Seinfeld Reference: The Complete Encyclopedia (13 page)

The cumulative effect of "Seinfeld" and numerous other successful projects has propelled Alexander as one of the most marketable commodities to advertisers.  In 1993 he began what has turned out to be a lengthy business association with Frito-Lay as the spokesperson for Rold Gold pretzels.  The television commercials have effectively elevated the product to the top in national pretzel sales.  In fact, the 1998 USAT Ad Track rated Rold Gold commercials 13th out of 140 analyzed campaigns on advertising effectiveness.  He is currently the pitchman for KFC, where he stresses the advantages of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken over the same old boring burger.

Success has also allowed Alexander to expand his creative genius into other avenues of personal interest, such as controlling the action from behind the scenes.  In 1992 Alexander made his directorial debut in "Seinfeld," which earned him a nomination for a Director's Guild Award.  In 1996 he directed the cablefilm
For Better or Worse
, and the following year refined his directorial skills with an episode for the American Movie Classic cable series "Remember WENN."  In other behind-the-scenes activity, Alexander cowrote a pilot with Michael Markowitz, and developed several television projects and stage musicals.

Personal

With his receding hairline and stocky 5'5½" stature, Alexander may not grace the cover of
GQ
magazine, but he is surprisingly athletic (he was involved in high school gymnastics), agile (he knows martial arts), and physically fit (he uses a personal trainer).  At age 17 he lost considerable weight, the braces were removed, and his future was looking bright.  Unfortunately, at the same time Alexander looked in the mirror and noticed a bald spot on his pate, and after high school the fallout became prolific.  When comparing his McDonald's commercial at age 19, Alexander resembles George Costanza who was wearing a toupee in the "Seinfeld" episode "The Beard."  The hair loss was devastating; Alexander knew he would never be cast for his dream role, Hamlet, and was destined to be a Falstaff.

Often described as generous and caring, Alexander is also confident, patient, and maintains a calm demeanor.  He is actively involved in charitable causes, and in 1995 participated with other well-known actors to create an educational video for children to discuss the characteristics of honesty and consideration.  His musical interests include Manhattan Transfer and Patti LuPone.

One of Alexander's proudest moments was meeting President Bill Clinton in 1994.  Although embarrassed because he was unable to articulate an intriguing sentence--his only words complimented the Clintons on their nice home--he redeemed himself a few moments later by prating with Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper.

Family

In 1979 Alexander met his future wife, actress-writer Daena E. Title, while working at a New York City casting agency.  When the 5'10" beauty entered the office for an open casting call, Alexander was in awe, and immediately scheduled a second reading.  After the interview, which was unrelated to any acting endeavor and more akin to a dating service screening test, he asked her out for dinner.

They were romantically involved for one year when he ushered her to Times Square where the electronic billboard read, "Daena, I love you.  Please marry me.  Forever, Jason."  Despite three prior rejections, the neon display won her heart and convinced Daena of his true feelings.  They married in 1982, have two children, Gabriel (b. 1992) and Noah (b. 1996), and live in an English manor outside Los Angeles.

Future

Alexander signed a two-year deal with Studios USA Television to produce sitcoms and dramatic series.  In 1998 he developed three pilots, none of which were ordered by the networks, and has the opportunity to produce two other projects for Universal Television.  In August 1998 Alexander commences production and a starring role in the independent feature film
Officer Bob
.  One hopeful performance is being the stand-up comic at the White House Correspondents' dinner, and to develop a musical version of Ernest Borgnine's
Marty
.

Career Credits

The following is a comprehensive list of Alexander's acting, directing, singing and writing accomplishments, as well as industry awards and nominations.

