The Untold Truth Behind Seinfeld Characters: Revealing Their Fascinating Real-Life Inspirations!
Discover the fascinating world of Seinfeld's characters as we delve into their real-life counterparts Uncover the inspirations behind Morty Seinfeld, George Costanza, J Peterman, George Steinbrenner, Jerry Seinfeld, the Soup Nazi, Elaine Benes, the Sniffing Accountant, Jackie Chiles, and Cosmo Kramer
Summary
The Seinfeld characters are often based on real people, adding another layer of realism to the show's plotlines and character arcs.
Morty Seinfeld was modeled after Larry David's actual father, who possessed a comparable personality and worked in the men's clothing industry.
George Costanza drew inspiration from Larry David himself, and several of the character's plotlines on the show were actually derived from David's personal encounters.
The iconic sitcom Seinfeld from the 90s was famous for its eccentric and unforgettable characters, but who were these characters inspired by? Co-created by comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, the "show about nothing" follows Seinfeld himself as a stand-up comedian navigating his daily life in NYC. He is often accompanied by his manipulative best friend George Costanza, the sarcastic and intelligent Elaine Benes, and his eccentric neighbor Cosmo Kramer. What makes these characters notable is that many of them are exaggerated versions of real-life individuals.
So, who served as the inspiration for the Seinfeld characters? While the four main characters take the spotlight in the Seinfeld cast, the series is a collaborative effort, with even minor characters like the Soup Nazi and the Sniffing Accountant being rooted in reality. Seinfeld is truly a character-driven show, and Seinfeld and David made a wise decision by basing their characters on fully fleshed-out individuals. This choice contributed to the creation of the show's most memorable storylines and character development, and adds an extra layer of depth when viewers consider the potential connections between the on-screen portrayal and real life.
Morty Seinfeld
George Costanza
Despite playing the role of Jerry's father in the show, Morty Seinfeld is not actually based on Jerry Seinfeld's real-life father. Rather, his name and characterization were inspired by Larry David's father, Mortimer "Morty" David. Like the real Morty, he was a retired individual residing in Florida, known for his disagreements with his son regarding bill payments, his obsession with tipping etiquette, and his background in the men's clothing industry. Interestingly, Larry David's own father was portrayed by the talented Shelley Berman in his HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm, albeit under the name Nat David instead of Morty. Despite this, Morty remains a beloved character among Seinfeld fans.
Upon receiving a proposal from NBC to create a sitcom, Jerry Seinfeld enlisted the assistance of fellow comedian Larry David to aid in its creation. Unquestionably, Jerry Seinfeld fashioned the character of Jerry Seinfeld after himself. However, David had no desire to appear in the show personally. Consequently, when it comes to Larry David, it is widely known that the character of George Costanza, Jerry's thrifty, deceitful, and insecure best friend, is principally inspired by him.
Many of George’s storylines – such as his decision to return to work on Monday after quitting on Friday and pretending it never happened, or his sneaky endeavor of erasing a message from a girl’s apartment answering machine, or even his involvement in the infamous domain-mastering contest – were inspired by real-life experiences from David’s own life. Currently, David remains in the role of showrunner for his HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, and he recently made appearances as Sola Mirronek in two episodes of Toast of Tinseltown.
J. Peterman
Elaine secured a position as a writer for the J. Peterman catalog in the final episode of Seinfeld's sixth season. Astonishingly, J. Peterman is not the actual inspiration behind the character! Instead, John O'Hurley portrayed a satirical rendition of J. Peterman, drawing inspiration not from the real individual, but from the comically exaggerated and meticulously detailed writing style of the catalog itself.
To avoid any confusion with the actual name of John Peterman, the fictional depiction portrayed by O'Hurley was introduced as Jacopo Peterman. O'Hurley embraced Peterman's unique and dramatic manner of speaking, drawing inspiration from "‘40s radio drama," with a touch of the renowned Charles Kuralt from CBS News. The genuine John Peterman, alongside Donald Staley, established the J. Peterman Company in 1986, and in 2000, the CEO position was taken over by Peterman's son, Tim. Subsequently, the responsibility was passed down to Kyle Foster.
George Steinbrenner
Larry David would often make appearances on Seinfeld, playing various memorable roles. He notably portrayed Frank Costanza's caped lawyer and was originally the voice behind Newman before the character's expansion and subsequent replacement by Wayne Knight. Yet, it was his portrayal of George Steinbrenner, the domineering boss of the New York Yankees, that marked his most significant contribution to the show. Interestingly, in terms of inspiration for Seinfeld characters, George Steinbrenner is based on a real person. George, as depicted on the show, is known for his comedic mishaps, particularly in the office setting.
Jerry Seinfeld
Steinbrenner's physical appearance was never seen by audiences; only his voice, making him akin to Seinfeld's Darth Vader. The portrayal of TV Steinbrenner depicted him as a hapless fool, endlessly rambling until whoever he was speaking to exited the room, leaving him to talk to himself. However, in real life, he commanded respect in the realms of baseball and business for his contributions to the Yankees. Sadly, the real George Steinbrenner passed away on July 13th, 2010.
