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It’s almost mind-boggling to know just how many well-known actors today auditioned for roles in our favorite sitcoms from back in the day. It’s hard to picture anyone other than the actors who eventually landed the parts, but it’s really fascinating to see how things turned out for everyone.
For instance, Larry Hankin who people know fromFRIENDSauditioned for the role of Kramer onSeinfeldalongside Michael Richards. It’s intriguing to think about how different the show might have been with Hankin in that role. Hankin also once opened up about his reaction when he learned his character was being killed off ofFRIENDS.
FRIENDS‘ Mr. Heckles Was Eyeing Kramer onSeinfeldBefore Landing His Iconic Role!
Larry Hankin auditioned for the role of Kramer onSeinfeldalongside Michael Richards but ended up losing out. Instead, he found his niche onFRIENDSas Mr. Heckles, the cranky downstairs neighbor, and became an iconic character in just over five episodes.
When chatting with theBeyond the Backlotpodcast, Hankin reminisced about hisSeinfeldaudition. Turns out he and Richards were already friends who often competed for the same roles. Larry David even told him he looked more like the real-lifeKramerthan Richards did despite that, Richards was chosen for the role. Though Hankin was initially annoyed that his buddy snagged the part, he admittedhis friend was perfectfor the part.
However, funnily enough, Hankin later did make a guest appearance onSeinfeldas Tom Pepper, an actor auditioning to play Kramer on Jerry’s new show. This was indeed a full-circle moment!
Larry Hankin Had a Furious Reaction After Being Killed Off ofFRIENDS!
Mr. Heckles quickly became afan favoriteonFRIENDSdespite his relatively few appearances. By the time Larry Hankin got the call for his fifth episode, he was buzzing with excitement. In the TV businesses, mainly sitcoms, hitting the sixth appearance means one has graduated to recurring status, which usually comes with a nice pay bump.
However, while the call was sweet, it also brought bad news. In a chat withCrackedMagazine, Hankin shared the twist that came with the good news. He said,
I got a call from my agent saying, “I have good news and bad news. First, Friends called for your fifth appearance…” In that moment, I thought, “I have a house.” Then he said, “You have a heart attack and die.”Going into that shoot, I had a chip on my shoulder. I was going to let the producers know that I wasn’t happy. After we taped, I lost it. I went over to the producers and shouted, “What did you do!?!” Everybody just shut up.
There were like a hundred people there because it was the first episode of the season, which is always a big party. They were all understandably startled. A female producer quietly leaned in and said, “Larry, can we talk about this a little later?”
Despite his understandable disappointment, the role of Mr. Heckles had a significant impact on Larry Hankin’s career. With nearly 200 credits to his name, including a standout role inBreaking Bad, Hankin’s career has been anything but ordinary. He’s carved out a niche with a series of memorable small roles that have cemented his place in Hollywood.
Seinfeld can be rented on Apple TV and FRIENDS is available on Max to stream.
Sampurna Banerjee
Articles Published :1803
Sampurna Banerjee is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, and she’s written over 1,700 articles! She covers everything from celebrity news to the latest superhero buzz, streaming shows, and fan theories. If it’s trending in pop culture, Sampurna’s probably already on it.When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her rewatching The Office (again), getting into debates about Marvel’s timeline, or diving deep into Christopher Nolan movies for the hundredth time. She’s not just writing about entertainment, she’s living it.
