Seinfeld is one of the most popular and influential sitcoms of all time. With nine seasons and 180 episodes, this beloved series aired for almost a whole decade, from 1989 to 1998, gaining plenty of nominations and awards during this time. It’s no wonder that, in 2013, the Writers Guild of America named Seinfeld the second Best-Written TV Series of All Time, only second to The Sopranos.
During its nine-year run, many celebrities made guest appearances on Seinfeld. Popular actors who appeared on the show before becoming famous include Friends alum Courtney Cox, Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, Jenifer Coolidge from The White Lotus, and Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk. There was one Seinfeld guest star who was meant to become a part of the main cast, but her criticism of the script cost her the job!
Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Character Was Only Written Into Seinfeld Per NBC Executives’ Request
Even with the character of Claire in the pilot, NBC executives thought Seinfeld still needed a female lead. So they asked Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to create a new, strong female character for the show. Ultimately, they came up with Elaine Benes, who was loosely based on one of David’s ex-girlfriends.
Once they had the character of Elaine mapped out, Seinfiled’s creative auditioned a ton of up-and-coming comedic actresses for the role. Some of the most popular actresses that auditioned for this role include Rosie O’Donnell, Will & Grace’s Megan Mullally, and Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton. But, ultimately, Julia Louis-Dreyfus got the role
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Louis-Dreyfus fell in love with the script from the get-go, but she wasn’t sure if it was for her. “In two out of the four scripts, I had some kind of meaty stuff to do—in the other two, less so,” she told The New Yorker.
“And this was coming off of developing my own thing, so I thought, Gee, I don’t know. But I met with Larry and Jer at the old DesiLu studios, and we read a scene together. I remember Jerry was eating cereal, and he was very young and casual, in a way I thought was appealing.”
Although, at first, Louis-Dreyfus wasn’t sure if Seinfeld was the right move for her career, she signed on for the show that same weekend. “I had a feeling about ‘Seinfeld,’ like I had a feeling about ‘Mee-Ow,’” the actress admitted. “I’m sitting on top of a great treasure, and no one knows it.”
The Waitress In The Seinfeld Pilot Was Meant To Have A Bigger Role On The Show
In 1989, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David decided to create a show that featured a mix of Seinfeld’s stand-up comedy routines and scenes that focused on mundane aspects of his everyday life. They came up with a 23-minute pilot, titled The Seinfeld Chronicles, and the rest is history!
If you’re a die-hard fan of Seinfeld, you’ve probably noticed that one of the main characters doesn’t appear in the pilot. Instead of Elaine Banes, there’s Claire, a waitress that briefly chats with George and Jerry about their lives. As it turns out, this character was originally, meant to play a much bigger role in the series, but that didn’t work out.
"[W]hen we shot the pilot, I was the girl in 'Seinfeld.'" Lee Garligton, who played Claire, told The Huffington Post. "They didn't pick up my contract."
Some say that the reason why Garligton didn’t get to stay on Seinfeld after the pilot was due to creative differences with Larry David. Supposedly, the actress told the writer that she “could write something better than he had,” which he didn’t take kindly. In return, David responded by writing her off the show.
Losing the chance to have a bigger role on Seinfeld is still a sore spot for the actress. It’s so bad that she can’t watch the series. "I think I watched two episodes in 10 years just because I had friends on it or something," she revealed. "It didn't bother me the first five years. But the second five years drove me nuts. I don't know why."
What Happened To Lee Garlington After Appearing in Seinfeld?
It’s safe to say that Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ career changed for the best after playing Elaine on Seinfeld, but what happened to, Lee Garlington, the other actress that could have had a similar role on the show?
After Seinfeld, Garlington continued to act. To this day, she has over 230 roles under her belt! She had recurring roles in several popular television series, such as The West Wing, The Killing, Flashforward, Everwood, The Riches, The Bridge, Will & Grace, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Mistresses, and Roseanne.
"I haven't had to say, 'Would you like fries or Caesar salad with that?' since 1984," the actress jokingly told The HuffPost in 2017. Despite having worked in the industry for so many years, Garlington is aware that her career hasn't peaked, but she isn’t worried about it. “I plan to peak in my 70s."
