S04E23 - The Pilot (Part 1)
No: 63 | Season: 4 Episode: 23 | Air Date: 20-May-1993 | Production #423
Summary
Jerry and George begin casting for their pilot. However, George fears that God will not let him live to be successful. Russel is distracted from the pilot, as he has become obsessed with Elaine. Getting mugged on his way home to use the bathroom causes Kramer to "miss his chance"; meanwhile, the whole gang notices that all of the new waitresses at the coffee are particularly buxom.
Director and Writers
Director: Tom Cherones
Writers: Larry David
Quotes
'Crazy' Joe: Good luck on the pilot Jerry...(smiles)
Notes and Trivia
During the auditions, the lines are taken from the past episodes "The Pony Remark", "The Deal", "The Note" and "The Boyfriend: Part 1".
This two-part episode was nominated for the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing for a Series - Multi-Camera Production.
Larry Hankin, the actor who auditioned for Kramer on "Jerry", actually had auditioned for Kramer on "Seinfeld".
Mariska Hargitay is one of the actresses auditioning for the role of "Elaine" in 'The Pilot'. She also auditioned for the role of "Elaine" on "Seinfeld".
According to the director and set designer, this episode used 30 sets, as much as many Hollywood movies.
Jerry states that "sic semper tyrannis" means "death to tyrants" in Latin. It actually means "thus always to tyrants" and is the Virginia state motto. John Wilkes Booth did say this after shooting President Lincoln, and some witnesses claimed that he added, "The South is avenged."
The conversation when George goes up to Larry Hankin (the guy playing Kramer), telling him to say his lines differently, actually happened between Larry David and Michael Richards.
Originally broadcast as part of a 60 min episode.
Goofs
When Kramer leaves the auditions to find the bathroom down the hall, the "Law & Order" poster on the wall reads backwards. Presumably, the shot was reversed to be consistent with Stu Shermack's directions of "on the right at the very end."
Cast
Jerry Seinfeld | Jerry Seinfeld |
Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Elaine Benes |
Michael Richards | Kramer |
Jason Alexander | George Costanza |
Bob Balaban | Russell Dalrymple |
Anne Twomey | Rita |
Gina Hecht | Dana Foley |
Peter Crombie | Joe Davola |
Jeremy Piven | Michael Barth (George) |
Larry Hankin | Tom Pepper (Kramer) |
Kevin Page | Stu Chermack |
Mariska Hargitay | Melissa |
Laura Waterbury | Casting Director |
Elena Wohl | Sandi Robbins (Elaine) |
Bruce Jarchow | Doctor |
Al Ruscio | Manager |
Richard Gant | Fred |
Peter Blood | Jay Crespi |
Roger Rose | Mark |
Brian Bradley | Butler |
Samantha Dorman | Waitress |
Erick Avari | Cabbie |
Bob Shaw | Paul |
Stephen Burrows | David |
Deborah Swisher | 1st AD |
Jeff Oetjen | Wilton |
Pat Hazell | Pat Hazell |
Peggy Lane | Woman on 'Jerry' Set (scenes deleted) |
Tony Amendola | Rushdie |
Shirley Beck | Makeup Artist (uncredited) |
Norman Brenner | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Elza Camacho | Woman on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Jennifer Campbell | Tia |
Lanei Chapman | Housekeeper |
Larry Charles | Man on Raft #2 (uncredited) |
Tom Cherones | Director on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Kari Coleman | Allison |
Larry David | John F. Kennedy Jr. |
Elizabeth Dennehy | The Drakette (uncredited) |
Brian Doyle-Murray | Mel (uncredited) |
Bill Erwin | Sid |
Maggie Han | Cheryl (uncredited) |
Victor Wayne Harris | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Teri Hatcher | Sidra |
Jon Hayman | Donald |
Darin Henry | Man in 'Jerry' Audience (uncredited) |
Nicholas Hormann | Calvin |
Janet Kagan | Woman on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Dennis Kirkpatrick | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Wayne Knight | Newman |
Jane Leeves | Marla |
Warren Littlefield | Man in 'Jerry' Audience (uncredited) |
Rick Ludwin | Man in 'Jerry' Audience (uncredited) |
Carol Mansell | Mother |
Barney Martin | Morty |
Bill Masters | Man in Restaurant (uncredited) |
Peter Mehlman | Man in Restaurant (uncredited) |
Rick Overton | The Drake (uncredited) |
Glenn Padnick | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Pete G. Papanickolas | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Gavin Polone | Man in 'Jerry' Audience (uncredited) |
Pete San Filipo Sr. | Man on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Todd Schwartz | Man in 'Jerry' Audience (uncredited) |
Liz Sheridan | Helen |
Steve Skrovan | Man in Restaurant (uncredited) |
Heidi Swedberg | Susan Ross |
Mark Taormino | Man #2 on Jerry Set (Kramer Look-Alike) (uncredited) |
Karen Wilkie | Woman on 'Jerry' Set (uncredited) |
Ping Wu | Ping |
Jeffrey Yerkes | Man on Set |