Television - Acting

"Senior Trip!" (telefilm) 12.30.81 (CBS)

"E/R" (series) 9.16.84 to 7.24.85 (CBS)

"Rockabye" (telefilm) 1.12.86 (CBS)

"Everything's Relative" (series) 10.3.87 to 11.7.87 (CBS)

"Favorite Son" (miniseries) 10.30.88 to 11.1.88 (NBC)

"The Seinfeld Chronicles" (pilot) 7.5.89 (NBC)

“Seinfeld” (series) 5.31.90 to 5.14.98 (NBC)

“Sexual Healing” (special) 1993 (SHO)

"Dream On" ep Oral Sex, Lies and Videotape 6.5.93 (HBO)

"The First Annual Comedy Hall of Fame" (presenter) (special) 11.24.93 (NBC)

"The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts" (special) 12.29.93 (CBS)

"Saturday Night Live" (host) 1993 (NBC)

"Duckman" (voice) (series) 3.5.94 to 3.29.97 (USA)

"Down on the Waterfront" (short movie) 1994 (PBS)

"The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (performer) (special) 9.11.94 (ABC)

"Screen Actors Guild Awards" (presenter) (special) 2.23.95 (NBC)

"The 9th Annual American Comedy Awards" (guest) (special) 3.6.95 (ABC)

"The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards" (cohost) (special) 9.10.95 (FOX)

"Bye Bye Birdie" (telefilm) 12.3.95 (ABC)

"For Better or Worse" (cablefilm) 2.18.96 (USA)

"Disney's Most Unlikely Heroes" (special) 6.18.96 (ABC)

"Muppets Tonight" 6.30.96 (ABC)

"The Making of the Hunchback of Notre Dame" (host) (special) 7.2.96 (ABC)

"Evening at the Pops" (special) 7.8.96 (PBS)

"Smithsonian Fantastic Journey" (Part 1 of 2) (special) 8.10.96 (CBS)

"The Nanny" ep The Tart with Heart 9.18.96 (CBS)

"Sideshow" (narrator) (documentary) 2.2.97 (TLC)

"Screen Actors Guild Awards" (presenter) (special) 2.22.97 (NBC)

"Remember WENN" 10.11.97 (AMC)

"Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'Cinderella'" (telefilm) 11.2.97 (ABC)

Television - Directing

“Seinfeld” ep The Good Samaritan 3.4.92 (NBC)

"For Better or Worse" (cablefilm) (debut) 2.18.96 (USA)

"Remember WENN" 10.11.97 (AMC)

Television - Song Writing

"For Better or Worse" (cablefilm) 2.18.96 (USA)

Movies - Acting

The Burning
(1982)

The Mosquito Coast
(1986)

Brighton Beach Memoirs
(1986)

Jacob's Ladder
(1990)

Pretty Woman
(1990)

White Palace
(1990)

I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore
(1992)

Coneheads
(1993)

North
(1994)

The Paper
(1994)

Blankman
(1994)

The Return of Jafar
(voice, 1994)

Dunston Checks In
(1996)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
(voice) (1996)

The Last Supper
(1996)

Love! Valour! Compassion!
(1997)

Denial
(1998)

Theater - Acting

On Broadway:

Merrily We Roll Along
(1981)

The Rink
(1984)

Broadway Bound
(1986) 

Jerome Robbins' Broadway
(1989)

Accomplice
(1990)

Off-Broadway:

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off (1980)

Forbidden Broadway (1982)

Personals (1985)

Light Up the Sky (1990)

Give 'Em Hell Harry
(1992)

Emmy Nominations

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, NBC (Seinfeld, 1992-98)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, HBO ("Dream On" ep Oral Sex, Lies and Videotape, 1994) 

Awards

Tony: Jerome Robbins' Broadway (musical) 1989

* * * * *

MICHAEL RICHARDS

(Cosmo Kramer)

With a lanky 6'2" frame, Michael Richards is most recognized as the oafish, odd-ball neighbor who uses a cornucopia of distinctive entrances into Jerry Seinfeld's fictional apartment.  Despite nearly a decade of zaniness on "Seinfeld," the path to success was long and arduous.  Unlike some actors who gain instantaneous success, Richards struggled to survive, yet continued to refine his comedic style through years of practice and experience.  Despite youthful aspirations of becoming a dramatic actor, Richards could not deny his innate skill at physical comedy (nor the notoriety, fame, and financial rewards).

