TV SERIES · 1989–1998 · USA
Seinfeld
- Created by
- Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David
- Network
- NBC
- Seasons
- 9
- Episodes
- 180
- Studio
- Castle Rock Entertainment, West/Shapiro Productions, Fred Barron Productions
739 archived facts 8 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
A stand-up comedian and his three offbeat friends weather the pitfalls and payoffs of life in New York City in the '90s. It's a show about nothing.
739 Interesting Facts About Seinfeld
Interesting Facts (40)
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Matt Drudge worked for three years in the early 1990s at the CBS Studio Center merchandise store, which was near the area where the show's interiors were taped, where audiences who attended tapings could buy store-related memorabilia. He used his fortuitous position to start his own website, The Drudge Report, where after rooting around in some garbage cans on the lot, he revealed how much Jerry Seinfeld was making doing his own sitcom.
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In Massillon, Ohio, there is a restaurant called "Kosmo," named after Cosmo Kramer. The restaurant sign features a pencil sketch of Cosmo Kramer. One of the menu items is called the "Newman," which is a meatball sandwich. The famous picture of George Costanza posing half naked in his underwear is hanging up in the ladies' room.
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Susan Ross, George Costanza's fiancée, was killed off because the cast found it very difficult to work with Heidi Swedberg. According to Jason Alexander, while they liked Swedberg personally, Alexander was having difficulty playing his scenes with her (as did Julia Louis-Dreyfus when the two shared scenes in The Pool Guy (1995)). Louis-Dreyfus joked about killing her, which gave Larry David the idea to kill her character.
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Michael Costanza, Jerry Seinfeld's friend after whom George was named, filed a 100 million dollar lawsuit against Seinfeld, Larry David and NBC, alleging invasion of privacy and defamation of the character. Costanza sought damages over the show's alleged use of his likeness. The lawsuit was dismissed, with judges adding that the statute of limitations had expired because Costanza had not sued within a year of the show's 1989 debut.
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In the episode where Elaine dates a man named Joel Rifkin (fifth season, ninth episode, "The Masseuse"), she tries to get him to change his name because Joel Rifkin is also the name of a man involved in a notorious murder case in New York City. One of the first suggestions for the new name was O. J. The episode was shot in 1993, a year before O. J. Simpson was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
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George Costanza's fiancée Susan Ross was killed off because the cast found working with the actress Heidi Swedberg very difficult. According to Jason Alexander, although they liked Swedberg personally, Alexander struggled to play his scenes with her (as did Julia Louis-Dreyfus when the two shared two scenes in The Pool Guy (1995)). Louis-Dreyfus joking about killing her gave Larry David the idea to kill off the character.
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The Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) was based on Al Yeganeh, the real owner of a takeout soup business on West 55th Street in Manhattan between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Like in the sitcom, his soups were known for their excellent quality, but Yeganeh was also famous for his unusual behavior toward customers. Local patrons called him a terrorist rather than a "Nazi," likely because they knew Yeganeh was born in Iran, not Germany. Yeganeh was so angered by the episode (season seven, episode six, "The Soup Nazi") that he banned the use of the word "Nazi" in his restaurants. Even the slightest reference to the series would set him off (as seen in an interview with CNN). When some of the show's actors and writers bravely visited the restaurant after the episode aired, Yeganeh claimed the series had ruined his life.
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The character of Cosmo Kramer was based on Kenny Kramer, who worked in the hallway of co-creator Larry David. In a move Kenny Kramer himself admitted was meant to capitalize on the sitcom's popularity, he founded the "Kramer Reality Tour," an officially recognized New York City tour that visits real-life locations frequently featured in the sitcom. In the series' 1997 season, Cosmo Kramer's memoirs were published by J. Peterman as if they were his own. Looking to make the most of this, Cosmo Kramer launches a "Peterman Reality Tour," offering a tour of the real-life locations featured in the memoirs.
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Kramer's wardrobe, made up mostly of clothing from the 1960s and 1970s, was not intended to make him a retro fashion statement but to imply that he had not bought clothes in years. His pants in particular were always about an inch short to emphasize this. In later seasons, as he aged and given Kramer's extreme popularity as a character, it became increasingly difficult for the producers to find suitable clothing, forcing them to have tailors personally make Kramer's clothes from retro fabrics. For the most part, they created numerous backup copies of the garments in case they were damaged during physical comedy.
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Larry David based George Costanza on himself. Many of the situations George finds himself in are based on David's real-life experiences. George was named after Jerry Seinfeld's friend Michael Costanza. George's middle name, Louis, was a tribute to Lou Costello of The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), which had a major influence on the series.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant while filming an episode of the series. Her pregnancy was hidden with props she carried to conceal her changing body. This was parodied in The Nanny (1993) when a very pregnant Lauren Lane, standing in front of a poster that read "Baby," mentioned that they hid Elaine "behind all these huge props."
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The original script was titled "Stand Up." It was to be a ninety-minute mockumentary about how a stand-up comedian writes his jokes based on his daily life. It was to air one night instead of Saturday Night Live (1975). NBC liked the script so much that they decided to develop it as a pilot instead.
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Production Story (360)
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Before becoming a writer for television, Larry Charles was a stand-up comedian and also worked with Larry David and Michael Richards on Fridays (1980). He didn't join the writing staff of this show until its second season, as during the first season, he was writing for The Arsenio Hall Show (1989).
Seinfeld (1989): Michael Richards chats with a man in a tuxedoImage: Wikimedia Commons · Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 - #044
The Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) was based on the actual owner, Al Yeganeh, of a take-out soup business in Manhattan on West 55th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Just like in the sitcom, his soups were known for their excellent quality, but Yeganeh was also famous for the unusual way he treated his customers. Instead of calling him a "Nazi," local patrons called him a terrorist, presumably because they knew Yeganeh was born in Iran, not Germany. Yeganeh was so angered by the episode (season seven, episode six, "The Soup Nazi"), that he forbade the use of the word "Nazi" in his restaurants. Even the slightest reference to this show would push his buttons (it can be seen in an interview he did with CNN). So when some cast members and writers from this show bravely visited the restaurant after the episode aired, Yeganeh claimed that the show had ruined his life.
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The series does not have an opening credits sequence. Instead, the lead actor credits play out over a scene. Now commonplace in sitcoms and drama series, this was considered a novelty in 1990 and sparked a debate over the future of opening credits in TV series (although "Highlights of a 100" and "The Clip Show" were the exceptions as they had intros).
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The character of Rabbi Kirschbaum was named after writer Bruce Kirschbaum and evolved from a sketch on Fridays (1980). Bruce Kirschbaum and Larry David portrayed rabbis who had their own television program called "Live & Be Well." Bruce Mahler, who played Rabbi Kirschbaum in three episodes, also worked on Fridays (1980), along with Michael Richards and writer Larry Charles.
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In retrospect, most critics and fans agree that season two, episode eleven, "The Chinese Restaurant," is the first episode to truly embody the concept of "a show about nothing." Interestingly, the NBC executives overseeing the series hated the episode exactly because nothing happened and held it back to broadcast towards the end of the season believing that the episode was weak.
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In the episode where Elaine dates a man named Joel Rifkin (season five, episode nine, "The Masseuse"). She tries to have him change his name, since Joel Rifkin is also the name of a man involved in a notorious New York City murder case. One of the initial suggestions for a new name was O.J. This episode was shot in 1993, a year before O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
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Season eight, episode twenty-two, "The Summer of George" was inspired by true events. Writer Alec Berg had a crush on Dylan Tays, who played Jerry's blonde girlfriend in season seven, episode nineteen, "The Calzone." Over the phone, Berg convinced Tays to go to the Oscars with him. (He was writing jokes for the ceremony one year.) Unfortunately, when he went to pick her up, he found out she had a boyfriend, a photographer who wasn't too thrilled to see him. Tays had neglected to tell him about that on the phone. The incident inspired a storyline in the season eight, episode twenty-two, "The Summer of George."
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Kramer's first name was originally going to be "Conrad." This was planned to be revealed in a season two episode titled "The Bet," written by Larry Charles. But the episode was scrapped due to its controversial storyline, in which Elaine buys a gun. Kramer's first name was finally revealed to be "Cosmo" in season six, episode eleven, "The Switch."
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Though Larry David played George Steinbrenner, the actual George M. Steinbrenner III was filmed playing himself for use in an episode. However, the scene was never shown on the series. Steinbrenner appeared with Jason Alexander (in the part of George) in a 1996 promotional spot for MLB All-Star Game balloting.
Seinfeld (1989): Jason Alexander in a tuxedo at a formal eventImage: Wikimedia Commons · Alan Light, CC0 - #059
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Larry David based George Costanza on himself. Many of the situations into which George gets himself are based on David's real-life experiences. George was named after Jerry Seinfeld's friend Michael Costanza. George's middle name, Louis, was an homage to Lou Costello of The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), which was a major influence on this series.
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In the 1970s, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld worked together on the New York comedy club circuit. In 1980, he joined the ABC for their Saturday Night Live (1975) knock-off, Fridays (1980), where he worked alongside Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer). In the mid 1980s, he was hired as a writer on Saturday Night Live (1975) and met Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes). Jason Alexander (George Costanza) was the only regular Seinfeld cast member he hadn't met before.
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The original script was called "Stand Up." It was to be a ninety-minute mockumentary about how a stand-up comedian writes his jokes based on his everyday life. It was to air in place of Saturday Night Live (1975) for one night. NBC liked the script so much that they decided to develop it into a pilot instead.
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Jason Alexander initially auditioned by videotape for the role of George Costanza, and did a Woody Allen impression, not knowing that George was based on co-creator Larry David. Incidentally, David had small roles in two of Allen's movies, New York Stories (1989) and Radio Days (1987). David also had the lead role in Whatever Works (2009).
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There are two high-definition versions of Seinfeld. The first is that of the network TV (non-syndicated) versions in the original aspect ratio of 4:3 that were downscaled for the DVD releases. Clips from this high-definition version in its upscale were seen on NBC during The Seinfeld Story special. Syndicated broadcast stations and the cable networks TBS and Comedy Central (and also Fox) began airing the syndicated version of Seinfeld in HD. Unlike the version used for the DVD, Sony Pictures cropped the top and bottom parts of the frame, while restoring previously cropped images on the sides, from the 35mm film source, to use the entire 16:9 frame.
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The character of Cosmo Kramer was based on Kenny Kramer, a man who worked across the hall from co-creator Larry David. In a self-confessed move to cash in on the sitcom's popularity, Kenny Kramer formed the "Kramer Reality Tour," an officially-recognized New York City tour which visits the real-life locations often featured in the sitcom. In the 1997 season of this show, Cosmo Kramer's memoirs are published by J. Peterman as his own. Wanting to make the most of the situation, Cosmo Kramer starts a "Peterman Reality Tour," offering a tour of the real-life locations featured in the memoirs.
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Roger McDowell appeared as himself in season three, episode seventeen, "The Boyfriend" and season three, episode eighteen, "The Boyfriend." Initially, the creators wanted Darryl Strawberry to appear, but Keith Hernandez, his Mets teammate, didn't think that it was a good idea, considering Strawberry's public problems at the time. Keith's other friend and teammate, McDowell, got the job instead.
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Elaine's dancing in season eight, episode four, "The Little Kicks," was inspired by the Saturday Night Live (1975) boss Lorne Michaels. Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten started his career as a receptionist at Saturday Night Live (1975) and has said that at a Saturday Night Live (1975) after-party, he saw Michaels dance "as if he'd never seen another human being dance before" and that he "heaved and gyrated to a rhythm only he could feel."
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus said that Larry David frequently clashed with NBC executives over whether Jerry and Elaine should be a couple or remain friends after sleeping together in The Deal (1991). She recalled, "Larry was livid. He did not want anything to do with the idea of romance, the cute, the sexy."
