Larry David was the co-creator of the hit sitcom Seinfeld along with Jerry Seinfeld. He was also the shows lead writer and producer from 1989-1996. Starting as a standup comedian, Larry David switched to television in the early 80s. He started out writing for ABC’s Fridays and eventually did some work for Saturday Night Live.
image via Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com
In 1988 David and Seinfeld teamed up to create what would become one of the most successful shows in United States history. Occasionally he made cameo appearances in the show, but was always unaccredited. Overall he has appeared on more than fifteen episodes. He was also the major inspiration for the character, George Costanza.
As one of the major writers for the show, David was the lead writer on more than sixty episodes and eventually left after the seventh season. However, he would still do the voice of George Steinbrenner and came back to help write the Finale at the end of season nine. Anyway, the following are his top ten cameo appearances on Seinfeld.
[new page = 10. Doctor’s Assistant, The Junior Mint (4-20)]
As Jerry and Kramer watch a hospital operation from the observation deck, Larry David is simply a doctor in the background. He walks in from the right at the beginning of the above video and just stands behind the main doctor. It is a very simple appearance, but is priceless just because the episode is so funny.
[new page = 9. Man on Raft, The Pilot (4-23)]
When Elaine’s boyfriend sets off on a trip to rescue whales, he gets paired up with Larry David. Both working with the GreenPeace organization, Elaine’s boyfriend dies trying on the mission and David’s character makes a long speech saying that he will never forget the name Elaine Benes.
[new page = 8. Prisoner, The Finale Part 2 (9-22)]
For those who don’t know, the group ends up in prison in the finale. When Jerry decides to put on a stand-up comic routine in jail, one can eventually hear David’s voice threaten to cut Jerry because his jokes are so bad. Like most of his cameos this is just his voice, he isn’t actually on screen in this scene.
[new page = 7. Newsstand Owner, The Gum (7-10]
Classic to the Larry David mentality, this scene is so random that it is hilarious. David plays a street vendor who doesn’t accept money with lipstick on the president. Or is he just being wise to a man wearing a medieval royalty outfit. Either way it’s classic David.
[new page = 6. Man on Beach, The Marine Biologist (5-14)]
Larry David just seems to have perfect timing when it comes to his cameos. In this episode George is lying to a woman that he is in fact a marine biologist. When the two stumble across a beached whale, who but David would yell, “Is anyone here a marine biologist?”
[new page = 5. Man on Plane, The Airport (4-12)]
In this scene Larry David is another passenger on the plane who unintentionally took Elaine’s meal. It seems that a lot of his cameo appearances end up hurting characters of the main group. In this scenario he is torturing Elaine who doesn’t want the Kosher meal. ““I ordered it six weeks ago… I forgot.”
[new page = 4. The Car Thief, The Alternate Side (3-11)]
When Jerry’s car is stolen, instead of calling the police, he decides to call the car phone and speak with the thief. This is one of David’s longer cameo appearances. It is very funny how David is being a wise guy on the phone with the man who owns the car he just stole. However the best part of the scene comes when Kramer asks him to look for gloves in the car and David takes down his address.
[new page = 3. Crazy Scientist, The Heart Attack (2-25)]
Jerry is just watching TV and who but Larry David is on the screen as a crazy scientist. This is his third appearance on the show. The funniest part is that he decided to do a German accent for this scene. Just seems kind of random which is perfect for the show.
[new page = 2. Man with Cape, The Chinese Woman (6-4)]
This is such a subtle Larry David scene. He is the man in the cape. This is perfect from the way David is standing to the fact that he is wearing all black except white shoes. Seinfeld’s comment is hilarious. “It is good cape weather, cool, breezy.”
[new page = 1. George Steinbrenner]
In total David has made nine appearances as the voice of George Steinbrenner. Each and every time it is hilarious. My personal favorites are the communist scene when Steinbrenner wants to use George as an in with the Cubans and the scene with the Calzone. In general his Steinbrenner appearances epitomize the show because they are dumb, simple and hilarious.