No one is better at playing Larry David than Larry David, so why didn’t Larry David play his stand-in George Costanza on NBC’s “Seinfeld”? The answer, to David, is obvious: “I suppose on paper I’m a real actor, but not in my head,” he told the New York Post. In fact, he said that he was initially inspired to become a comedian because he was such a “bad actor” that it felt like the only viable path for him.
While working the comedy scene in New York City, David became close friends with Jerry Seinfeld, and the two began developing a sitcom based on their own lives. In a “Pioneers of Television” interview, Seinfeld credited David with shaping what the show should and shouldn’t do. “He really helped structure the whole thing,” said Seinfeld. “And then when we got to the dialogue of the scenes, he and I would just talk, and we would write it down.”
While Jerry went on to play a version of himself on the series, David stayed behind the scenes. Seinfeld said they never seriously discussed David acting on the show because “at the time, he wasn’t really interested in acting.” That might have been for the best, considering how difficult it was for Seinfeld to serve as the lead actor and a co-showrunner. “Running a show is a big job,” he said. “If we were both on stage all day, it would have been impossible.” Instead, the two split up responsibilities, with David taking control of the writing staff and production team as the brains of the operation while Jerry served as the series’ smiling face.
Larry David might still think he’s a bad actor but it hasn’t stopped him
While Larry David handed the role of George Costanza to Jason Alexander, he still made several appearances on the show, most notably as the voice of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The series came to an end in 1998 with a divisive finale, but something inside of David still needed a vehicle for his grievances. In 1999, he filmed a one-hour special titled “Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which later served as the pilot for the series that cemented his curmudgeonly persona.
After 12 seasons on HBO, David might still not think highly of his own acting abilities, but it never stopped him from using “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to do some truly hilarious things. And in a full-circle moment, the series finale in 2024 even offered a form of redemption for the divisive “Seinfeld” ending. Which just goes to show that sometimes when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.