1. Michael Anthony Richards was born on July 24,1949 and is an American actor and former stand-up comedian.
34 Facts About Michael Richards
1. 2.
Michael Richards achieved global recognition for starring as Cosmo Kramer on the NBC television sitcom Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998.
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Michael Richards began his career as a stand-up comedian, first entering the national spotlight when he was featured on Billy Crystal's first cable TV special, and went on to become a series regular on ABC's Fridays.
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In 2000, he starred in his own sitcom, The Michael Richards Show, which was canceled after only two months.
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In 2006, Michael Richards was filmed going on a racist tirade against hecklers while performing at the Laugh Factory in California.
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Michael Richards was born in Culver City, California, to a Catholic family.
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Michael Richards is the son of Phyllis, a medical records librarian.
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Michael Richards was raised by a grandmother who suffered from schizophrenia.
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Michael Richards was drafted into the United States Army in 1970.
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Michael Richards trained as a medic and was stationed in West Germany, where he was a member of a theatrical group called The Training Road Show.
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Michael Richards became interested in performing after taking a theatrical class in seventh grade.
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Michael Richards had a short-lived improv act with Ed Begley Jr.
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Michael Richards got his big TV break in 1979, appearing in Billy Crystal's first cable TV special.
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The film Man on the Moon featured a re-enactment of the Andy Kaufman incident where Michael Richards was portrayed by actor Norm Macdonald.
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In 1986, Michael Richards had a minor role in the cult satirical TV miniseries Fresno, playing one of a pair of inept criminal henchmen.
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In 1989, Michael Richards had a supporting role in "Weird Al" Yankovic's comedy film UHF as janitor Stanley Spadowski.
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In 1989, Michael Richards was cast as Cosmo Kramer in the NBC television series Seinfeld, created by fellow Fridays cast member Larry David and comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
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Michael Richards won more Emmys than any other Seinfeld cast member, taking home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1993,1994, and 1997 for his role as Kramer.
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When referring to speculation that he would launch a spin-off to Seinfeld about Kramer, Michael Richards said he was not interested in doing so.
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Michael Richards had a cameo role in the comedy thriller film So I Married an Axe Murderer, credited as "insensitive man".
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In 1996, Michael Richards made a cameo in Epcot's Ellen's Energy Adventure, where he portrayed a caveman discovering fire.
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Michael Richards played radio station employee Doug Beech in Airheads, and co-starred with Jeff Daniels as an actor pretending to be a lawyer in 1997's Trial and Error.
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Michael Richards made guest appearances on Miami Vice, Night Court and Cheers.
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In 2000, two years after the end of Seinfeld, Michael Richards began work on a new series for NBC, his first major project since Seinfelds finale.
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Critics said the show was too "Kramer-esque" and Michael Richards invoked the so-called "Seinfeld curse" as to why the show failed.
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Michael Richards stepped down from providing audio commentary after Season5, though he continued to provide interviews.
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Michael Richards later called civil rights leaders Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to apologize.
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Michael Richards appeared as a guest on Jackson's syndicated radio show.
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Michael Richards apologized on-camera just because the tape got out.
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One year after the incident, Michael Richards voiced character Bud Ditchwater in the animated film Bee Movie, which starred and was produced by Jerry Seinfeld.
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In 2013, Michael Richards was cast to play Frank in the sitcom Kirstie, costarring Kirstie Alley and Rhea Perlman.
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In 2014, Michael Richards appeared as the president of Crackle in a trailer for Season5 of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
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In June 2024 Michael Richards released a memoir entitled Entrances and Exits.
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Michael Richards revealed in his 2024 memoir Entrances and Exits that he survived stage 1 prostate cancer in 2018 via the surgical removal of his entire prostate.