Seinfeld Reference: The Complete Encyclopedia (14 page)

After "Fridays" was canceled, Richards continued in the acting profession with a small supporting role in
Young Doctors in Love
.  However, the bulk of his acting credentials involved guest appearances on successful television dramas and sitcoms, such as "Cheers," "Night Court," "Miami Vice," "Hill Street Blues" and "St. Elsewhere."  He also had his share of failed television pilots, five in toto.  In the 1983 ABC pilot "Herndon and Me," costarring Ted McGinley ("Happy Days" and "Married...With Children") and Anne Ramsey ("Mad About You"), Richards starred as Dr. Herndon P. Pool, a gawky computer genius involved in numerous calamities.  The pilot has Herndon attending his ten-year high school reunion where he tries to transform his image from nerd to hero.

The following year Richards costarred as a gardener in the NBC pilot "At Your Service," which followed the antics of a wealthy woman's staff while she was away from the mansion.  By 1987, he landed a supporting role as a klutzy gardener in the syndicated sitcom "Marblehead Manor," which was canceled after one season.

Interspersed throughout the television acting appearances were several feature films.  Richards had a bit part in the star-studded cast of
Transylvania 6-5000
(1985), a horror-film spoof where two klutzy reporters happen upon modern-day Transylvania.  In
Whoops Apocalypse
(1988), he costars with Loretta Swift, a female United States president, who is embroiled in a power struggle with allies in a satirical World War II spoof based on the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) series.  Richards followed up the decade with two more silver screen roles in the critically unacclaimed and financially unsuccessful comedies
UHF
(1989) and
Problem Child
(1990).

Acting - "Seinfeld"

When "Seinfeld" auditions commenced in 1989, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were already sold on signing Richards for the role of Kramer.  Larry David, who collaborated with Richards on "Fridays," personally selected Richards for the role of Kramer on "Seinfeld."  There were two performances that guaranteed the job to Richards.  The "Seinfeld" creators were sold on Richards for the part of Kramer after watching his outrageously humorous improvisational skit on "The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno," where he played Dick Williams, Fitness Trainer to the Stars.  The deal was further solidified, however, after the first audition when Richards did a headstand, fell onto a table, and then proceeded to read his lines as if nothing unusual occurred.  The headstand is nothing uncustomary because Richards practices yoga and frequently performs the act while meditating on the set.

When the series aired, Richards began portraying Kramer as slow-witted, quirky, and eccentric, much like Jim Ignatowski in "Taxi," or a bewildered, inarticulate moron like Harpo Marx.  In fact, critics described the Richards' portrayal of Kramer as an imitation of Christopher Lloyd’s portrayal of Reverend Jim on "Taxi."  Approximately eight or nine shows into the series, he transformed the character into an individual who was well beyond everyone in imagination with a singular conceptualization of life.  Kramer was never intended to be a scene-stealer; his predominate purpose was providing minor comic relief.  However, once Richards began adding subtle nuances to the character, the audience embraced the oddities, making him one of the most popular television personalities and a hot commodity for publicity.

When the cast was introduced, Richards was the only person receiving hysterical applause.  He became known as a break-out--a supporting character that is transformed into a major player because of the actor's charisma.  A classic example is The Fonz on "Happy Days" who had the most obscure bit part, but Henry Winkler transformed the persona into one of the most memorable television icons of the 1970s.

In response to the character transformation, Richards indicates that he wanted to explore the parameters of Kramer's eccentricities without being a caricature.  At first he let Kramer's hair grow and then styled it to stand straight up, and then kept tight lips on Kramer's personal background to elicit speculation about the foundational source of his eclectic mannerisms and appearance.  Although break-out characters often cause tension on the set with clashing egos, the "Seinfeld" cast appreciated Richards' physical humor and embraced the increased show recognition.

On the "Seinfeld" set, Richards was known as the hardest-working castmate, yet had the most difficulty learning his lines.  Since he spent considerable time honing the physical comedy aspects of the script, he was frequently lax in memorizing lines and cues.  Richards often rehearsed alone in a corner, talking to himself, searching the recesses of his mind to find the perfect entrance into Jerry's apartment.