Childhood

Born August 24, 1949 in Culver City, California, Michael Richards was raised without a male role model because his father, William, an electrical engineer, died in an automobile accident two years after his son's birth.  Richards' mother, Phyllis, a medical-records librarian, raised her only child as a single parent, and in 1961 moved to Van Nuys, California.  While growing up in Southern California, Richards physically dwarfed the other children, so naturally he commanded their respect, and was preordained a leader of the pack.  However, he was also a solitary individual who spent hours walking and watching television.

Richards attended Thousand Oaks high school in Ventura, California, and in his senior year was voted Most Humorous by fellow classmates.  Although he was only an average student in the core classes, Richards was a stand-out in the drama department.  Since his sole motivating interest was theater, fortunately the desire to become an actor was strong enough to compel him to graduate with a high school diploma.

Education

After high school, Richards majored in theater arts at Los Angeles Valley College where he befriended future actor Ed Begley, Jr.  They developed a two-man improvisational comedy act, and earned $25 performing the routine on weekends at Troubadour, a legendary rock club, entertaining the rowdy audience between bands.  In 1970, while the Vietnam War was in full stride, Richards was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany.  He was trained as a medic because he had prior experience as an ambulance driver (during a summer employment position).  During the two-year stint, Richards earned a theater arts degree via correspondence from the University of Maryland, and directed the Army's educational plays about drug, health and race issues.  By the time he was honorably discharged, Richards was supervising a traveling soldiers' theater troupe that entertained servicemen stationed in Germany.

Upon returning home, Richards used the government G.I. Bill to enroll in the theater program at California Institute of the Arts, where he met fellow student and future wife, Cathleen.  After graduating with a degree in drama, Richards moved to Olympia, Washington to attend classes at Evergreen State College.  In 1976, he earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, and moved to San Diego to concentrate on a theatrical career.

Figure 6 Michael Richards

Acting

Although active in high school productions, Richards was first drawn toward theater after a rousing performance as a villain in an eighth-grade production, and then portraying the Scarecrow in
The Wizard of Oz
.  After graduating from college, Richards' acting career involved performances in regional productions and the newly-established San Diego Repertory Theater.  The next three years were spent drifting from one theater group to another, while working various odd jobs as a school bus driver and postal worker.  When the work was slow and barely paying the bills, Begley convinced Richards to pursue comedy.

In 1979, Richards began traveling 150 miles north to frequent the lucrative Los Angeles comedy club circuit.  He appeared nightly at various Hollywood clubs, such as The Comedy Store and The Improvisation.  According to Richards, he never told jokes, he merely whisked across stage in a performance fusing the comedic styles of Andy Kaufman and Robin Williams.  Exposure as a stand-up comedian brought other opportunities for Richards to showcase his multiple talents in the entertainment arena.  Billy Crystal personally requested that Richards appear in the HBO comedy special "The Billy Crystal Special."

Within nine months after his television debut, Richards was hand-picked to costar, along with "Weird" Al Yankovic, in the new television series "Fridays," a comedic facsimile of "Saturday Night Live" where actors partake in a variety of skits and acting roles.  During the next two-and-one-half years, Richards developed a few memorable personas, such as "Battle Boy," who destroys toy soldiers with reckless abandon, and Dick, an urbane, chain-smoking, roller-skating bachelor who propositions women in bars (the latter was scheduled for a Castle Rock movie).  Overall, he described his first regular television role as unpleasant.  Richards thought the writers were too young and the producers exploited the talent for profit; no one made an effort to create an environment for comedians to develop their trade or otherwise creatively flourish.