Undoubtedly, the renowned character Jerry Seinfeld draws inspiration from the multi-talented comedian, writer, actor, co-creator, and executive producer Jerry Seinfeld. Nevertheless, there exist disparities in their respective portrayals. In reality, owing to the sitcom and numerous appearances during late-night shows, Jerry Seinfeld has earned global recognition as one of the foremost comedians.
The Soup Nazi
In contrast, he is simply regarded as a "lesser-known public figure" on the show. His recognition by people is minimal and he usually performs at clubs instead of larger venues like theaters and stadiums. Jerry is the sole character who made an appearance in every single episode of the show and frequently played the role of the "serious one" among his eccentric circle of friends. Seinfeld, the creator of the hit series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, will also be starring in the upcoming film Unfrosted.
The Soup Nazi, one of Seinfeld's most iconic episodes throughout its nine-season run, surprisingly has a real-life inspiration behind the character. This episode revolves around a strict chef who operates a soup stand. If customers fail to adhere to his rigid rules, he ceremoniously exclaims, "No soup for you!" and adamantly refuses service. Naturally, Jerry, George, and Elaine find themselves entangled with this eccentric chef on separate occasions.
Elaine Benes
The character was inspired by a strict owner of a soup stand on West 55th Street in Manhattan, whom the writers frequently encountered during their lunch breaks. In the sitcom, the Soup Nazi is referred to as Yev Kassem, but his real-life counterpart was Al Yeganeh. Unfortunately, Yeganeh was extremely upset with his portrayal on the show and went as far as banning Jerry Seinfeld from his soup stand. Interestingly, Yeganeh's notoriety extended beyond the sitcom and was even mentioned in Sleepless in Seattle, where a magazine writer discusses a story about the "meanest man in America" who also happens to sell the most incredible soup you've ever tasted.
Among all the Seinfeld characters, "the real Elaine Benes" is the one that piques the curiosity of the audience the most. Elaine was inspired by several people from the lives of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. One of the sources of inspiration for her character was Monica Yates, who David used to date. Despite their breakup, they remained close friends, just like Jerry and Elaine. Monica Yates is the daughter of the renowned author Richard Yates, which explains why Elaine's father, portrayed by Lawrence Tierney, was depicted as a celebrated author. Today, Monica Yates-Shapiro runs a non-profit organization called Grand Blanc Grid, which is dedicated to advocating for more bike routes in Grand Blanc, Michigan (via MLive).
Elaine, the character on the iconic TV show Seinfeld, was actually named after Jerry Seinfeld's friend Elayne Boosler, who happened to be a fellow comedian. Interestingly, Elaine's character was also written to resemble Susan McNabb, who was Seinfeld's girlfriend when the series first aired. However, there is a common misconception that comedian and writer Carol Liefer, who was a close friend and ex-girlfriend of Seinfeld's, is the real-life inspiration for Elaine. This misconception arises because Liefer also wrote for the show. In reality, Liefer drew inspiration from her own life experiences while developing Elaine's storylines, as shared by News.com.au.
The Sniffing Accountant
The episode "The Sniffing Accountant" from the television series Seinfeld is grounded in reality, as the Sniffing Accountant character was inspired by real individuals. In season 5, episode 4 of Seinfeld, Jerry, Kramer, and Newman entrust their finances to an accountant whose persistent sniffing leads them to suspect he is a drug addict. This storyline is actually based on a genuine accountant whom Jerry Seinfeld once hired.
The comedian elaborated on the additional content featured in the DVD extras for season 5. "My accountant, whose name I won't mention (not that he doesn't deserve the infamy), embezzled around fifty thousand dollars from me, only to squander it on his cocaine habit...[I] simply handed him an envelope filled with cash, and it vanished into thin air. I used to openly express my animosity towards this individual, which led to him being dubbed the Sniffing Accountant. This served as my form of retribution."
Jackie Chiles
Kramer manages to get away with a myriad of things on Seinfeld and his secret weapon is none other than his lawyer. Enter Jackie Chiles, Kramer's legal representative, who bears a striking resemblance to Johnnie Cochran, the famed attorney who famously defended O.J. Simpson in the highly publicized trial of the 1990s. Portrayed by Phil Morris, there were even discussions at one point about creating a spin-off series centered around Jackie's character, although it never actually came to fruition.
Morris consistently portrayed Jackie Chiles with the same rapid-fire speech and undeniable magnetism that propelled Cochran to fame. Kramer's "hot coffee" case was inspired by an actual legal dispute in which a woman suffered severe burns from McDonald's coffee, although the genuine Cochran did not partake in that particular case. On March 29th, 2005, Johnnie Cochran passed away at the age of 67.
Cosmo Kramer
The Seinfeld characters, including Jerry's neighbor Cosmo Kramer, were inspired by real people. Surprisingly, Kramer's character was based on a man named Kenny Kramer, who happened to be Larry David's neighbor when he was a struggling comedian in New York. Kenny Kramer would frequently visit Larry's apartment, help himself to the food in his fridge, and come up with wild schemes to get rich quickly.
Kenny Kramer was initially hesitant to allow Larry to use his name for the TV show. As a compromise, they decided to change it to Kessler, but this name didn't seem to fit well. Interestingly, the actual Kramer has even organized a tour bus where visitors are charged a fee to hear the genuine stories behind the episodes of Seinfeld, mirroring the concept of the TV character who sold his anecdotes to J. Peterman.