The infamous "Kramer Slide" through Jerry's apartment door has its origin when Richards was in high school.  He always had an eccentric entrance, and no day was complete without him falling over a couple chairs, or performing a patented slide through the homeroom doorway.  Actually, the television debut of the "Kramer Slide" occurred serendipitous when he was late for a cue and rushed to enter the apartment.  According to Richards, a great deal of physical comedy is the product of happenstance--a mistake that is amusing to others.  When everyone laughed at the unique entrance, he incorporated the physical component into his acting repertoire.  Richards also finds creative inspiration by observing the activities of people around him, particularly at the Santa Monica Pier.

On the creativity of "Seinfeld," the only concern was maintaining episode quality.  Each week the writers had to churn out a new episode, so a frenetic dash toward weekly deadlines often compromised the caliber of the show.  Although critics continually harkened the descent of "Seinfeld," the ensemble regularly cranked out solid performances and classic episodes.

In fact, Richards not only became a popular icon, but also a critical favorite among the awards committees.  He appearing as the oddball scientist Dr. Leotard in Pepsi advertisements aired in 1994 during the Superbowl, and then two years later landed an automobile endorsement for Mercedes.  Richards was also appreciated by peers and the industry.  He received five Emmy nominations, winning three awards, as well as being recognized as an outstanding comedic performer for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and American Comedy Awards.  As a credit to his outstanding acting, Kramer was nominated as television's all-time favorite nosy neighbor on the CBS special, "TV's All-Time Favorites."

Acting - Success

Once "Seinfeld" became a ratings success and Kramer became a cultural icon, Richards was able to exploit his popularity.  He was solicited to appear in numerous physical comedy roles, and opted for small roles in
So I Married an Axe Murderer
,
Coneheads
, and
Airheads
.  In a unique acknowledgment of a sub-par performance, Richards refunded money to anyone claiming to have watched the movie
Coneheads
.

In
Unstrung Heroes
(1995) with Andie McDowell, Richards accepted a dramatic role as a flamboyant delusional paranoid who fathoms a conspiracy behind everything, and is comparable to Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld" with his anti-Semitic perceptions of society.  The reviews were equivocal and ticket sales were lackluster.

Two years later Richards costarred with Jeff Daniels in
Trial and Error
.  Richards is an out-of-work actor who functions as substitute counsel for his hung over lawyer-friend (Daniels) in a major trial.  The slapstick comedy received mediocre ratings and comparable box office success.

Acting - Inspiration and Dedication

Richards credits his mother as the first comedic inspiration because she had a zany sense of humor.  On Halloween, she would dress outrageously, and one year appeared as a pistol-packing mama.  In addition to her strong comedic sensibility, Richards was also a disciple of Don Rickles, Jonathan Winters, Red Skelton, and Peter Sellers; the physical comedy influences include Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, and The Marx Brothers.  His favorite is little-known French actor/director Jacques Tati, who is a less flamboyant Jerry Lewis.

As a child, Richards spent considerable time playing on the studio back lots, the same place where he would later earn a living.  His thirst for the limelight began with classroom antics and extracurricular rowdiness.  He would purposely crash his bike into a tree, run the bases or walk into a classroom backwards, or play dead in the school hallways.  A seventh-grade theater class provided the first taste of acting, and Richards spent the next 15 years studying the craft in various educational venues.

Richards does most, if not all, of the physical comedy routines himself--no stunt double, no creative editing, no strategically placed camera--just pure, unadulterated folly with Richards at his stumbling, bumbling best.  One thing is for sure, he takes physical comedy very serious.  In "The Glasses" episode, there is a scene where an air conditioner falls from Jerry's apartment window and Kramer lunges to save the appliance.  Richards bolted toward the window, thrust his body through the pane, and was rushed to the hospital because the crew thought he cracked a couple ribs.

