Who is George Costanza?
George Costanza is one of television's most enduring comic creations — a short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man from Queens whose spectacular failures at life became the backbone of Seinfeld's humour for nine seasons. Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and brought to life by Jason Alexander, George is loosely based on Larry David himself, and many of George's most outrageous storylines were drawn directly from David's own life experiences.
George works a series of disastrous jobs throughout the series — most notably as a real estate agent, an employee of Pendant Publishing, and then in his most sustained role as assistant to the travelling secretary of the New York Yankees under the legendarily oblivious George Steinbrenner. He is defined by his laziness, his dishonesty, his hypochondria, and his remarkable ability to sabotage his own happiness at every possible turn.
George and His Parents
No relationship defines George more than the one with his parents, Frank and Estelle Costanza. His mother Estelle is neurotic, shrieking, and perpetually disappointed in him. His father Frank is explosive, proud, and given to bizarre enthusiasms — most memorably the invention of Festivus, the secular holiday for the rest of us, complete with an Aluminium Pole and the Airing of Grievances.
George grew up in the Costanza home in Queens and still lives with his parents on and off throughout the series, a source of constant shame. His relationship with his parents is the root of most of his psychological dysfunction, a fact George himself acknowledges freely while doing absolutely nothing to address it.
George's Philosophy
George lives by a few core principles: the world is against him, attractive women are out of his league but he must pursue them anyway, and every shortcut is worth taking. His most famous philosophical experiment is his "doing the opposite" period in Season 5, during which he decides that every instinct he has is wrong and begins doing the exact opposite — with immediate and remarkable results including landing a job with the Yankees and dating a beautiful woman.
His other great insight — that he could succeed if he pretended to be an architect from a different part of the city — reflects his belief that his true self is fundamentally unmarketable. George Costanza may be television's most honest portrait of male insecurity ever committed to film.
Legacy
George Costanza ranks consistently among the greatest sitcom characters in television history. Jason Alexander's performance — physical, neurotic, occasionally touching — earned him seven Emmy nominations. The character's catchphrases, storylines, and worldview have become part of popular culture. "Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?" is as recognisable today as it was when it first aired.
Quick Stats
Famous Catchphrases
"Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?"
The Red Dot (S3)
"I was in the pool!"
The Hamptons (S5)
"It's not a lie if you believe it."
The Beard (S6)
"I'm disturbed, I'm depressed, I'm inadequate — I've got it all."
The Pilot (S4)
"My name is George. I'm unemployed and I live with my parents."
The Opposite (S5)
"You know I always wanted to pretend I was an architect."
Multiple episodes
Did You Know?
1
George Costanza is based almost entirely on Seinfeld co-creator Larry David. Many of George's most outrageous storylines actually happened to David in real life.
2
Jason Alexander based George's physical mannerisms partly on Woody Allen and partly on Larry David himself, whom he studied obsessively before filming.
3
George's famous 'doing the opposite' episode was inspired by Larry David's own realisation that his instincts were routinely wrong.
4
The name 'Seven' that George wants for his future child in Season 7 is a real name that Larry David considered for his own daughter.
5
George is one of the few Seinfeld characters whose full name is given early in the series — his middle name is Louis, after his uncle.
6
In the original pilot, George was called 'Bennett' before the name was changed to George Costanza.
7
Jason Alexander won seven Emmy nominations for the role, though he never won the award — something he has said bothers him to this day.
8
George's apartment is almost never seen in the series. He almost always appears at Jerry's, the diner, or his parents' house.
Best Episodes
Quotes across all seasons
Season 1
"Eggs: out, coffee: out, french fries: out, BLT: out! I go to visit my grandparents — three big brisket sandwiches — I'm sitting here with a carrot!"
"I love the mirror in that bathroom. I don't know what in the hell it is — I look terrific in that mirror. I feel like Robert Wagner."
Season 2
"I walked into his office and told him to go to hell. There was a moment of silence and then — he said to go to hell right back."
"I've been waiting three years for the perfect moment. The perfect zinger. And when the moment finally comes — I freeze."
Season 3
"We're taking a limo. We're taking a limo that belongs to someone we don't know, to go somewhere we don't know. This is what I've been saying, Jerry — this is exactly what I've been saying."
"Three times! She said it three times! What is that? What does it mean after the first one? Are we so religious that we have to bless every single sneeze?"
Season 4
"Russell Dalrymple's daughter. I looked at his fifteen-year-old daughter's cleavage. I'm going to prison."
"I once saw a man get stabbed at the opera. It was during the stabbing scene. At first no one realized."
Season 5
"He's the first cool guy I've ever been friends with in my whole life. He's not afraid of anybody. You should hear the way he talks to waitresses — he gets free pie!"
"I don't know if I got the job. He said 'we'll see you Monday' but he could have meant 'we'll see you Monday' as in see you around, or as in come to work Monday."
Season 6
"Look at that. They got lobster on the menu. Who would order a lobster here. I mean, do they bring a lobster in everyday hoping *todays* the day."
"If I caused the injury to Bette Midler and the understudy is great, am I responsible for a star being born?"
Season 7
"I've been thinking about this. Why do I always feel like I'm at the end of my rope? I have no job. No relationship. No prospects. I'm actually living with my parents."
"Worlds are colliding! You have no idea the magnitude of this thing. If relationship George walks through that door, he's dead."
Season 8
"I drove to Akron. For a comeback. I drove to Ohio to deliver a comeback to someone who probably doesn't even remember the original comment."
"She thinks I'm a bad boy. A dangerous rebel. All because I bootlegged a movie. This is the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Season 9
"Oh yes, by no means, the mood. Let me know if there's anything I can do to lend support to the mood. [Takes of his shoes and smells the candle.]"
"Well, at the Yankees it was all about smoothing things over, you know, chiseling away, grinding down. In fact we used to call it 'the grind'."
Other characters
