The Larry Sanders Show 

A comedic behind the scenes look at a late night talk show.

Creators:

Dennis Klein, Garry Shandling

Stars:

Garry Shandling, Jeffrey Tambor, Wallace Langham

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 46 wins & 135 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Garry Shandling	...	Larry Sanders 89 episodes, 1992-1998
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Hank Kingsley 89 episodes, 1992-1998
Wallace Langham	...	Phil 89 episodes, 1992-1998
Rip Torn	...	Arthur 89 episodes, 1992-1998
Penny Johnson Jerald	...	Beverly Barnes 82 episodes, 1992-1998
Janeane Garofalo	...	Paula 52 episodes, 1992-1997
Linda Doucett	...	Darlene Chapinni 45 episodes, 1992-1998

Storyline

HBO television sitcom about Larry Sanders, a talk-show host. This show goes 'behind-the-scenes' to reveal Larry's humorous interactions with the producers and guests.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as series title | four word series title | behind the scenes | producer | sitcom | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

El show de Larry Sanders

Filming Locations:

CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Television, Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (89 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shandling based the show on his experience as the Monday night guest host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) from 1986 to 1987. Shandling was offered numerous deals to host his own late-night talk show, but turned them all down.

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Quotes

Arthur: You'll have to forgive Hank. His heart's in the right place but he keeps his brain in a box at home.

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Connections

Referenced in Two Girls and a Guy (1997)

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Soundtracks

Love Guarantee
Written by Diana Williamson and Frank Fitzpatrick
Performed by Diana Williamson

User Reviews

Very funny show about late night talk shows behind the scenes

This was a smart,funny and very cynical show that showed Hollywood behind and in front of the cameras. This show may have been about Larry, but some of its funniest moments were all about Hank. Hank Kingsley was one of the most hysterically funny characters in TV history. Hank had such an underlying sense of poignancy and humanity that you had to feel bad for him. One of my favorite scenes from the series is when Artie put Hank into a headlock to keep him from speaking at Larry's roast. Hank actually sat back down at the roast after the headlock as if nothing had happened - imagine the low self worth the man must have had to not just storm out of the banquet hall. Another funny episode is where Hank insists on having Phil write up a script for "Hank's Hot Potato," a backwards, confusing game of Hot Potato. After Phil writes something that includes the audience shouting out a profanity at Hank, all Hank can do is comment on the fact that the audience wasn't supposed to have a line. My favorite episode has to be the one with "Hank's Look Around Restaurant". The tables moved around so you have a different view every few minutes. Everyone knew it was a bad idea, but Hank wanted it so badly. When Larry is eating there, the tables creak and wobble and the glasses tip over...it kills me every time. To quote Artie, "That's great television, my friend." And of course, Rip Torn was superb as Artie, the producer whose years of experience in Tinseltown had made him bitter, over-aggressive, disenchanted to the point of being total sullen, and perhaps more realistic than anyone else in that environment.

Also, as an aside, if you buy the entire series don't let season one throw you. The characters struggle trying to find themselves, and Larry is even married during that first season, still I'd highly recommend the entire series as quite hilarious.