes at this conservatory.”
“You want to wake up in the morning with something to do,” he added. “Most people are raised with, or you hope are raised with, a decent work ethic, and it’s like, ‘I want to get up and be productive today.’”
Pintauro most recently appeared in the 2022 film “A Country Christmas Harmony” and the 2025 TV series “The Comeback Kids.”