Richards' physical comedy is likened to Buster Keaton by the way he flails his body around unabatedly.  When it comes to physical comedy, Richards is a perfectionist.  He spends considerable time reworking each scene to create the best possible performance for every circumstance.  He is very disciplined and dedicated to his craft, and often pushes himself too hard to get the scene just right.  He considers himself an "eccentricity specialist" with a vast array of slides, skids, spins and twists.  Richards' penchant for excellence is one reason he refuses to watch his performances, whether it be movie or television.  He is concerned about overanalyzing the performance and being too critical of his performance because it can always be presented in a better manner.

Personal

Despite his antics and wacky on-screen behavior, Richards is actually soft-spoken and mellow, quiet and reserved, solemn and pensive, self-conscious and reticent.  He enjoys reading, and at one point immersed himself in the complete philosophical works of Goethe.  His house is filled with volumes of tomes covering philosophy, art and biographies.  He hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains, and enjoys sketching strange, dream-like drawings.  To relax he prefers sitting on a lawn chair at the bottom of his outdoor swimming pool all decked-out in scuba diving accoutrement, or watching his favorite television shows, such as "Columbo" or "Murder, She Wrote."  When he ventures out into the world, he occasionally partakes in charitable activities, such as Comic Relief events for children or the homeless.

One earnest hobby is bicycling, and Richards takes regular excursions into the Santa Monica Mountains.  Although he currently rides for personal pleasure, he regularly participated in the Kamikaze, a downhill bike event.  In a freak accident while practicing for the event in 1991, he steered off the mountain and crashed into an oak tree.  Thereafter, Richards resolved to become a bike enthusiast, not a fanatic.  He rides a custom-made $2,000 bike approximately two miles a day, and often treks to the studio on workdays.

Family

In 1974 Richards married college sweetheart Cathleen (b. 1947), a family therapist, which ended in divorce 16 years later.  They have one child, Sophia (b. 1975), a recent college graduate, who maintains close contact with both parents.  Following a brief stint at bachelorhood, Richards began dating actress Ann Talman.  They met during her appearance on the 1992 "Seinfeld" episode "The Good Samaritan" as George's girlfriend, Robin.  The romance lasted three years, and in 1996 he commenced a yearlong relationship with Michelle Correy, an executive assistant at Landmark Entertainment, a Los Angeles production company.

By the time the "Seinfeld" finale aired, Richards was no longer dating, and expressed his disinterest in settling down.  Although he is not a stereotypical actor who seduces women and has frequent one-night stands, Richards intimates that he lacks sufficient time to establish a permanent, long-term relationship.  He lives alone in his renovated and modestly decorated Pacific Palisades home, but in July 1998 he was selling the abode for $799,000.

Future

Richards hopes to continue riding the wave of "Seinfeld" success but aspires to concentrate on feature films that deviate from the stereotypical Krameresque role.  He prefers movies to television because he can concentrate on quality and spend adequate time perfecting each aspect of physical comedy.  In contrast, television is a weekly rush and there is little time to analyze the details of each action.  Naturally, Richards is inundated with scripts, and can finally be selective in finding the appropriate role to accentuate his talents and expand his range as an actor.  According to Richards, in the past he did not have the luxury of being discriminate in the selection of movie roles, but "Seinfeld" has created the opportunity for greater discernment in acting parts.

Career Credits

The following is a comprehensive list of Richards' acting and writing accomplishments, as well as industry awards and nominations.

Television - Acting

"The Billy Crystal Special" (special) 1980 (HBO)

"Fridays" (series) 4.11.80 to 3.19.82 (ABC)

"Herndon and Me" (pilot) 8.26.83 (ABC)

"St. Elsewhere" ep Drama Center 2.15.84 (NBC)

"St. Elsewhere" ep Vanity 3.7.84 (NBC)

"At Your Service" (pilot) 8.1.84 (NBC)

"Cheers" ep Bar Bet 3.14.85 (NBC)

"Hill Street Blues" ep An Oy for an Oy 11.14.85 (NBC)

"Fresno" (miniseries) 11.16.86 to 11.20.86 (CBS)

"Slickers" (pilot) 8.12.87 (NBC)

"Marblehead Manor" (series) 1987 to 1988 (SYND)