Reality TV
‘Seinfeld’ Wasn’t Actually Called ‘Seinfeld’ When It First Premiered in 1989…
After all these years, Seinfeld is still one of those shows that fans love to love. Starring Jerry Seinfeld as himself — a working comedian — and Michael Richards, Jason Alexander, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Seinfeld’s circle of hilarious friends, the show followed their rather mundane (but hysterical!) experiences as they navigated through everyday life.
Now nearly 18 years later, fans can still catch Seinfeld reruns on a plethora of channels and streaming services. But many people who love the show (and the characters who come along with it) still have many questions about the series’ premiere. Most importantly, what was the show’s original name when it debuted in 1989?
MUST SEE: See the Cast of ‘Seinfeld’ Then and Now!
Originally titled The Seinfeld Chronicles, the Jerry Seinfeld-led show’s name was eventually changed to just the actor’s real surname. The title was shortened due to confusion that arose among viewers; many thought the name was too similar to another show on air at the time, The Marshall Chronicles, so it was altered. Are you a huge fan of Seinfeld? Keep reading for more fun trivia about the show!
Elaine Benes, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, wasn’t an original part of the cast.
Julia’s character ended up replacing another female character who had tentatively been named Claire. Claire was a waitress at Pete’s Luncheonette in the pilot but billed as a series regular. Eventually, the role was cut and replaced with Elaine.
Monk’s Café wasn’t an original part of the show either.
The original pilot featured a place called Pete’s Luncheonette, a food establishment where the gang was supposed to frequent.
Seinfeld began and ended with talk about a button.
No, seriously. The opening scene of the series features a conversation between Jerry and George about a shirt button. Jerry’s last stand-up scene in the finale episode is almost a near verbatim reproduction of the shirt button conversation from the first episode. So cool!
The Seinfeld cast. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The diner from the series isn’t real but you can go there.
Wait, what?! Though Monk’s Café is a fictional place, NBC showed the exterior of Tom’s Restaurant as Monk’s. The real-life diner Tom’s is located on the corner of West 112th Street and Broadway in NYC. All interior scenes from the diner were shot on a sound stage.