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Lee Garlington was originally supposed to be a member of the cast, as Claire, the coffee shop waitress who gave Jerry and George friendly advice. She appeared in the pilot episode, "Good News, Bad News." But when the show was picked up, her character was dropped. According to Jason Alexander, Garlington offended Larry David by re-writing her lines.
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The first episode, "Good News, Bad News," was watched by nearly eleven percent of American households, and received generally favorable reviews from critics, who reacted with disappointment that NBC did not order a first season. Convinced that the show had potential, and supported by the positive reviews, NBC executive Rick Ludwin managed to convince his superiors to order a four-episode first season by offering a part of his personal budget in return.
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The pilot episode, "Good News, Bad News" is also known as "The Seinfeld Chronicles." NBC requested that the show's title be shortened to simply "Seinfeld." This was done to avoid confusing it with another 1990 sitcom called The Marshall Chronicles (1990) on ABC. That show was described as Woody Allen meets The Wonder Years (1988). It lasted six shows. The re-named "Seinfeld" lasted nine years.
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Beginning in the third season, the Seinfeld logo changed slightly each season. Season eight had a black-and-white checker design around the title because Jerry Seinfeld believed this was going to be the final season of the series. It was meant to resemble the checkered flag at an auto racing event, which signifies the end of the race.
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During the sixth season, NBC executives shared the original test results for the pilot episode with the supporting cast for the first time. The reviews from test audiences in late October 1989 were less than encouraging. They thought George Costanza was a "loser" and a "wimp," that Jerry's everyday life was "boring" and his character "powerless," "dense," and "naive," and that Kessler (Cosmo Kramer's original name), although sometimes "mildly amusing," was also underwhelming. They found the storylines a distraction from the stand-up segments which was the only part those familiar with Jerry's brand of comedy liked. Their overall view of the performance of that first show: "weak."
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It was originally intended that Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus') formidable father, famous author Alton Benes, of whom Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander) are terrified, be a recurring character, but in an odd case of life imitating art, Lawrence Tierney really did frighten and intimidate the other cast members, so it was decided he should never return. Unsurprisingly, Tierney went on to play tough guy Joe Cabot in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992).
Seinfeld (1989): Julia Louis-Dreyfus and a man at a tuxedo eventImage: Wikimedia Commons · Alan Light, CC BY 2.0 - #105
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Many plots of the early episodes were completely based on the episode writer's real-life troubles, including season one, episode three, "The Robbery," season two, episode three, "The Jacket," season two, episode eleven, "The Chinese Restaurant," season three, episode seven, "The Café," season three, episode nine, "The Nose Job," and many others.
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Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander have both acknowledged in interviews years after the shows finale that there would have been a 10th season of the show if all four main cast members agreed on doing it. While Seinfeld was adamant about going out as the #1 show and ending at season 9 he said he would have accepted NBC's offer for a 10th season if his co-stars Julia-Louis Dreyfus Michael Richard's and Alexander wanted to keep going. The latter three would not see royalties as Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David would from syndication after the series ended and all wanted to continue to work. Alexander said he realized after the show's end getting longstanding work could be difficult because of how iconic Seinfeld was so he, Louis-Dreyfus and Richards all agreed with Seinfeld to end at season 9, leaving as the #1 show so the latter three could find other projects to work on.
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Jerry Seinfeld said that he credits the phrase "These pretzels are making me thirsty" from season three, episode eleven, "The Alternate Side," as the first of Seinfeld's many catchphrases.
Seinfeld (1989): A man in a tuxedo with a broad smileImage: Wikimedia Commons · Jerry_Seinfeld,_Julia_Louis_Dreyfus1997.jpg : Alan Light derivative w…, CC BY 2.0 - #115
In the first episode, "Good News, Bad News," Kramer's last name was Kessler. Jerry was heard saying Kessler exactly the same way as he does Kramer. This was because Kenny Kramer would not allow his name to be used on the show, unless he was allowed to play Kramer. Eventually Kenny Kramer's list of demands were met, and the name Kramer was used.
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Carol Leifer was a writer and producer on this show. Leifer and Jerry Seinfeld dated prior to this show, and she was the basis for Elaine Benes. She had three cameos during this show: in season six, episode sixteen, "The Kiss Hello"; season seven, episode seven, "The Secret Code"; and season seven, episode twenty-two, "The Invitations."
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Contains a major spoiler — show
The following characters testify against the group: * Officer Vogel (Scott Jaeck) * Howie, the overweight Victim (John Pinette) * Mabel Choate (Frances Bay) * Marla Penny (Jane Leeves) * Donald Sanger (Jon Hayman) * Lola (Wheelchair Woman) (Donna Evans) * Dr. Wexler (Ursaline Bryant) * Sidra Holland (Teri Hatcher) * Joe Bookman (Philip Baker Hall) * Robin (Melanie Chartoff) * The Garden Valley Shopping Mall Security Guard from The Parking Garage (1991) (David Dunard) * The Detective from The Wig Master (1996) * Leslie (Christine Dunford) * George Steinbrenner (Lee Bear/Larry David) * Marcelino (Miguel Sandoval) * Mr. Hoffman (David Byrd) * Fred (Tony Carlin) from The Pick (1992) * Justin Pitt (Ian Abercrombie) * The Soup Nazi (Yev Kassem) (Larry Thomas) * Babu Bhatt (Brian George) * The Low-Talker (Wendel Meldrum) There were also others who testified in deleted scenes: * Arnold Deensfrei (Robert Katims) * Detective Blake (Ed O'Ross) * Mr. Lippman (Richard Fancy) * Ramon (Carlos Jacott) * Poppie (Reni Santoni)
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Contains a major spoiler — show
Episode 4.16, The Shoes (1993), saw Seinfeld move from its regular Wednesday time slot to Thursday, airing after Cheers (1982), which was in its final season. The main four characters appeared in a segment that aired during the Super Bowl, advising viewers of the change. There were fears that new viewers of the show would be unaware & confused by the story of Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George's (Jason Alexander) NBC pilot, but the popularity of the show turned out to be higher than ever.
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Jerry Seinfeld's friend Michael Costanza, who gave the character George his name, filed a 100 million dollar lawsuit against Seinfeld, Larry David and NBC, alleging invasion of privacy and defamation of character. Costanza claimed the series used his likeness. The lawsuit was dismissed, and the judges added that it was barred by the statute of limitations because Costanza had not filed suit within a year of the series' 1989 debut.
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In hindsight, most critics and fans agree that the second season's eleventh episode, "The Chinese Restaurant," was the first episode that truly reflected the "show about nothing" concept. Interestingly, the NBC executives overseeing the series hated this episode because nothing happened, and, considering it weak, postponed it to air toward the end of the season.
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The original script was titled "Stand Up." It was to be a ninety-minute mockumentary about how a stand-up comedian writes his jokes, based on his daily life. It was planned to air one night instead of Saturday Night Live (1975). NBC liked the script so much that it decided to develop it as a pilot episode instead.
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In the episode titled "The Bet," Elaine was going to buy a gun from Kramer's friend. This episode was written for the second season, but it was not filmed because its content was deemed unacceptable, and the second season's fourth episode, "The Phone Message," was quickly added in its place.
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The first episode, "Good News, Bad News," was watched by about eleven percent of American households and generally received positive reviews from critics; however, NBC's failure to order a first season was disappointing. Convinced that the series had potential and supported by the positive reviews, NBC executive Rick Ludman persuaded his superiors to order a four-episode first season by offering part of his personal budget.
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Many stories in the early episodes were based entirely on the real-life problems of the episode's writer; among these are the first season's third episode "The Robbery," the second season's third episode "The Jacket," the second season's eleventh episode "The Chinese Restaurant," the third season's seventh episode "The Café," the third season's ninth episode "The Nose Job" and others.
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Kramer's first name was initially going to be "Conrad." This was to be revealed in the second season episode "The Bet," written by Larry Charles. However, the episode was shelved because of its controversial story in which Elaine buys a gun. Kramer's first name was finally revealed as "Cosmo" in the sixth season's eleventh episode, "The Switch."
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In the first episode, "Good News, Bad News," Kramer's last name was Kessler. Jerry could be heard pronouncing Kessler the same way as Kramer. This was because Kenny Kramer would not allow his name to be used in the series unless he was allowed to play the role of Kramer. In the end, Kenny Kramer's demands were met and the name Kramer was used.
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ABC Entertainment executive Lloyd Braun gave his name to a character who appears in three episodes: the fifth season's seventh episode "The Non-Fat Yogurt", the seventh season's tenth episode "The Gum" and the ninth season's third episode "The Serenity Now". This character is an old childhood neighbor and enemy of George Costanza.
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During the sixth season, NBC executives shared the pilot episode's original test results with the supporting cast for the first time. The comments from test audiences at the end of October 1989 were not encouraging. They judged George Costanza as a "loser" and "weak"; they found Jerry's daily life "boring" and his character "powerless", "intense" and "naive"; and Kessler (the original name of Cosmo Kramer) was inadequate, though sometimes "mildly funny". They thought the stories distracted from the stand-up segments, the only part that those familiar with Jerry's comedy style enjoyed. Their overall view of the first show's performance: "weak".
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In the 1970s, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld worked together on the New York comedy club circuit. In 1980 he joined the cast of ABC's Saturday Night Live (1975) imitation Fridays (1980), where he worked with Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer). In the mid-1980s he was hired as a writer on Saturday Night Live (1975) and met Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes). Jason Alexander (George Costanza) was the only regular Seinfeld cast member he had not met before.
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While Jerry Seinfeld was performing his 'I'm Telling You For The Last Time' concerts at the Bensonhurst Theater in 1998, a small group of protesters gathered on the opposite sidewalk every night and condemned him for the ninth season's twentieth episode 'The Puerto Rican Day'. At one point security was increased because of death threats.
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The eighth season's twenty-second episode 'The Summer of George' was inspired by real events. Writer Alec Berg was in love with Dylan Tays, who played Jerry's blonde girlfriend in the seventh season's nineteenth episode 'The Calzone'. Berg persuaded Tays by phone to go to the Oscars together. Unfortunately, when he went to pick her up, he learned she had a boyfriend; this situation inspired the episode's story.
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The pilot episode 'Good News, Bad News' is also known as 'The Seinfeld Chronicles'. NBC wanted the series' name to be simply 'Seinfeld'; this was so it would not be confused with ABC's The Marshall Chronicles (1990). That series lasted six episodes; the renamed 'Seinfeld' lasted nine years.
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With episode 4.16, The Shoes (1993), Seinfeld began airing on Thursday instead of its usual Wednesday, after the final season of Cheers (1982). The four main characters announced this change to viewers in an episode broadcast during the Super Bowl. There were concerns that new viewers would not understand the story of Jerry and George's NBC pilot, but the series' popularity turned out to be higher than ever.
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Matt Drudge worked for three years in the gift shop at CBS Studio Center in the early 1990s; it was near the area where the series' interior scenes were shot. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he founded the website Drudge Report and, by rummaging through the trash cans on the set, uncovered how much Jerry Seinfeld earned from his own series.
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There are errors in the credits of two episodes of the third season. In the third season's first episode 'The Note,' Jerry's dentist friend Roy (Ralph Bruneau) is mistakenly referred to as 'Lloyd,' which was the character's original name. In the third season's fifth episode 'The Library,' Jerry's high school crush Sherry Becker (Cynthia Szigeti) is mistakenly listed as Sandy.
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In interviews given years after the finale, Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander stated that a 10th season of the series would have been possible if all four main cast members had agreed. Although Seinfeld insisted on ending as the number one series, he said he would have accepted NBC's offer if the other three actors had wanted to continue. The others wanted to keep working because they would not receive royalties from syndication. Alexander realized that long-term employment could be difficult due to the series' iconic status, and they all agreed to end it at season 9.
