The Characters of Seinfeld

It was more than just a show about nothing. It was about four, thirty-something friends living in New York, wisecracking their way through life and at the same time causing havoc in their own lives and in the lives of other people, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. Their lack of social graces and disregard for conventional behaviour landed all of them in some awkward situations, often with hilarious and disastrous results. These nitwits entertained audiences all over America for nearly a decade, and their profiles are below.

Jerry Seinfeld (played by himself)

As a stand-up comedian who lived in New York City, he was the show's central character and every episode began with a shot of him delivering some of his material in a comedy club. His apartment in Manhattan was the centre of the Seinfeld universe, where his three unstable friends George, Elaine and Kramer would always congregate. Unlike his three cohorts, Jerry's career was successful and he never seemed to be in any dire financial straits. Possessing an unshakable sense of optimism, he was the most sensible character in the series. However, he often showed streaks of immaturity and saw the misery of his friends as nothing more than entertainment.

George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander)

Described by Elaine as a "short, stocky, slow-witted bald man," George was the most neurotic character of the four. Among his other personality traits, he was cheap, jealous, and dishonest and was unable to hold down a job for more than a few months at a time. Occasionally he showed flashes of responsibility, decency, even brilliance. However, most Seinfeld fans will remember him for his obsession with sex, which leads him to be fired from a publishing job. He was also engaged to NBC executive Susan Ross, whose death was inadvertently caused by George when he bought cheap envelopes with toxic glue to be used for their wedding invitations.

Elaine Benes (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus)

She was Jerry's ex-girlfriend and the only regular female character. Diminutive but by no means shy, she had strong opinions about several political/social issues, notably abortion and animal rights. She held a number of different jobs, mostly as a writer and editor. Fans of the series will probably remember her for yelling "get out!" while simultaneously pushing somebody when hearing a piece of incredible and/or unbelievable news. Despite being physically attractive and witty, she was a horrible dancer and her lack of co-ordination was painful to watch.

Cosmo Kramer (played by Michael Richards)

Jerry's weird next-door neighbour, whose signature action was to burst through Jerry's front door without knocking, was well known for making random and nonsensical noises to indicate shock, surprise, agreement or annoyance. He was always taking food and drinks from Jerry's kitchen, and never had a steady job. And yet somehow, this lanky "hipster doofus" always had money when he needed it. Some of his most harebrained schemes included opening a pizza outlet where customers could make their own pie, making a beach-scented cologne, and developing a brassiere for men called "the bro." Throughout the series, several women were attracted to Kramer, but the relationships invariably came to an embarrassing end.

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