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:

behind the scenes | producer | sitcom | television | fictional talk show | 

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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

Linda Doucett (Darlene Chapinni) was fired from the show after the third season. In real-life, she and Shandling were in a long-term relationship, but they broke up after the third season. Doucett sued Shandling and Producer Brad Grey for wrongful termination. The case was settled out of court and Doucett received one million dollars.

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Quotes

Wendy Traston: [doing a stand-up routine] So I'm licking jelly off of my boyfriend, right? And I'm thinking, ew, I'm turning into my mother.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Amy Adams/Timothy Olyphant/Brett Eldredge (2016)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Brilliant Writing

The Larry Sanders Show is one of the greatest television shows ever. The best description that I can come up with for TLSS is that it's a free-form pre-scripted reality show. The writing sparkles, the characterizations are wonderful, and the plotlines are engaging. TV Guide recently said that Seinfeld is the greatest tv show of all time; that might be true for a network program that you can skip for a few minutes while you yell at the kids or go make a sandwich, but TLSS requires your full attention.

Garry Shandling plays Larry Sanders in this mock-talk show. Larry is the neurotic straight-man surrounded by crazy characters and situations. Famous celebrities wander the offices, waiting in the green room or shagging in the prop room. Larry takes everything in stride, shooting off an acerbic remark for everything that doesn't go his way.

TLSS is shot on video for the talk show portions, the part that is "broadcast", while the behind-the-scenes reality parts are shot on film, giving you a line of demarcation for what's "real" and what's "the show".

Three actors make up the triumvirate of drama: Garry Shandling, Rip Torn, and Jeffrey Tambor. Torn is dead-perfect as the show's producer, Artie. With his weathered face, odd expressions, blustery voice, and bulldozer personality he barges into rooms like he owns the place. Torn's performances are brilliantly conceived.

Tambor plays Hank Kingsley, the insecure sidekick to Larry Sanders. With his subtle, simmering delivery and steel-eyed glare, no one but Tambor could play Hank. From show to show, you find yourself alternately loving and hating him. On one show, he guest-hosts TLSS and believes that it is a stepping-stone to his own program. He becomes a raving egomaniac and threatens to take over the show. On a consecutive night of hosting, however, he stumbles and falls on his face.

The writing crackles like lightning. When Artie tells Larry that he needs to throw anxious network honchos "a bone", Larry retorts "why don't you fake-throw and see if their heads move?" In another scene, Hank comes up to Larry and Artie, sits down, and begins to ask a question that Artie guesses even before it's out of Hank's mouth. "I'll bet you want to have your wedding on the show." When Hank says, "My God, how could you possibly know that?", Artie retorts "You should know by now that I can see...into...your...mind." I watched that scene five times.

The only flaw in TLSS is that in every episode there is a butt joke. Sure they're funny once in a great while, but if it comes to the point where you're anxiously waiting for it so you can get it out of the way, then something is wrong. I'm surprised that the writers would insert such childish, immature jokes into an otherwise brilliantly-written program.

Despite the show's above flaw, this series is a masterwork of humor and drama, a fly-on-the-wall view of the production of a talk show. This is television at its best.