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There are several errors in the Notes About Seinfeld feature on the first disc of the box set. It states that John Mellencamp dropped 'Cougar' from his name in the mid-1980s; this is wrong, he actually dropped it in 1981. In the first season's third episode 'Male Unbonding,' Andy Kaufman's surname is misspelled twice.
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Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) terrible father, the famous writer Alton Benes, was planned to be a recurring character, but in a strange case of life imitating art, Lawrence Tierney genuinely intimidated and cowed the other actors, so it was decided that he would not return. Tierney later played the tough guy Joe Cabot in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992).
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Jerry Seinfeld's friend Michael Costanza, the namesake of George, sued Seinfeld, Larry David and NBC for $100 million, alleging invasion of privacy and defamation of character. Costanza claimed he was harmed by the show's use of his likeness. The lawsuit was dismissed, and the judges added that Costanza had failed to file within a year of the show's 1989 premiere, so the statute of limitations had expired.
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In hindsight, most critics and fans agree that the second season's eleventh episode, "The Chinese Restaurant," was the first episode to truly reflect the "show about nothing" concept. Interestingly, the NBC executives overseeing the series hated the episode because nothing happened, and, considering it weak, delayed airing it until near the end of the season.
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John O'Hurley (Peterman) recalls being recognized at a friend's 40th birthday party while in the buffet line. A man came up to him and said, "that's a firing offense." One of J. Peterman's lines. During the conversation, O'Hurley learned that the man was not only a Seinfeld fan but also a fan of the real J. Peterman catalog. He used to read the catalog's exaggerated product descriptions to his wife in bed. He thanked O'Hurley for finally giving the catalog readings a voice. The fan was none other than Tom Hanks.
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The Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) was inspired by Al Yeganeh, the real owner of a soup takeout business on West 55th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Just like in the series, his soups were known for their exceptional quality, but Yeganeh was also famous for his unusual behavior toward customers. Local customers called him a "terrorist" rather than a "Nazi," likely because they knew Yeganeh was born in Iran, not Germany. Yeganeh was so angered by the episode (season seven, episode six, "The Soup Nazi") that he banned the use of the word "Nazi" in his restaurants. Even the slightest reference to the series infuriated him (as can be seen in an interview he gave to CNN). After the episode aired, when some of the actors and writers visited the restaurant, Yeganeh claimed the series had ruined his life.
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In the episode where Elaine dates a man named Joel Rifkin (season five, episode nine, "The Masseuse"), she asks him to change his name because Joel Rifkin is also the name of a man involved in a famous murder case in New York. One of the first suggestions for a new name was O.J. This episode was shot in 1993, a year before O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
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The character Cosmo Kramer was based on Kenny Kramer, who lived across the hall from co-creator Larry David. Kenny Kramer created the "Kramer Reality Tour" to capitalize on the series' popularity; it is an officially recognized New York tour that visits real locations frequently featured in the series. In the series' 1997 season, Cosmo Kramer's memoirs are published by J. Peterman as if they were his own. Looking to exploit the situation, Cosmo Kramer launches a "Peterman Reality Tour" that visits the real locations mentioned in the memoirs.
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George Costanza's fiancée Susan Ross was killed off because Heidi Swedberg was so difficult to work with. According to Jason Alexander, although they personally liked Swedberg, Alexander struggled to play his scenes with her (Julia Louis-Dreyfus had the same problem when she shared scenes with her in the episode The Pool Guy (1995)). Louis-Dreyfus jokingly suggested killing her off, which gave Larry David the idea to kill off her character.
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Kramer's wardrobe, consisting mostly of clothes from the 1960s and 1970s, was not meant to put him in retro fashion but to show that he had not bought clothes in years. The pants, in particular, were always about an inch short to emphasize this. In later seasons, because the clothes became increasingly worn and hard to find, and because of Kramer's extreme popularity, the producers had to have Kramer's clothes custom-made from retro fabrics. They would often make numerous backup copies of the clothes in case they were damaged during physical comedy.
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The series' first script was titled "Stand Up." It was planned as a ninety-minute mockumentary about how a stand-up comedian writes his jokes based on his daily life. It was going to air on a night replacing Saturday Night Live (1975). NBC liked the script so much that it decided to make a pilot episode instead.
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In the fall season after the Seinfeld finale, "Frasier" took over Seinfeld's Thursday night time slot. In fact, the first episode of Frasier's sixth season opens with Frasier going to an audition for a TV show after being fired from his radio program, and his opening speech is a nod to taking over Seinfeld's time slot: "Before we begin, I'd like to say what an honor it is to be taking over this time slot. Obviously, there are some pretty big shoes to fill - my predecessor was very much loved. But I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, and I'm sure we'll have many happy years together in my new home." This was a tribute to Seinfeld.
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Larry David created George Costanza based on himself. Most of the situations George finds himself in are based on David's real-life experiences. George took his name from Jerry Seinfeld's friend Michael Costanza. George's middle name, Louis, was a tribute to Lou Costello from The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), which had a major influence on the series.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Jerry Seinfeld had a superstitious ritual they performed before the taping of every episode. They would gather in Jerry's bathroom, put their hands one on top of another, and as they let go, let out a quick, very loud scream. The group called it the "Circle of Power." This gesture appeared in several episodes, including the fourth season's eleventh episode, "The Contest."
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Co-creator and executive producer Larry David appeared in the series several times. He was the voice of George M. Steinbrenner III, The Man In The Cape (Frank's divorce lawyer, the sixth season's fourth episode, "The Chinese Woman"), a newsstand owner (he sells George gum in the seventh season's tenth episode, "The Gum"), and the man ordering kosher food (the fourth season's twelfth episode, "The Airport"). He was also one of the last voices heard in the series; he was the prisoner who shouts "I'll cut you!" at the end of the ninth season's twenty-second episode, "The Finale."
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On The Sarah Silverman Podcast in January 2021, Sarah Silverman recounted her bad experience with Michael Richards as a guest actor on Seinfeld early in her career. She was playing Kramer's girlfriend, and while filming a scene in which they were talking in bed, she flubbed a line and Michael Richards started yelling at her in front of the crew. But no one stopped him. She was shocked. When she returned to the set the next day, she had a scene with Richards in a restaurant. As they sat at the table during preparations for the shoot, Richards quite naturally began talking about real estate and similar topics. Silverman finally stopped him and said, "I don't care!" which surprised Richards. Then she said, "You can't talk like that and act like nothing happened. And I'm not going to be one of those people who forgets what happened and moves on. That was terrible behavior." She said Richards accepted the criticism and was friendly afterward. He even sometimes called her to ask for advice about stand-up.
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Lee Garlington was originally planned to be in the cast; she was to play Claire, a coffee shop waitress who gives Jerry and George friendly advice. She appeared in the pilot episode, "Good News, Bad News." However, when the series continued, her character was dropped. According to Jason Alexander, Garlington offended Larry David by rewriting her lines.
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Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is the only character who appears in every episode. Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) was absent from the first season's first episode, "Good News, Bad News" (1989), and the fourth season's first and second episodes ("The Trip: Part 1" and "The Trip: Part 2," 1992). Kramer (Michael Richards) was absent from the second season's eleventh episode, "The Chinese Restaurant" (1991), and the third season's third episode, "The Pen" (1991). George (Jason Alexander) was also absent from the third season's third episode, "The Pen" (1991).
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The first episode, "Good News, Bad News," was watched by roughly eleven percent of American households and generally received positive reviews from critics; NBC's decision not to order a first season was a disappointment. Convinced the show had potential and bolstered by the positive reviews, NBC executive Rick Ludwin offered part of his personal budget and persuaded his superiors to order a four-episode first season.
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Elaine's dance in the eighth season's fourth episode, "The Little Kicks," was inspired by Saturday Night Live (1975) boss Lorne Michaels. Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten began his career as a receptionist at Saturday Night Live and said that at an SNL party Michaels danced "like no human being had ever danced before," "swaying and spinning to a rhythm only he could feel."
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Many of the early episodes' storylines were based entirely on the episode writer's real-life problems; among them are the first season's third episode "The Robbery," the second season's third episode "The Jacket," the second season's eleventh episode "The Chinese Restaurant," the third season's seventh episode "The Café," the third season's ninth episode "The Nose Job," and others.
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In the ninth season's fifteenth episode, "The Wizard" (1998), when Kramer adapts his coffee table book into a film and moves to Florida, several newspaper headlines are seen as he runs for president of the condo board. In the small print of these headlines are the words "Larry David Made a Hole in One," "Larry David Injured His Elbow" and "Larry David Will Never Play Golf Again." Larry David is one of the show's creators.
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Kramer's name was originally going to be "Conrad." This was to be revealed in the second season episode "The Bet," written by Larry Charles. However, the episode was cancelled because of its controversial storyline in which Elaine buys a gun. Kramer's name was finally revealed as "Cosmo" in the sixth season's eleventh episode, "The Switch."
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Starting with the third season, the Seinfeld logo changed slightly each season. In the eighth season the title was surrounded by a black-and-white checkered pattern because Jerry Seinfeld thought it would be the show's final season. It was designed to resemble the checkered flag in auto racing that symbolizes the end of the race.
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In the first episode, "Good News, Bad News," Kramer's surname was Kessler. Jerry pronounced Kessler the same way as Kramer. The reason was that Kenny Kramer would not allow his name to be used on the show unless he was allowed to play the role of Kramer. In the end, Kenny Kramer's demands were met and the name Kramer was used.
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ABC Entertainment executive Lloyd Braun gave his name to a character who appears in three episodes: the fifth season's seventh episode "The Non-Fat Yogurt," the seventh season's tenth episode "The Gum," and the ninth season's third episode "The Serenity Now." The character is George Costanza's childhood neighbor and rival.
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Although George (Jason Alexander) at times had a romantic or sexual interest in Elaine, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) never reciprocated those feelings. Interestingly, Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus played husband and wife in the Elijah Wood film North (1994) and in the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006). Dreyfus's character Christine mistakes her gynecologist's professionalism for flirting and agrees to go out with him; the gynecologist is played by Jason Alexander.
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In the fifth season's second episode, "The Puffy Shirt" (1993), George (Jason Alexander) tells Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) that his mother Estelle (Estelle Harris) never laughs. Later in the episode, when Jerry tries to tell her a joke, Estelle is uninterested. However, in the seventh season's fifteenth episode, "The Shower Head" (1996), Estelle laughs at Jerry's "I'm actually drunk" joke. Perhaps this is her first laugh.
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Bob Balaban played an NBC executive who approves a sitcom pilot titled "Jerry." Balaban was cast because of his resemblance to NBC executive Warren Littlefield, who allowed Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to make the pilot for this series. Balaban also played Littlefield in the film The Late Shift (1995).
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Phil Morris's portrayal of Jackie Chiles was based on lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Cochran was initially a big fan, but when Morris began making commercials as the character Jackie Chiles, Cochran became concerned that it was damaging his career and image and asked him to stop. Cochran was later found guilty of beating his wife and represented O.J. Simpson in the double murder trial.
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In the sixth season, NBC executives shared the pilot episode's original test results with the supporting cast for the first time. The comments from test audiences in late October 1989 were not very encouraging. They found George Costanza "a loser" and "a wimp," Jerry's daily life "boring," his character "powerless," "unsympathetic" and "naive," and Kessler (Cosmo Kramer's original name) inadequate, though sometimes "mildly amusing." They felt the stories were a distraction from the stand-up segments, which were the only part enjoyed by those familiar with Jerry's comedy style. Their overall opinion of the first show: "weak."
