"Seinfeld" The Letter (1992)

Director:

Tom Cherones

Writers:

Larry David (co-creator) &
Jerry Seinfeld (co-creator) ...

TV Series:

"Seinfeld" (1990)

Original Air Date:

25 March 1992 (Season 3, Episode 21)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Jerry learns that his new artist friend, from whom George has been forced to buy a painting, plagiarized a letter to keep him from breaking up with her. Elaine refuses to remove her Baltimore Orioles cap during a New York Yankees game. |

Plot Keywords:

Eccentric | Neurotic | Stand Up Comedian | Sitcom | Friendship

Cast

Jerry Seinfeld	...	Jerry Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Elaine Benes
Michael Richards	...	Kramer
Jason Alexander	...	George Costanza
Richard Fancy	...	Mr. Lippman
Catherine Keener	...	Nina
Richard Venture	...	Leonard West
Elliott Reid	...	Mr. Armstrong
Justine Johnston	...	Mrs. Armstrong
Shashawnee Hall	...	Usher

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating)

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

The Elaine story was inspired by a real-life experience of Larry David's. David asked executive producer Howard West if he knew anyone who could get him tickets for a Yankees-Angels game at Anaheim Stadium. West knew the accountant of Angels owner Gene Autry and was able to get David tickets to seats in Autry's box behind the dugout. David, a New York native, wore a Yankees cap to game. An Angels executive came down to the box and asked David to remove the cap because it might offend Mr. Autry. David could be seen wearing the hat on the front page of the Los Angeles Times sports section the following day.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Mr. Lippman is telling Elaine the story of the woman who refused to take her Baltimore hat off at the Yankee game, he explains that his accountant, Lenny gave the tickets to his daughter. Lippman then says "her daughter gave the tickets to some friends," when he should have said *his* daughter gave the tickets to some friends.

Movie Connections:

References Chapter Two (1979)

"I don't get art"

Paintings, letters, baseball, Catherine Keener: that would be another classic Seinfeld episode, replete with silliness and the adorable double act of Michael Richards and Jason Alexander.

Keener, always a terrific supporting actress, plays Nina, Jerry's artist girlfriend, from whom George is forced to buy a painting. After learning she plagiarized a heartfelt letter in order to keep him from breaking up with her, Jerry goes ballistic, while Nina's portrait of Kramer becomes an instant success. As for Elaine, she gets in the usual amount of trouble when she refuses to remove her Orioles cap during a New York Yankees game (the girl's got principles, you know).

The writing is consistently excellent, and the character of Nina fits Keener's comedic strengths like a glove, although the best moments originate from other people's reactions to what she does, such as when Jerry finds out about the letter and argues with Elaine over its significance. Best of the lot? Jerry and George discussing the Kramer painting. Jerry: "She says she sees something in him.". George: "So do I, but I wouldn't wanna hang him on a wall!". Classy.