Random Dramatic Stories From Behind The Scenes Of 'Seinfeld' (14 items)

(#7) The Original Leading Female Role Might Have Been Cut After The Actress Gave Too Much Input

In the pilot of Seinfeld, the main female role was a character named Claire, the waitress at the diner where George and Jerry frequently ate. Claire, played by Lee Garlington, was supposed to be "the girl" on the show but, according to some, she gave Larry David too many suggestions, and he didn't like her contributions. Supposedly, Garlington told David that she "could write something better than he had," which infuriated him. So Garlington's contract wasn't renewed, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus was brought in.
Another version of the story behind why Garlington only appeared in one episode involves the network wanting a stronger female presence, one that Louis-Dreyfus brought to the table.
(#4) Kramer's Popularity Became An Issue On The Set

Michael Richards's portrayal of Kramer was one that audiences loved. When Kramer would appear on set during tapings of Seinfeld episodes, the live audience would cheer and cheer and cheer. This got to be problematic and annoying for the other stars of the show, and Richards himself, as the applause was lengthy enough to mess with the rhythms of their performances and took up precious time in episodes.

As a result, the show's producers asked the audience to "refrain from clapping when Kramer entered a scene."
(#2) The Actor Who Played Elaine's Dad Scared The Other Actors

Actor Lawrence Tierney played Elaine's father, Alton, on the show. His role was one that could've had much more longevity, had it not been for his strange antics on set. Seinfeld said Tierney carried a butcher knife on him while on set and generally was kind of bizarre.
The knife in his pants was actually stolen, and when he was confronted about it, he allegedly starting fake stabbing Seinfeld. "Lawrence Tierney scared the living crap out of all of us," Alexander said in an interview. While everyone parted on good terms, he was not invited back to the show.
(#13) Few Were Happy With Their Air Time

Jason Alexander was known to be vocal about not getting scenes and jokes he thought he deserved. Aside from almost quitting at a table read, he worried that with the introduction of Elaine as a main character, George wouldn't be as important to the show.
At the same time, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was worrying about the same thing. She complained her male counterparts were getting better storylines and jokes.
(#9) Jason Alexander Threatened To Quit The Show After A Table Read

During Season 3, there was an episode in which Jason Alexander (George Costanza) had no role. After the table read where the cast went through the script, Alexander allegedly told Larry David, the co-creator of the show, "If you write me out again, do it permanently."
After David tried to talk to Alexander about the difficulties in giving everyone equal time each week, Alexander replied, "Don’t tell me your problems. If you don’t need me here, I don’t want to be here.”
(#10) The 'Soup Nazi' Hated The Show And Banned The Cast From His Store

One of the most notable characters on Seinfeld was the so-called "Soup Nazi." Based on real-life chef Al Yeganeh, the name of the Soup Nazi on the show is Yev Kassem, played by Larry Thomas. The Soup Nazi appeared in Season 7, but it didn't go over well with Yeganeh. In response to his depiction on the small screen, Yeganeh banned Jerry Seinfeld and the cast from his eatery. Yeganeh actually kicked Seinfeld out of his food stall himself after seeing the episode.
After his food stall closed and he sold the rights to his business in 2004, Yeganeh opened another shop in 2010 at another location, but didn't invite any of the cast to the event. His soups could also be purchased through the Original SoupMan company, although the company filed for bankruptcy in 2017.