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In the fourth season's sixth episode, "The Watch," when Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is asked by Joe Davola (Peter Crombie) whether she looks familiar, she jokes that he probably recognizes her because her face, rather than Roosevelt's, was carved into Mount Rushmore alongside the US presidents. In 2015, for the fourth season of Veep (2012), a poster was released in which Selina Meyer's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) face, rather than Jefferson's, was carved into Mount Rushmore.
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Michael Richards is the only one of the four main cast members who is not of Jewish descent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus's father was of French Jewish descent, but since Orthodox Judaism is a matrilineal religion, a person is considered Jewish only if their mother is Jewish. Louis-Dreyfus was raised Catholic.
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In the 1970s, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld worked together on the New York comedy club circuit. In 1980, he joined the cast of ABC's Saturday Night Live (1975) imitation Fridays (1980), where he worked with Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer). In the mid-1980s, he was hired as a writer on Saturday Night Live and met Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes). Jason Alexander (George Costanza) was the only regular Seinfeld cast member he had not met before.
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In Massillon, Ohio, there is a restaurant called "Kosmo," named after Cosmo Kramer. The restaurant's sign features a pencil drawing of Cosmo Kramer. One of the items on the menu is a meatball sandwich called the "Newman." George Costanza's famous photo, in which he poses in his underwear, hangs in the women's restroom.
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Just as Jerry has a sister who is mentioned only once (season 2, episode 11, 'The Chinese Restaurant'), George also has a brother who is mentioned only twice in the series: season 3, episode 15, 'The Suicide' (his brother gets a woman named Pauline pregnant) and season 3, episode 6, 'The Parking Garage' (George's father, mother and brother never pay for parking). Elaine has a sister named Gail who lives in St. Louis; Elaine calls her after Gail sends her son a Christmas card in which her nipple is visible. Elaine also mentions a brother-in-law (probably Gail's husband) in season 2, episode 4, 'The Phone Message' (her brother-in-law revealed confidential business information on an answering machine).
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Characters who testified against the group: Officer Vogel (Scott Jaeck), Howie (the overweight victim, John Pinette), Mabel Choate (Frances Bay), Marla Penny (Jane Leeves), Donald Sanger (Jon Hayman), Lola (the woman in the wheelchair, Donna Evans), Dr. Wexler (Ursaline Bryant), Sidra Holland (Teri Hatcher), Joe Bookman (Philip Baker Hall), Robin (Melanie Chartoff), the Garden Valley Shopping Mall security guard (The Parking Garage, 1991, David Dunard), the detective in The Wig Master (1996), Leslie (Christine Dunford), George Steinbrenner (Lee Bear/Larry David), Marcelino (Miguel Sandoval), Mr. Hoffman (David Byrd), Fred (The Pick, 1992, Tony Carlin), Justin Pitt (Ian Abercrombie), the Soup Nazi (Yev Kassem, Larry Thomas), Babu Bhatt (Brian George), the Low Talker (Wendel Meldrum). Others who testified in deleted scenes: Arnold Deensfrei (Robert Katims), Detective Blake (Ed O'Ross), Mr. Lippman (Richard Fancy), Ramon (Carlos Jacott), Poppie (Reni Santoni).
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One summer, before production, Jerry Seinfeld and some of the writing staff went out to hit a ball with a baseball bat in the parking lot of CBS Radford Studios. There were not many cars in the lot at the time, so it was not a problem. One day, however, a ball broke the window of a parked car. Seinfeld learned the car belonged to Alexandra Wentworth, who later played Sheila (a.k.a. 'Schmoopie') in season 7, episode 6, 'The Soup Nazi'. Jerry paid for the damage.
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While Jerry Seinfeld was performing his 'I'm Telling You For The Last Time' concerts at the Bensonhurst Theatre in 1998, a small group of protesters gathered across the street every night to condemn him over season 9, episode 20, 'The Puerto Rican Day'. At one point security was increased because of death threats.
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In season 5, episode 1, 'The Mango', Jerry wears a blue-and-white Queens College T-shirt; in season 5, episode 8, 'The Barber', he wears a cap from the same school. In real life, Seinfeld is a graduate of the school. He graduated in 1976 from its theater and communications program. Other famous alumni include porn legend Ron Jeremy, comedians Joy Behar and Ray Romano, and singer-songwriter Paul Simon.
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Jason Alexander initially auditioned for the role of George Costanza on videotape and did a Woody Allen impression; he did not know that George was inspired by co-creator Larry David. Meanwhile, David had taken small roles in two of Allen's films: New York Stories (1989) and Radio Days (1987). David also starred in Whatever Works (2009).
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The signs in Frank's (Jerry Stiller) billiard room: 'If there's no pool hall in heaven, I'm not going.' 'Pool is not a matter of life and death; it's much more important than that.' 'The Life of a Pool Shark is Hell... But someone has to do it.' 'RACK 'EM Billiard Hall Professional and Amateur Sharks Keep your ass and your butts off the table! Always Cold Beer, Sometimes Snacks'
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The twenty-second episode of the eighth season, "The Summer of George", was inspired by real events. Writer Alec Berg was in love with Dylan Tays, who played Jerry's blonde girlfriend in the nineteenth episode of the seventh season, "The Calzone". Berg persuaded Tays over the phone to go to the Oscars with him. However, when he went to pick her up, he learned she had a boyfriend. Tays had not mentioned this on the phone.
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George never gave his fiancée Susan a ring throughout their entire engagement. In the episode 'The Invitations', Susan says they will go ring shopping that weekend, but this never happens. Even Jerry gives his fiancée Jeannie a ring. He proposes in the seventh season's final episode, 'The Invitations'; in the eighth season's first episode, 'The Foundation', a flashback shows they have broken up and Jeannie returns the ring. It is implied that they were engaged all summer and broke up shortly before this episode.
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The pilot episode 'Good News, Bad News' is also known as 'The Seinfeld Chronicles'. NBC wanted the series' name to simply be 'Seinfeld'; the reason was to avoid confusion with another sitcom on ABC called The Marshall Chronicles (1990). That series was described as 'Woody Allen meets The Wonder Years' and lasted only six episodes. The renamed 'Seinfeld' lasted nine years.
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Roger McDowell appeared as himself in the seventeenth and eighteenth episodes of the third season ("The Boyfriend"). Originally the creators wanted Darryl Strawberry, but his teammate Keith Hernandez thought it was not a good idea due to Strawberry's public problems at the time. Keith's other friend McDowell got the job.
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With the fourth season's sixteenth episode, "The Shoes" (1993), Seinfeld moved from its usual Wednesday slot to Thursday, airing after Cheers (1982) in that show's final season. The four main characters announced the change to viewers in an episode broadcast during the Super Bowl. There were concerns that new viewers would not understand the story of Jerry and George's NBC pilot, but the show's popularity was higher than ever.
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In the early 1990s, Matt Drudge worked for three years at the gift shop at CBS Studio Center, close to the area where the series' interiors were filmed, where audience members could buy show-related merchandise. He used the opportunity to launch his website The Drudge Report and, by digging through trash, uncovered how much Jerry Seinfeld earned from his own sitcom.
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Carol Leifer was a writer and producer on the series. Leifer and Jerry Seinfeld had dated before the show, and she was the inspiration for the character Elaine Benes. She made three cameos on the series: in the sixth season's sixteenth episode "The Kiss Hello," the seventh season's seventh episode "The Secret Code" and the seventh season's twenty-second episode "The Invitations."
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Bob Sacamano is Cosmo Kramer's never-seen imaginary friend. A source of strange anecdotes, the character was inspired by a real-life friend of Larry Charles, though the two parted ways shortly after the character was first introduced. Sacamano is referenced throughout the series in the following episodes: the second season's eighth episode "The Heart Attack" (because of a mistake during hernia surgery, he sits by the window repeating "My name is Bob"), the third season's second episode "The Truth" (he was once in a mental hospital, and electroshock therapy did not work), the third season's sixteenth episode "The Fix Up" (he works at a condom factory and gives Kramer defective condoms), the fifth season's third episode "The Glasses" (he once caught rabies), the seventh season's nineteenth episode "The Calzone" (he stayed as a guest at Kramer's for a year and a half), the eighth season's sixth episode "The Fatigues" (he throws a party, but Elaine is late in getting an invitation), the eighth season's eighth episode "The Chicken Roaster" (he sold fake Russian hats made of nutria fur in Battery Park), the eighth season's fourteenth episode "The Van Buren Boys" (while talking to him on the phone, Kramer realizes he has to return his pants, but on the way he falls into a puddle and ruins them), the ninth season's fifteenth episode "The Wizard" (Bob's father makes shoddy "Willard" calculators), the ninth season's twentieth episode "The Puerto Rican Day" (he made a fortune with the rubber-band idea for a mass racket toy).
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Jerry's father says plane tickets are super-saver and non-refundable. In the fourth season's twelfth episode (The Airport), Kramer buys a super-saver ticket without knowing it is non-refundable, which upsets George. Jerry's father also tries to get a discounted plane ticket by getting a note from a doctor saying there has been a death in the family. In the fourth season's nineteenth episode (The Implant), George does the same thing when there is a death in his girlfriend's family.
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In an episode of Mad About You, the character played by Paul Reiser visits his old apartment, which is now occupied by Kramer. He asks whether Jerry lives across the hall, and Kramer says he does, indicating that Jerry lived in the building before Kramer. However, in the ninth season episode The Betrayal, there is a scene in which Jerry moves into the building and Kramer lives in the apartment across the hall.
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Throughout the series, Jerry dated three actresses who appeared on Desperate Housewives (2004). Teri Hatcher appeared as Sidra in the fourth season's nineteenth episode "The Implant," the fourth season's twenty-third episode "The Pilot" and the ninth season's twenty-second episode "The Finale"; Brenda Strong appeared as Sue Ellen in the seventh season's twelfth episode "The Caddy," the seventh season's twentieth episode "The Bottle Deposit," the eighth season's ninth episode "The Abstinence" and the ninth season's eighth episode "The Betrayal"; and Marcia Cross appeared as Dr. Sara Sitarides in the ninth season's seventh episode "The Slicer."
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Two season three episodes have errors in their credits. In season 3, episode 1, "The Note," Jerry's dentist friend Roy (Ralph Bruneau) is mistakenly referred to as "Lloyd," which was the character's original name. In season 3, episode 5, "The Library," Jerry's high school crush Sherry Becker (Cynthia Szigeti) is mistakenly listed as Sandy.
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The character Rabbi Kirschbaum takes his name from writer Bruce Kirschbaum and evolved from a sketch on Fridays (1980). Bruce Kirschbaum and Larry David played rabbis who had their own television program, "Live & Be Well." Bruce Mahler, who played Rabbi Kirschbaum in three episodes, also worked on Fridays (1980) alongside Michael Richards and writer Larry Charles.
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Elaine lives half a mile (roughly a 10-minute walk) from Jerry, Kramer and Newman. Elaine's address is 16 W 75th Street, Jerry's is 129 W 81st Street. George's apartment is never precisely stated, but his parents' address is 1344 Queens Boulevard, Queens, New York. Since George works at Yankee Stadium, he lives in Manhattan or the Bronx.
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Season 6, episode 8, "The Mom & Pop Store," ends with a parody of the film Midnight Cowboy (1969), but the references to that film are not limited to this. Jon Voight appeared as himself in one episode, Bob Balaban appeared in multiple episodes as an NBC executive, and Dustin Hoffman was mentioned in one episode when Elaine Benes bets a friend over whether he appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).
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Actor Marty Rackham first appeared in season 4, episode 2, The Trip: Part 2 (1992) as an LAPD officer. He later appeared in season 5, episode 4, The Sniffing Accountant (1993), season 5, episode 21, The Opposite (1994) and finally season 6, episode 13, The Scofflaw (1995) as a writer and Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) boyfriend.
