S02E03 - The Jacket
No: 8 | Season: 2 Episode: 3 | Air Date: 6-Feb-1991 | Production #205
Summary
Jerry splurges on an expensive new suede jacket, but the colorful inner lining leaves something to be desired. When Elaine does Kramer a favor, Jerry and George get stuck alone with Elaine's intimidating, curmudgeonly father.
Director and Writers
Director: Tom Cherones
Writers: Larry David & Jerry Seinfeld
Quotes
George: (mocking Alton Benes) He's in the bathroom.
Jerry: How are we going to get out of it?
George: We'll say we're frightened and we have to go home.
Mr. Benes: Pipe down, chorus boy.
Notes and Trivia
In a deleted scene from the episode Jerry is trying to decide upon buying the jacket when he finally remarks to Elaine, "Well, in the immortal words of Gary Gilmore, 'Let's do it'". Gary Gilmore was a serial killer who apparently uttered these words just prior to being executed.
This episode has the only mention of Elaine's mother in the series.
This episode introduces the running gag of George trying to restrain Jerry by pulling on his sleeve which Jerry responds to by yanking his arm away.
On hearing George's obsessive singing of "Master of the House" from Les Miserables, Jerry tells him that composer Robert Schumann was driven mad by hearing a note, possibly A, over and over in his head. "Master of the House" is in the key of A (minor in the verses, major in the chorus).
Laurence Tierney, who played Elaine's father, was never brought back for another episode even though the writers had originally considered him as a recurring character. Apparently, he stole a knife from the set. Also the rest of the cast a crew were terrified of him.
The character of Alton Benes is based on novelist Richard Yates (author of 'Revolutionary Road (2008)'), whose daughter Monica once dated Larry David.
Goofs
As Jerry and George are walking out of the restaurant with Elaine and her father, George starts singing. Elaine's father tells George to quiet down. After this, George's glasses are gone that were present in the previous shot. Then, in the next shot, they reappear.
George pours himself a glass of water from a single serving bottle and he puts the empty bottle back in the fridge.
When Jerry and George are in the bathroom, George dries his hands with a paper towel, even though he never washed them. As they leave, George throws his paper towel into the trash can on the right. Jerry throws his paper towel into the trash can on the left, but misses. The paper towel lands on the floor.
In one shot when Jerry, George, Alton, and Elaine are leaving the lobby, George goes from wearing to not wearing his glasses.
Cast
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld |
Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Elaine Benes |
Michael Richards | Kramer |
Jason Alexander | George Costanza |
Lawrence Tierney | Alton Benes |
Frantz Turner | Salesman |
Suanne Spoke | Customer |
Harry Hart-Browne | Manager |
Norman Brenner | Man |