Larry David became a key figure in the TV industry after co-creating the successful sitcom, Seinfeld. He then went on to create Curb Your Enthusiasm, a mostly improvised comedy series where he portrays a fictionalized version of himself. The HBO hit show quickly became famous for its daring approach to comedy, and its eclectic mix of celebrity guest star appearances.
Larry’s work in the TV industry has gone on to inspire many beloved sitcoms and comedians alike. While his character in Curb Your Enthusiasm is an exaggerated version of himself, the real life Larry strikes some resemblances, namely his renowned anti-establishment approach to the ways of Hollywood. Here’s seven things you didn’t know about Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Larry David.
1. Larry David Originally Hated Being A Comedian
Like many comedy writers and actors in Hollywood, Larry started out as a standup comedian. This is a typical entry point for many creatives who endeavour to break into Hollywood, as there is much less red tape. Many of the biggest Hollywood stars started out this way, like Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, and Eddie Murphy, to name a few.
While this was Larry’s first foray into the comedy world, it wasn’t the launching pad that he hoped it would be. Larry would often stop his act minutes into his performance and storm off stage if he wasn’t getting the reaction that he desired. He would also argue with the crowd, and on many occasions would simply step on stage, look the crowd over, change his mind all together, and walk right back off. To this day, Larry dislikes appearing on talk-shows and typically only performs stand-up at fundraisers or the odd appearance on Saturday Night Live.
2. Larry David’s Work Struggled On Saturday Night Live
Before the massive success of Seinfeld, Larry worked as a writer on the comedy spectacular, Saturday Night Live. Larry worked on the show for a year and wrote hundreds of sketches, but only one sketch was ever aired. As a result of this, Larry famously quit the show in outrageous fashion, before returning the following week acting like nothing had happened. This served as inspiration to a popular episode of Seinfeld, and Larry has continued to incorporate real life encounters from his life into both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
3. Larry David Wrote & Directed A Movie You Never Heard Of
After Seinfeld ended in 1998, Larry set his sights on Hollywood and wrote and directed his first feature film, Sour Grapes. The story of two cousins torn apart by a winning lottery ticket was a much-anticipated movie due to Larry’s stature as the co-creator of a massively successful TV show. However, many were let down by the movie and it was majorly slated by critics. Renowned yet often ruthless critic, Roger Ebert, stated: “I can’t easily remember a film I’ve enjoyed less.” Sour Grapes marks Larry’s only directorial effort to date, and he even poked fun at himself in an early episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
4. Larry David Performed His Own Stage Play
During an extended hiatus from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry exercised his creativity in another fashion, writing and starring in his first Broadway show, Fish In The Dark. The play revolved around a family of 15, with Larry taking the lead role, and chronicled their lives after a death in the family. Fish In The Dark featured many familiar faces from Curb Your Enthusiasm and opened to mixed reviews.
5. 1 Larry David Show Bankrolls His Life
Seinfeld was a huge success that saw its key characters and writers gain massive superstardom. It reached number 1 in the ratings system twice and had the fifth most-watched series finale with over 76 million viewers. However, the success didn’t end there. Larry and Seinfeld co-creator Jerry Seinfeld each preserved 7.5% of the show’s backend equity points from the very start. Additionally, as the show grew in popularity, Larry and Jerry received a doubling of points to 15% each. They also signed a syndication deal, meaning they are paid for every re-run the show has across different networks.
6. Woody Allen Caused A Breakthrough For Larry David
Larry’s acting work outside of Curb Your Enthusiasm is rather sparse. He appeared in multiple small roles across Seinfeld’s run, but his work in movies is extremely minimal. He took a cameo role in the Farrelly Brothers’ rendition of The Three Stooges, and took on a small part in Woody Allen’s Radio Days in 1987. However, after some convincing from Woody Allen, Larry took his first starring role in a movie with 2009’s Whatever Works.
Allen originally wrote the movie in the 1970s but put it on hold as he couldn’t find the right person to portray the lead character. Allen eventually thought that Larry would be perfect for the role, and he agreed to star in the movie. The movie met mixed reviews, and while Larry’s role is impressive, he didn’t step too far away from the characteristics of his character in Curb Your Enthusiasm.
7. Larry David Made A Last Minute Decision Before 1 HBO Show
Larry is renowned for being a stubborn figure in the TV world. He has famously walked out of meetings and is known to detest studio notes. So, it’s no surprise that if he isn’t happy with something, he has no qualms about pulling the plug. In March 2022, The Larry David Story was set to air on HBO.
The two-part documentary was an unprecedented look into Larry’s life and career and had lovers of Curb Your Enthusiasm abuzz with anticipation. However, the day before its scheduled release, Larry pulled the plug and decided he wanted to scrap the TV element and do the show in front of a live studio audience. Larry David is set to return to the small screen with the twelfth and possibly final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.the Farrelly Brothers’
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