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For most of the series, Jerry's apartment is referred to as number 5A (it is seen as 3A at least once). This number is written on the door in black letters. However, in the third episode of the first season, "Male Unbonding," Jerry's apartment is number 411, indicated by gold-colored metal numerals beside the door. Also, something else made of gold-colored metal hangs on Jerry's door.
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Early in the series, because most of the action took place in Jerry's apartment, it was a problem that the characters had nothing to do but sit and stand. This made their interactions feel unnatural. At Julia Louis-Dreyfus's suggestion, the action shifted to Jerry's refrigerator. Whenever Elaine enters the apartment, she throws down her bag and heads for the fridge. George also sometimes snacks when he visits Jerry, but this strategy affected Kramer most of all. Kramer's legendary freeloading began as a result of the focus on the refrigerator.
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In the early seasons, at least one of the black-and-white framed photographs in Jerry's apartment was by Inge Morath. The largest of them is "Carriage Ride, Central Park, NYC 1963," which hangs on the wall between the bathroom and the living room. Inge Morath was married to Arthur Miller when the photograph was taken, and Miller is referenced in the series; George is sometimes called "Biff" from "Death of a Salesman."
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In the twelfth episode of the eighth season, "The Money," Jerry's parents explain why they want to sell the Cadillac Jerry bought them. Jerry asks, "What about the Northstar system?" and his father says, "I don't think we ever used it." Northstar was the name of Cadillac's V8 engines at the time.
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In the third episode of the eighth season, "The Bizarro Jerry," Elaine is friends with Kevin (Tim DeKay), who is Jerry's exact opposite. Louis-Dreyfus's and DeKay's characters appear together in the ninth episode of the fourth season of The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006), "Rage Against the Christine." This time Christine tries to prove that her boyfriend is a psychopath.
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Bill Erwin played Sid in the eighteenth episode of the fourth season, "The Old Man," and the twenty-third episode, "The Pilot." He also played a character named Kramer in the twenty-eighth episode of the second season of The Twilight Zone (1959), "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" Donald Bishop played Dr. Allenwood in the nineteenth episode of the fourth season, "The Implant," and played a character named Kramer in the fourth episode of the fourth season of Baretta (1975), "The Sky Is Falling."
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Seinfeld has two high-definition versions. The first are the network TV (non-syndication) versions in the original 4:3 aspect ratio, which were dropped for the DVD releases. Upgraded clips of this high-definition version were seen on NBC in the special The Seinfeld Story. Syndication broadcast stations and the cable channels TBS and Comedy Central (and Fox) began airing the syndication version of Seinfeld in HD. Unlike the version used on DVD, Sony Pictures cropped the top and bottom of the frame from the 35mm film source, restoring previously cropped side image and using the full 16:9 frame.
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In interviews years after the show's finale, Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander said that a 10th season of the series could have happened if all four main cast members had agreed. Seinfeld insisted on ending as the number one show, but said that if Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Alexander had wanted to continue, he would have accepted NBC's offer of a 10th season. Because the three actors would not receive the syndication royalties that Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David would, and because they wanted to keep working, Alexander said he realized that the show's iconic status could make it hard to find long-term work, and that he therefore went along with the decision to end Seinfeld in its 9th season, together with Louis-Dreyfus and Richards.
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Michael Richards was overwhelmed by being recognized on the street because of Seinfeld's popularity in the US. On a summer holiday he went to Bali and encountered a primitive Buddhist tribe in a remote forest. When one of the tribe members saw him, he pointed his finger and shouted, 'Kramer! Kramer!' Richards learned that the tribe had a television with a cable running through the forest, and that they watched the series in their huts, dubbed into their own language.
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There are several errors in the 'Notes About Seinfeld' feature on the first disc of the box set. It states that John Mellencamp dropped the 'Cougar' from his name in the mid-1980s, in 'The Stakeout', the first episode of the first season. This is wrong; he actually dropped the suffix in 1981, with the release of the album 'Whenever We Wanted'. And in 'Male Unbonding', the third episode of the first season, Andy Kaufman's surname is misspelled twice, using two 'f's instead of one.
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Easter Egg: On the first disc of the Season 1 and 2 box set from the 2004 DVD release, in the 'Extras' menu, go up to highlight and select the chili pepper fridge magnet; a camera and lighting test video opens, narrated by director Tom Cherones and production designer Thomas Azzari. On the third disc, in the 'Inside Looks' menu, go to the fortune cookie at the top left of the menu and highlight it; a hidden video opens in which the cast and crew discuss the never-filmed episode 'The Bet'. The story was considered too dark because it revolved around Elaine acquiring a gun.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus said that Larry David frequently argued with NBC executives over whether Jerry and Elaine should stay a couple or be friends after they slept together in the episode 'The Deal' (1991). She recalled: 'Larry was very adamant. He wanted nothing to do with the idea of romance, cuteness, sexiness.'
Behind the Scenes (62)
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On her show The Sarah Silverman Podcast in Jan. 2021, Sarah Silverman talked about the bad experience she had working with Michael Richards on Seinfeld when she guest starred early in her career. She played Kramer's girlfriend and while they were filming a scene in bed talking, she messed up a line and Michaels started screaming at her in front of the crew. But no one stopped him. She was shocked. The next day, Silverman returned to set, and she had a scene with Richards in the diner. They're both sitting at the table, and while they are setting up the shot, Richards starts casually talking to Silverman about real estate and other small-talk matters, as though nothing happened. She finally cut him off and said, "I don't give a f**k!" which stunned him. Then she told him, "You don't talk like that and act like nothing happened. I'm not going to be one of those people that joins in and acts like nothing happened. That was sh*tty behavior." She said, to his credit, he accepted the criticism and became casually friendly after that. He would also call her up sometimes and ask for advice about stand-up.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant while shooting part of this series. Her pregnancy was disguised with her carrying props to hide her changing body. This was parodied on The Nanny (1993), when the very-pregnant Lauren Lane mentioned them hiding Elaine "behind all these huge props" while standing in front of a poster with "Baby" on it.
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Early on in the show's run, a problem arose when it became clear that with much of the show's action taking place in Jerry's apartment, there wasn't really anything for the characters to do while there aside from sitting or standing and delivering their lines. This made interactions seem unnatural and unrealistic. It was Julia Louis-Dreyfus' idea to bring the action to Jerry's fridge. Just about every time she enters the apartment, Elaine tosses away her purse and goes to the fridge for something to eat or drink. George also sometimes eats when visiting Jerry, but clearly this strategy had the biggest impact on Kramer. His legendary mooching started as a result of focusing on the fridge.
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Kramer's wardrobe of mostly 1960s and 1970s clothing was not intended to make him into retro fashions, so much as to suggest that he hadn't bought clothes in several years. The pants, in particular, were always about an inch too short in order to stress this. In later seasons, appropriate clothing became increasingly difficult for producers to find, due to the combination of it getting older and older, as well as the extreme popularity of Kramer as a character, forcing them to have tailors personally make Kramer's clothing out of retro fabrics. Often, they created numerous back-up copies of the clothing in case it was damaged during the physical comedy.
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One summer, Jerry Seinfeld and some of the writing staff went outside to hit baseballs in the CBS Radford Studios parking lot while in pre-production. There weren't many cars in the lot at the time, so it wasn't a big deal. But one day, a ball crashed through the window of one such parked car. Seinfeld found out that the car belonged to Alexandra Wentworth, who was later cast as Sheila, a.k.a. "Schmoopie," in season seven, episode six, "The Soup Nazi." Jerry paid for the damages.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, and Jerry Seinfeld had a superstitious ritual they completed before the taping of every episode. They gathered in the set of Jerry' bathroom and placed their hands on top of each others and as they released them they would all make a quick, very loud yelping sound. The group called this "The Circle of Power." This gesture made it into a couple of episodes, including season four, episode eleven, "The Contest."
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Co-creator and executive producer Larry David appeared several times throughout this show. He is the voice of George M. Steinbrenner III, The Man In The Cape (Frank's divorce lawyer in season six, episode four, "The Chinese Woman"), the owner of a newsstand (in season seven, episode ten, "The Gum," he sells George gum), and the man who orders the Kosher meal (in season four, episode twelve, "The Airport"). He was also one of the last voices heard on the show, as the prisoner who yells "I'm gonna cut you!" at the end of season nine, episode twenty-two, "The Finale."
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Kramer's wardrobe consisting mostly of 1960s and 1970s clothing was not meant to put him in retro fashion, but to imply that he had not bought new clothes in years. His pants in particular were always about an inch short to emphasize this. In later seasons, because the clothes became increasingly worn and the character of Kramer grew extremely popular, the producers had trouble finding suitable clothing; they therefore had to have Kramer's outfits custom-made from retro fabrics. They often prepared backup copies in case the clothes were damaged during physical comedy.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant while filming one episode of the series. Her pregnancy was camouflaged with props she carried to hide her changing body. This was parodied in The Nanny (1993), when the pregnant Lauren Lane, speaking about how they hid Elaine "behind all these big props," stands in front of a poster that reads "Baby."
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Jerry Seinfeld had a superstitious ritual they completed before filming every episode. They would gather in the bathroom on Jerry's set, put their hands one on top of another, and as they pulled their hands away they would let out a quick, very loud scream. The group called it the "Circle of Power." The move appeared in several episodes, including the fourth season's eleventh episode, "The Contest."
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On The Sarah Silverman Podcast in January 2021, Sarah Silverman described her bad experience with Michael Richards when she was a guest actor on Seinfeld early in her career. She played Kramer's girlfriend and, while filming a scene in which they talked in bed, she flubbed her line; Richards began yelling at her in front of the crew. No one stopped him. Silverman was shocked. When she returned to the set the next day, she had a scene with Richards in a restaurant. As the two sat at the table during setup, Richards quite naturally started talking to Silverman about real estate and other ordinary topics, as if nothing had happened. Silverman finally stopped him and said, "I don't care!" which surprised Richards. Then she said, "You can't talk like this and act like nothing happened. I'm not going to be one of those people who ignores what happened. That was a terrible way to behave." She said Richards accepted the criticism and was friendly afterward. He would even sometimes call her to ask for advice about stand-up.
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Although Larry David played George Steinbrenner, the real George M. Steinbrenner III was filmed to play himself in one episode. However, that scene was never shown in the series. Steinbrenner appeared with Jason Alexander (in the role of George) in a promotional film for the 1996 MLB All-Star vote.
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Starting with the third season, the Seinfeld logo changed slightly each season. In the eighth season, because Jerry Seinfeld believed it would be the show's final season, there was a black-and-white checkered pattern around the title. This represented the checkered flag in auto racing that symbolizes the end of a race.
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One summer, Jerry Seinfeld and some of the writing staff went to hit baseballs in the parking lot of CBS Radford Studios during pre-production. There weren't many cars in the lot at the time, so it wasn't a problem. But one day, a ball broke the window of a parked car. Seinfeld learned the car belonged to Alexandra Wentworth; Wentworth later joined the cast in the sixth episode of the seventh season, "The Soup Nazi," as Sheila (a.k.a. "Schmoopie"). Jerry paid for the damage.
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The signs in Frank's (Jerry Stiller) billiard room: "If there's no pool hall in heaven, I'm not going. Pool is not a matter of life and death. It's much more important than that. The Life of a Pool Shark is Hell... But someone has to do it. DIZIN's Pool Hall Professional and Amateur Sharks Keep your ass and your butts off the table! Always Cold Beer, Sometimes Snacks"
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Elaine lives half a mile (about a 10-minute walk) from Jerry, Kramer and Newman. Elaine's address is 16 W 75th Street, and Jerry's is 129 W 81st Street. George's apartment is never fully specified, but his parents' address is 1344 Queens Boulevard, Queens, New York. Since George works at Yankee Stadium, he may live in Manhattan or the Bronx.
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For most of the series, Jerry's apartment is referred to as number 5A (it was seen as 3A at least once). This number was written on the door in black letters and numerals. However, in the third episode of the first season, "Male Unbonding," Jerry's apartment number was 411, indicated by gold-colored metal numerals next to the door. There was also another gold-colored metal object on Jerry's door.
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In the early days of the series, since most of the action took place in Jerry's apartment, it was a problem that the characters had nothing to do but sit and stand. This made their interactions feel unnatural. With an idea from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the action shifted to Jerry's refrigerator. Whenever Elaine enters the apartment, she throws down her bag and heads for the fridge to snack or drink something. George also sometimes eats when he visits Jerry, but this strategy affected Kramer most of all. Kramer's legendary freeloading began with the focus on the refrigerator.
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At least one of the black-and-white framed photographs hanging on the walls of Jerry's apartment in the early seasons is by Inge Morath. The largest photograph, titled "Carriage Ride, Central Park, NYC 1963," is on the wall between the bathroom and the living room. Inge Morath was married to Arthur Miller when the photograph was taken, and Miller is mentioned in the series; George is sometimes called 'Biff' from "Death of a Salesman."
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There are two high-definition versions of Seinfeld. The first is the original 4:3 aspect ratio network TV (non-syndication) versions, which were downscaled for the DVD releases. Upscaled clips of this high-definition version were seen on NBC in the special The Seinfeld Story. Syndication broadcast stations and the cable channels TBS and Comedy Central (and Fox) began airing the syndication version in HD. Unlike the version used on DVD, Sony Pictures used the full 16:9 frame, restoring side image that had previously been cropped from the 35mm film source while cropping the top and bottom of the frame.
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Easter Egg: On disc 1 of the 2004 Season 1 and 2 DVD release, in the "Extras" menu, navigate up to highlight and select the chili pepper refrigerator magnet; a camera and lighting test video opens, narrated by director Tom Cherones and production designer Thomas Azzari. On disc 3, in the "Inside Looks" menu, go to the fortune cookie in the upper-left corner of the menu and highlight it; a hidden video opens in which the cast and crew discuss an episode titled "The Bet" that was never filmed. The story was considered too dark because it revolved around Elaine acquiring a firearm.
Characters & Cast (185)
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Bob Balaban played an NBC network executive who approved a sitcom pilot to be called "Jerry." Balaban was chosen because of his resemblance to NBC executive Warren Littlefield, the man who allowed Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to produce this show's pilot. Balaban also played Littlefield in The Late Shift (1995).
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Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is the only character to appear in every episode. Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) did not appear in season one, episode one, Good News, Bad News (1989), season four episodes one and two, The Trip: Part 1 (1992) & The Trip: Part 2 (1992). Kramer (Michael Richards) did not appear in season two, episode eleven, The Chinese Restaurant (1991) and season three, episode three, The Pen (1991), and George (Jason Alexander) also did not appear in season three, episode three, The Pen (1991).
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Bob Sacamano is a fictional friend of Cosmo Kramer. He was never seen, but was the source of many bizarre anecdotes. Larry Charles has stated that Sacamano was a real-life friend, although the two fell out shortly after the character was first introduced. Throughout the course of the series, he was referenced in the following episodes: season two, episode eight, "The Heart Attack" (due to malpractice in a hernia operation now sits in a chair by the window repeating "My name is Bob"). season three, episode two, "The Truth" (was once in a mental institution where electroshock therapy had no effect). season three, episode sixteen, "The Fix Up" (works in a condom factory and gives Kramer defective condoms). season five, episode three, "The Glasses" (once contracted rabies).-. season seven, episode nineteen, "The Calzone" (once was Kramer's house guest for a year and a half). season eight, episode six, "The Fatigues" (throws a party, but Elaine gets the invitation late). season eight, episode eight, "The Chicken Roaster" (once sold replica Russian hats made of nutria in Battery Park). season eight, episode fourteen, "The Van Buren Boys" (Kramer is on the phone with him when he realizes he has to return a pair of pants, but while wearing them on the way to return them, falls into a puddle, ruining them). season nine, episode fifteen, "The Wizard" (Bob's father provides poorly-made "Willard" tip calculators). season nine, episode twenty, "The Puerto Rican Day" (made a fortune through coming up with the idea of the rubber band for toy paddles with the ball and rubber band).
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John O'Hurley (Peterman) recalls attending a friend's 40th birthday party and being recognized at the buffet line. A man came up to him to say "that would be grounds for dismissal." One of his J. Peterman lines. During their conversation, O'Hurley learned that this guy was not only a fan of Seinfeld but a fan of the real J. Peterman catalogue, too. He would actually read the over-the-top item descriptions to his wife in bed. He thanked O'Hurley for finally giving him a voice to use for the catalogue readings. The fan was none other than Tom Hanks.
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Though George (Jason Alexander) had moments of romantic and/or sexual interest in Elaine, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) never reciprocated those feelings toward George. Interestingly, Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus played husband and wife in the Elijah Wood film, North (1994), and in the sitcom, The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006), Dreyfus' Christine "agrees" to go on a date with her gynecologist, after mistaking his professionalism for flirtation. The gynecologist is played by Jason Alexander.
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Throughout this show, Jerry dated three actresses who appeared in Desperate Housewives (2004). Teri Hatcher Teri Hatcher played the role of Sidra in season four, episode nineteen, "The Implant," season four, episode twenty-three, "The Pilot," and season nine, episode twenty-two, "The Finale." Brenda Strong played the role of Sue Ellen in season seven, episode twelve, "The Caddy," season seven, episode twenty, "The Bottle Deposit," season eight, episode nine, "The Abstinence," and season nine, episode eight, "The Betrayal," and Marcia Cross played Dr. Sara Sitarides in season nine, episode seven, "The Slicer."
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Phil Morris' portrayal of Jackie Chiles was based on lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Cochran was a huge fan initially, but after Morris began doing commercials in character as Jackie Chiles, Cochran began to worry it was harming his career and image and requested he stop. Cochran was later found guilty of beating his wife and represented O.J. Simpson in his double murder trial.
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In addition to Jerry having a sister who was only mentioned once (in season two, episode eleven, "The Chinese Restaurant"), George has a brother who was mentioned only twice in the series: season three, episode fifteen, "The Suicide," (his brother impregnated a woman named Pauline) and season three, episode six, "The Parking Garage" (George's father, mother, and brother never pay for parking). Elaine has a sister, Gail, who she visits in St. Louis, and who she calls after she sends Gail's son her exposed nipple Christmas card. Elaine also mentions a brother-in-law (presumably Gail's husband) in season two, episode four, "The Phone Message" (he blurted out secret business information on an answering machine).
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Throughout the run of the series, Kramer rarely said "Yes". Nearly all of his positive responses are slang variations ("Yup," "Yeah!," "Giddyup," et cetera). Six episodes where he does actually say "Yes" are: season three, episode thirteen, "The Subway," season four, episode five, "The Wallet: Part 1," season five, episode two, "The Puffy Shirt," season five, episode four, "The Sniffing Accountant," season eight, episode eleven, "The Little Jerry," and season eight, episode seventeen, "The English Patient." episode 20 "The Millenium"
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George never gives Susan an engagement ring during their entire engagement. Susan mentions going ring shopping later in the week in "The Invitations" but it never happens. Even Jerry gives his fiancé, Jeannie, a ring. He proposes in "The Invitations," the last episode of Season 7 and in "The Foundation, first episode of Season 8, we see a flashback of when him and Jeannie break up. She hands him a ring. It's implied they were engaged for the entire summer and broke up shortly before this episode.
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Contains a major spoiler — show
Actor Marty Rackham first appeared as an LAPD officer in episode 4.2, The Trip: Part 2 (1992). He appears also in episodes 5.4, The Sniffing Accountant (1993), 5.21, The Opposite (1994), and finally 6.13, The Scofflaw (1995), as an author and boyfriend of Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
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Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) formidable father, the famous writer Alton Benes, whom Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander) fear, was originally intended to be a recurring character, but in an odd case of life imitating art, Lawrence Tierney genuinely frightened and intimidated the rest of the cast, so it was decided he should never return. Not surprisingly, Tierney went on to play the tough guy Joe Cabot in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992).
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After the Seinfeld finale, the following fall season, "Frasier" took over Seinfeld's Thursday night slot. In fact, Frasier's season 6, episode 1 opens with Frasier auditioning for a TV series after being fired from his radio program, and his opening speech is a nod to replacing Seinfeld: "Before we begin, I'd like to say what an honor it is to be taking over this slot. Obviously, I have some pretty big shoes to fill — my predecessor here was much beloved. But I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, and I'm sure we're going to enjoy many happy experiences together. I've been here for years, in my new home." It was their way of honoring Seinfeld.
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Initially, Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) intimidating father, the famous author Alton Benes (whom Jerry and George dread), was planned to be a recurring character. But in a strange case of life imitating art, Lawrence Tierney genuinely intimidated and cowed the rest of the cast, so it was decided that he would not return. Not surprisingly, Tierney played the tough guy Joe Cabot in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992).
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The Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) was inspired by Al Yeganeh, the real owner of a takeout soup business on West 55th Street in Manhattan, between Broadway and 8th Avenue. Just as on the sitcom, his soups were known for their excellent quality, but Yeganeh was also famous for the way he treated his customers. Local regulars called him a terrorist rather than a Nazi, probably because they knew Yeganeh was born in Iran, not Germany. Yeganeh was so angry about the episode (season seven, episode six, "The Soup Nazi") that he banned the use of the word "Nazi" in his restaurants. Even the slightest reference to the show enraged him (as can be seen in an interview he gave to CNN). After the episode aired, when some of the cast and writers visited the restaurant, Yeganeh claimed the show had ruined his life.
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The character Cosmo Kramer was based on Kenny Kramer, who worked across from co-creator Larry David. To capitalize on the sitcom's popularity, Kenny Kramer launched an officially recognized New York city tour called the "Kramer Reality Tour," which visits the real locations frequently featured on the show. In the 1997 season, Cosmo Kramer's memoirs were published by J. Peterman as if they were his own. Looking to take advantage of the situation, Cosmo Kramer starts a "Peterman Reality Tour" that visits the real locations mentioned in the memoirs.
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George Costanza's fiancée Susan Ross was killed off because the cast found working with actress Heidi Swedberg very difficult. According to Jason Alexander, although they liked Swedberg personally, Alexander struggled to play his scenes with her (Julia Louis-Dreyfus had the same problem when she shared scenes with her in the episode The Pool Guy (1995)). Louis-Dreyfus jokingly said they should kill her off, which gave Larry David the idea to kill off her character.
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Larry David based George Costanza on himself. Many of the situations George gets into are based on David's real-life experiences. George took his name from Michael Costanza, a friend of Jerry Seinfeld. George's middle name, Louis, was a tribute to Lou Costello from The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), which had a major influence on the series.
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Co-creator and executive producer Larry David appeared several times throughout the series. He provided the voice of George M. Steinbrenner III, played The Man In The Cape (Frank's divorce lawyer, season six, episode four, "The Chinese Woman"), a newsstand owner (who sells George gum in season seven, episode ten, "The Gum"), and the man ordering a kosher meal (season four, episode twelve, "The Airport"). He was also one of the last voices heard on the show, as the prisoner who shouts "I'll cut you!" at the end of season nine, episode twenty-two, "The Finale."
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Lee Garlington was originally planned to be part of the cast, as Claire, the coffee shop waitress who gives Jerry and George friendly advice. She appeared in the pilot episode, "Good News, Bad News." But when the series went forward, her character was dropped. According to Jason Alexander, Garlington offended Larry David by rewriting her lines.
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Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) is the only character to appear in every episode. Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) did not appear in the first season's first episode "Good News, Bad News" (1989), or in the fourth season's first and second episodes "The Trip: Part 1" (1992) and "The Trip: Part 2" (1992). Kramer (Michael Richards) did not appear in the second season's eleventh episode "The Chinese Restaurant" (1991) or the third season's third episode "The Pen" (1991), and George (Jason Alexander) did not appear in the third season's third episode "The Pen" (1991).
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Elaine's dance in the eighth season's fourth episode "The Little Kicks" was inspired by Saturday Night Live (1975) boss Lorne Michaels. Seinfeld writer Spike Feresten began his career as a receptionist at Saturday Night Live and said that at an SNL party Michaels danced "like no human being had ever danced before" and "swayed and spun to a rhythm only he could feel."
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Although George (Jason Alexander) at times had a romantic or sexual interest in Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Elaine never reciprocated these feelings. Interestingly, Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus played husband and wife in Elijah Wood's film North (1994) and in the series The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006). Dreyfus's character Christine mistakes her gynecologist's professionalism for flirting and agrees to go on a date with him; the gynecologist is played by Jason Alexander.
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Bob Balaban played an NBC executive who approves a sitcom pilot called "Jerry." Balaban was cast because he resembled Warren Littlefield, the NBC executive who allowed Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to make the pilot for this series. Balaban also played Littlefield in the film The Late Shift (1995).
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Phil Morris's portrayal of Jackie Chiles was based on the lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Cochran was initially a big fan, but when Morris began making Jackie Chiles commercials as the character, Cochran felt it was damaging his career and image and asked him to stop. Cochran was later found guilty of beating his wife and represented O.J. Simpson in the double murder trial.
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Michael Richards is the only actor among the four main cast members without Jewish origins. Julia Louis-Dreyfus's father was of French Jewish descent, but since Orthodox Judaism is a matrilineal religion, a person is considered Jewish only if their mother is Jewish. Louis-Dreyfus was raised Catholic.
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Over the course of the series, Kramer rarely said "Yes." Almost all of his affirmative responses were slang variations ("Yup," "Yeah!," "Giddyup," etc.). The six episodes in which he actually said "Yes": the third season's thirteenth episode "The Subway," the fourth season's fifth episode "The Wallet: Part 1," the fifth season's second episode "The Puffy Shirt," the fifth season's fourth episode "The Sniffing Accountant," the eighth season's eleventh episode "The Little Jerry," and the eighth season's seventeenth episode "The English Patient" along with the twentieth episode "The Millennium."
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Besides Jerry having a sister who is mentioned only once (the second season's eleventh episode "The Chinese Restaurant"), George also has a brother who is mentioned only twice: the third season's fifteenth episode "The Suicide" (his brother got a woman named Pauline pregnant) and the third season's sixth episode "The Parking Garage" (George's father, mother and brother never pay the parking fee). Elaine has a sister named Gail whom she visits in St. Louis and calls after Gail sends her a Christmas card with a bare nipple. Elaine also mentions a brother-in-law (probably Gail's husband) in the second season's fourth episode "The Phone Message" (he revealed confidential business information on an answering machine).
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Characters who testified against the group: Officer Vogel (Scott Jaeck), the overweight victim Howie (John Pinette), Mabel Choate (Frances Bay), Marla Penny (Jane Leeves), Donald Sanger (Jon Hayman), Lola (the woman in the wheelchair) (Donna Evans), Dr. Wexler (Ursaline Bryant), Sidra Holland (Teri Hatcher), Joe Bookman (Philip Baker Hall), Robin (Melanie Chartoff), the Garden Valley Shopping Mall security guard (David Dunard), the detective in The Wig Master, Leslie (Christine Dunford), George Steinbrenner (Lee Bear/Larry David), Marcelino (Miguel Sandoval), Mr. Hoffman (David Byrd), Fred from The Pick (Tony Carlin), Justin Pitt (Ian Abercrombie), the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas), Babu Bhatt (Brian George), the Low Talker (Wendel Meldrum). Others who testified in deleted scenes: Arnold Deensfrei (Robert Katims), Detective Blake (Ed O'Ross), Mr. Lippman (Richard Fancy), Ramon (Carlos Jacott), Poppie (Reni Santoni).
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Jason Alexander initially auditioned for the role of George Costanza with a video cassette and did a Woody Allen impression; he did not know that the character of George was inspired by one of the creators, Larry David. Meanwhile, David had taken small roles in Allen's films New York Stories (1989) and Radio Days (1987). He also starred in Whatever Works (2009).
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Carol Leifer was a writer and producer on this series. Leifer had dated Jerry Seinfeld before the series and was the inspiration for the character Elaine Benes. She appeared as a guest actor three times on the series: the sixteenth episode of the sixth season, "The Kiss Hello", the seventh episode of the seventh season, "The Secret Code", and the twenty-second episode of the seventh season, "The Invitations".
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Bob Sacamano is Cosmo Kramer's imaginary friend. He never appears, but he is the source of many bizarre anecdotes. Larry Charles stated that Sacamano was a real-life friend of his, but that they fell out shortly after the character was first introduced. He was mentioned throughout the series in the following episodes: the eighth episode of the second season, "The Heart Attack" (because of a mistake during hernia surgery, he sits by the window repeating "My name is Bob"), the second episode of the third season, "The Truth" (he had electroshock therapy in a mental hospital, but it had no effect), the sixteenth episode of the third season, "The Fix Up" (he works in a condom factory and gives Kramer defective condoms), the third episode of the fifth season, "The Glasses" (he once caught rabies), the nineteenth episode of the seventh season, "The Calzone" (he stayed as a guest at Kramer's for a year and a half), the sixth episode of the eighth season, "The Fatigues" (he throws a party, but Elaine gets the invitation late), the eighth episode of the eighth season, "The Chicken Roaster" (he sold fake Russian hats made of nutria fur in Battery Park), the fourteenth episode of the eighth season, "The Van Buren Boys" (while Kramer is talking to him on the phone, he realizes he has to return his pants, but on the way he falls into a puddle and ruins the pants), the fifteenth episode of the ninth season, "The Wizard" (Bob's father makes low-quality calculators with "Willard" tips), the twentieth episode of the ninth season, "The Puerto Rican Day" (he made a fortune with the idea of a rubber-ball racket).
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Throughout the series, Jerry dated three actors who appeared in Desperate Housewives (2004): Teri Hatcher (as Sidra in the nineteenth episode of the fourth season, "The Implant", the twenty-third episode of the fourth season, "The Pilot", and the twenty-second episode of the ninth season, "The Finale"), Brenda Strong (as Sue Ellen in the twelfth episode of the seventh season, "The Caddy", the twentieth episode of the seventh season, "The Bottle Deposit", the ninth episode of the eighth season, "The Abstinence", and the eighth episode of the ninth season, "The Betrayal") and Marcia Cross (as Dr. Sara Sitarides in the seventh episode of the ninth season, "The Slicer").
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The character Rabbi Kirschbaum takes his name from the writer Bruce Kirschbaum and evolved from a sketch on the program Fridays (1980). Bruce Kirschbaum and Larry David had played rabbis with their own television program, "Live & Be Well". Bruce Mahler, who played Rabbi Kirschbaum in three episodes, had also worked on Fridays (1980) together with Michael Richards and the writer Larry Charles.
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Actor Marty Rackham first appeared as an LAPD officer in the fourth season's second episode, "The Trip: Part 2" (1992). He later appeared in the fifth season's fourth episode "The Sniffing Accountant" (1993), the fifth season's twenty-first episode "The Opposite" (1994) and the sixth season's thirteenth episode "The Scofflaw" (1995) as Elaine's boyfriend and a writer.
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In the eighth season's third episode "The Bizarro Jerry," Elaine befriends Kevin (Tim DeKay), Jerry's exact opposite. Louis-Dreyfus's and DeKay's characters meet again in the ninth episode of The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006), "Rage Against the Christine." This time Christine wants to prove that her boyfriend is a psychopath.
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Bill Erwin, who played the character Sid (season 4, episode 18 "The Old Man" and season 4, episode 23 "The Pilot"), also played a character named Kramer in the second season's twenty-eighth episode of The Twilight Zone (1959), "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" Donald Bishop, in the role of Dr. Allenwood (season 4, episode 19 "The Implant"), likewise brought to life a character named Kramer in the fourth season's fourth episode of Baretta (1975), "The Sky Is Falling."
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Michael Richards went on vacation to Bali to escape his fame in the US. In a remote forest he encountered a primitive Buddhist tribe, and when one of the locals saw him he shouted "Kramer! Kramer!" Richards learned that the tribe had a television in one of their huts with a cable running through the forest, and that they watched the series dubbed into their own language.
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John O'Hurley (Peterman) recounts that he was recognized at a buffet line during a friend's 40th birthday party. A man came up to him and said, "That's a firing offense." It was one of J. Peterman's lines. During the conversation, O'Hurley learned that the man was not only a Seinfeld fan but also a fan of the real J. Peterman catalog. The man used to read its exaggerated product descriptions to his wife in bed. He thanked O'Hurley for giving him a voice to use while reading the catalog. The fan was none other than Tom Hanks.
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In the episode where Elaine dates a man named Joel Rifkin (fifth season, ninth episode, "The Masseuse"), Elaine asks him to change his name because Joel Rifkin is also the name of a man involved in a famous murder case in New York. One of the suggested new names was O.J. This episode was shot in 1993, a year before O.J. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
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After the Seinfeld finale, in the following fall season, "Frasier" took over Seinfeld's Thursday night slot. In fact, the first episode of Frasier's sixth season opens with Frasier auditioning for a TV show after being fired from his radio program, and his opening speech is a nod to taking over Seinfeld's time slot: "Before we begin, I'd like to say how honored I am to be taking over this time slot. Obviously, I have some very big shoes to fill — my predecessor was much beloved. But I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, and I'm sure we'll have many happy years together in my new home." This was their way of honoring Seinfeld.
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In season 9, episode 15, The Wizard (1998), Kramer (Michael Richards) has his coffee table book adapted into a film and moves to Florida, and while running for president of the apartment council, several newspaper headlines are seen. On these pages, in smaller print, are the headlines "Larry David Hits a Hole in One," "Larry David Injures His Elbow" and "Larry David Will Never Play Golf Again." Larry David is one of the creators of the series.
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- #619
In season 5, episode 2, The Puffy Shirt (1993), George (Jason Alexander) tells Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) that his mother Estelle (Estelle Harris) never laughs. Later in the episode, when Jerry tries to tell her a joke, Estelle's lack of interest proves this. However, in season 7, episode 15, The Shower Head (1996), Estelle laughs at Jerry's "I'm actually drunk" joke. Perhaps this is her first laugh.
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In the fourth season's sixth episode, "The Watch," when Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is asked by Joe Davola (Peter Crombie) whether she recognizes him from somewhere, she jokes that she probably recognizes him because his face was likely carved into Mount Rushmore alongside the US presidents in place of Roosevelt. In 2015, a poster was released for the fourth season of Veep (2012), showing Selina Meyer's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) face carved into Mount Rushmore in place of Jefferson.
- #623
In Massillon, Ohio, there is a restaurant named "Kosmo," after Cosmo Kramer. The restaurant's sign features a pencil drawing of Cosmo Kramer. One of the items on the menu is called "Newman," and it is a meatball sandwich. George Costanza's famous photo of himself posing half-naked in his underwear hangs in the women's restroom.
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In the fifth season's first episode, "The Mango," Jerry wears a blue-and-white Queens College t-shirt, while in the fifth season's eighth episode, "The Barber," he wears a hat from the same school. In real life, Seinfeld is a graduate of this school. He graduated in 1976 from its theater and communications program. Other famous alumni include porn legend Ron Jeremy, comedians Joy Behar and Ray Romano, and singer-songwriter Paul Simon.
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George never gives Susan a ring throughout their engagement. In the episode "The Invitations," Susan says they will go ring shopping that weekend, but this never happens. Even Jerry gives his fiancée Jeannie a ring. In the seventh season's final episode, "The Invitations," he proposes; in the eighth season's first episode, "The Foundation," the aftermath of their breakup is shown. Jeannie returns the ring to Jerry. It is implied that they were engaged all summer and broke up shortly before this episode.
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Jerry's father says that plane tickets are super saver and non-refundable. In season 4, episode 12 (The Airport), Kramer buys a super saver ticket without knowing they are non-refundable, which upsets George. Jerry's father also tries to get a discount by having a doctor write a note that there was a death in the family. In season 4, episode 19 (The Implant), George does the same thing when there is a death in his girlfriend's family.
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In an episode of Mad About You, Paul Reiser's character visits his old apartment, where Kramer now lives. He asks if Jerry still lives across the hall, and Kramer says yes. This indicates that Jerry lived in the building before Kramer. However, in the ninth season's episode "The Betrayal," there is a scene in which Jerry moves into the building and Kramer is already living across the hall.
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The sixth season's eighth episode, "The Mom & Pop Store," ends with a parody of the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, but the references to that film are not limited to this. Jon Voight appeared as himself in one episode, Bob Balaban appeared in many episodes as an NBC executive, and Dustin Hoffman was mentioned in one episode when Elaine Benes bets on whether an acquaintance of hers appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).
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In the eighth season's twelfth episode, "The Money," Jerry's parents explain why they want to sell the Cadillac Jerry bought them. Jerry asks, "What about the Northstar system?" and his father says, "I don't think we ever used it." Northstar was the name of Cadillac's V8 engines at the time.
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Easter Eggs & References (60)
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Signs in Frank's (Jerry Stiller's) billiard room include: If they don't have a pool hall in heaven, then I'm not goin'. Pool is not a matter of life and death. It is much more important than that. The life of the Pool Hustler is Hell... But somebody's got to do it. RACK 'EM Pool Hall Professional & Amateur Hustlers Keep your butt and butts off the table! Cold Beer Always, Snacks Sometimes
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In one episode of Mad About You Paul Reiser's character goes to visit his old apartment, which is now occupied by Kramer, in Jerry's apartment building. He asks Kramer if Jerry still lives across the hall and Kramer tells him that he does, indicating that Jerry was living in the building before Kramer. However in the season 9 episode The Betrayal there's a scene that shows Jerry moving into the building and Kramer is already living across the hall.
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For the majority of this show, Jerry's apartment number was 5A (and was shown at least once as 3A). This apartment number was indicated in black letters and numbers on the apartment door. However, in season one, episode three, "Male Unbonding," Jerry's apartment number was 411, indicated in gold-colored metal numbers next to the door. Something else, also gold-colored metal, was mounted on Jerry's door instead.
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At least one of the black and white framed or matted photos on the walls of Jerry apartment during the early seasons was taken by Inge Morath. Carriage Ride, Central Park, NYC 1963 is the largest of these, on the wall between the bathroom and living room. Inge Morath was married to Arthur Miller when the photo was taken and he is referenced in the series and George is sometimes referred to as 'Biff,' from 'Death of a Salesman.'
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Disc one of the box set contains a couple of errors in the Notes About Seinfeld feature. In season one, episode one, "The Stakeout," it is noted that John Mellencamp dropped the "Cougar" from his name in the mid 1980s. This is false - he dropped it in 1981 to coincide with the release of his album "Whenever We Wanted." For season one, episode three,"Male Unbonding," Andy Kaufman's surname is misspelled twice, with two "f"s instead of one.
- #668
Easter Egg: On disk 1 of the 2004 DVD release of Season 1 & 2, on the "Extras" menu navigate up to highlight the chili pepper fridge magnet and select it to reveal a camera and lighting test video narrated by director Tom Cherones and production designer Thomas Azzari. On disk 3, while on the "Inside Looks" menu navigate to and highlight the fortune cookie in the upper left part of the menu to reveal a hidden video where the cast and crew discuss an episode that was never filmed called "The Bet", the storyline being deemed too dark as it revolved around Elaine getting a firearm.
- #669
While they are waiting in the Chinese restaurant in season two, episode eleven, "The Chinese Restaurant," Jerry lists the many people that will be getting phone calls as a result of him being seen there. One of the included people was his sister. His sister never appeared on the show, nor is she ever referred to again.
- #670
In season eight, episode twelve, "The Money," Jerry's (Jerry Seinfeld's) parents explain why they want to sell the Cadillac Jerry bought them. Jerry asks "What about the Northstar system?" and Jerry's dad (Barney Martin) says "I don't think we've ever used it." Northstar was the designation of Cadillac's V8 engines of the time.
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There are two errors in the end credits of two season three episodes. In season three, episode one, "The Note," Jerry's dentist friend, Roy (Ralph Bruneau), is erroneously referred to as "Lloyd," which was the character's original name. In season three, episode five, "The Library," Sherry Becker (Cynthia Szigeti), Jerry's high school crush, is mistakenly listed as Sandy.
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Season six, episode eight, "The Mom & Pop Store" ends with a scene that's a parody of Midnight Cowboy (1969), but that's not the extent of references to this particular movie. Jon Voight starred as himself in one episode, Bob Balaban starred in multiple episodes as an NBC executive, and Dustin Hoffman was mentioned in an episode, where an acquaintance of Elaine Benes makes a bet whether he had starred in Star Wars:; Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)..
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In season four, episode six, "The Watch," Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) was asked by Joe Davola (Peter Crombie) if he knows her from somewhere, and she answers with a joke that he probably recognizes her because her face is sculptured on Mount Rushmore, alongside the U.S. Presidents, instead of Roosevelt's face. In 2015, a poster was released for the fourth season of Veep (2012) that showed the face of Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) sculptured on Mount Rushmore, but it appeared instead of Jefferson's face.
- #688
In season eight, episode three, "The Bizarro Jerry," Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) is friends with Kevin (Tim DeKay), who is the exact opposite of Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld). Louis-Dreyfus' and DeKay's characters are dating in The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006) season four, episode nine, "Rage Against the Christine." This time, Christine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) wants to prove that her boyfriend (Tim DeKay) is psychotic.
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Bill Erwin, who played Sid in season four, episode eighteen, "The Old Man," and season four, episode twenty-three, "The Pilot," played a character named Kramer in The Twilight Zone (1959) season two, episode twenty-eight, "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" Donald Bishop, who played Dr. Allenwood in season four, episode nineteen, "The Implant," played a character named Kramer in Baretta (1975) season four, episode four, "The Sky Is Falling."
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Elaine lives 1/2 mile away from Jerry, Kramer and Newman, which is a 10 minute walk. Elaine lives at 16 W 75th Street. and Jerry lives at 129 W 81st Street. George's apartment is never fully disclosed but his parents address is 1344 Queens Boulevard, Queens, New York. George either lives in Manhattan or Bronx, since he worked at Yankee Stadium.
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ABC Entertainment executive Lloyd Braun lent his name to a character appearing in three episodes, season five, episode seven, "The Non-Fat Yogurt," season seven, episode ten, "The Gum," and season nine, episode three, "The Serenity Now," and is an old childhood neighbor and nemesis of George Costanza.
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After the Seinfeld finale, the following Fall Season "Frasier" took Seinfeld's slot on Thursday nights. In fact, Season 6 Episode 1 of Frasier opens with Frasier auditioning for a TV show after being fired from his radio show, and his opening speech is a reference to the acquisition of Seinfeld's slot: "Before we begin, I'd like to say how honored I am to be taking over this slot. Obviously, I have some rather big shoes to fill - my predecessor here was much beloved. But I have never been one to shrink from a challenge and I'm sure we'll enjoy many happy years here together in my new home." Which was their way of honoring Seinfeld.
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In season five, episode one, "The Mango," Jerry is seen wearing a blue and white Queens College t-shirt, and in season five, episode eight, "The Barber," he wears a cap from the same college. In real life, Seinfeld is an alumnus of that school. In 1976, he graduated from the theatre and communications program. Other famous students include porn legend Ron Jeremy, comedians Joy Behar and Ray Romano, and singer and songwriter Paul Simon.
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Contains a major spoiler — show
Jerry's father makes a comment that his plane tickets are super savers and non refundable. In season 4 episode 12 (The Airport) Kramer buys super savers without knowing they are not refundable which upsets George. Jerry's father also tries to get a doctor to write him a note stating he had a death in the family to receive a discount on airfare. In season 4 episode 19 (The Implant) George does the same thing after his girlfriend has a death in the family.
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Contains a major spoiler — show
In episode 5.2, The Puffy Shirt (1993), George (Jason Alexander) tells Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) that his mother, Estelle (Estelle Harris), has never laughed, ever. Later in the episode the point is proven when Jerry attempts to tell her a joke and she's not interested. But in episode 7.15, The Shower Head (1996), Estelle laughs at Jerry's joke: "Actually I'm drunk." Maybe this is her first time laughing ever.
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Contains a major spoiler — show
In episode 9.15, The Wizard (1998), in which Kramer (Michael Richards) options his coffee table book for a movie and moves to Florida, several newspaper headlines are featured as he runs for condo council president. In smaller print on these pages, other headlines read "Larry David Gets Hole in One," "Larry David Injures Elbow," and "Larry David Never To Play Golf Again." Larry David is one of the show's creators.
Deeper Meaning (3)
Career & Awards (19)
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On The Sarah Silverman Podcast in January 2021, Sarah Silverman spoke about a bad experience working with Michael Richards on Seinfeld, where she had appeared as a guest actor early in her career. She played Kramer's girlfriend, and while filming a scene talking in bed, she flubbed a line and Michaels began yelling at her in front of the crew. But no one stopped him. She was shocked. The next day Silverman returned to the set and had a scene with Richards in a restaurant. Both are sitting at the table, and while the shot is being set up, Richards starts casually chatting with Silverman about real estate and other small talk, as if nothing had happened. Finally she cut him off and said, "I don't give a f**k!" which stunned him. Then she told him: "You can't talk like that and act like nothing happened. I'm not going to be one of those people who joins in and acts like nothing happened. That was a really shitty thing to do." She said the man accepted the criticism and from then on was casually friendly. He also sometimes called her to ask for stand-up advice.
Life & Family (10)
- #730
When Jerry Seinfeld performed his series of "I'm Telling You For The Last Time" concerts at the Bensonhurst Theatre in 1998, a small group of protesters turned up across the street every night condemning him for doing season nine, episode twenty, "The Puerto Rican Day." At one point, security had to be increased because of death threats.
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Michael Costanza, Jerry Seinfeld's friend after whom George is named, filed a $100 million lawsuit against Seinfeld, Larry David, and NBC, claiming invasion of privacy and defamation of character. Costanza claimed damages due to the show's alleged use of his likeness. The case was dismissed with the judges adding that the statute of limitations on the case had run out, as Costanza did not sue within one year of the show's debut in 1989.
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To catch a break from his celebrity status in the United States, where many people on the street were recognizing him due to the show's popularity, Michael Richards took a summer vacation to Bali. He strolled into a remote jungle, where he came across a primitive Buddhist tribe, and upon seeing him, one of the natives pointed at him and yelled "Kramer! Kramer!" Richards then learned that the tribe had a television, with its cable stretched far across the jungle, in a hut where they would watch the show, dubbed into their language.
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Michael Richards is the only member of the four main cast members who is not of any Jewish descent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus's father is of French Jewish descent, but because Orthodox Judaism is a matriarchal religion, one is only considered Jewish if their mother is Jewish. Louis-Dreyfus herself was raised Catholic.
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