Summary

• Jerry Stiller wasn't the original Frank Costanza, but his eccentric take on the character made him a fan favorite on Seinfeld.
• Stiller's portrayal of Frank brought over-the-top emotion and energy that was missing in John Randolph's more reserved version.
• Recasting Frank with Stiller was the right call, as he received critical acclaim and awards for his performance on Seinfeld.

While Jerry Stiller made Frank Costanza one of TV’s most iconic characters, he was actually the second actor to play the role after Seinfeld recast George’s father following season 4. Seinfeld was a series known for its memorable and zany ing characters, but Frank Costanza stood out as one of the show's best. Frank is also one of comedian Jerry Stiller’s best-ed roles, kickstarting a new phase in the career of the legendary comedian. However, it was John Randolph who originated the character in Seinfeld season 4.

Frank Costanza made his first appearance in Seinfeld’s season 4 episode “The Handicap Spot,” where George wraps his parents into the drama by borrowing his father's car. In this episode, Frank was played by actor John Randolph, who was best known for his Broadway career and role as Clark Griswold’s father in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Frank didn’t reappear until Seinfeld season 5, episode 2, “The Puffy Shirt,” having been officially recast with Jerry Stiller. After Stiller’s casting, Frank Costanza became a much more popular and involved Seinfeld character, with his performance being starkly different from that of Randolph.

Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix.

Randolph Was Too Gentle To Play Frank Costanza

The Cast And Crew Praised Randolph Regardless Of The Recast

Similar to Jerry’s dad being recast after season 1 of Seinfeld, the show decided to keep George's mother as the same actor (Estelle Harris) but recast the father after his first appearance. Frank was originally written as ive, taking a backseat to George’s mother Estelle, who had a more dominant, loud, and aggressive presence. The bizarre sensibility that Stiller brought to the character was completely absent in John Randolph’s version of Frank, who played the character with far more reserve.

After Randolph’s one-episode stint, Seinfeld producers decided they wanted to develop Frank into a far more "Seinfeldian" persona. Series co-creator Larry David mentioned on Seinfeld’s DVD extras that he couldn’t whether the recasting began because Randolph wasn’t available to return or not, but they quickly decided that they wanted to go in a new direction with Frank’s actor.

While Seinfeld’s cast and producers had nothing but lovely words to say about Randolph, it was clear that he wasn’t the best actor to portray Frank Costanza. George Costanza actor Jason Alexander itted that Randolph looked too “WASPy” and was a bit older and gentler with soft energy — so not only did he not physically resemble Alexander, “he didn’t look like a Costanza.”

Jerry Stiller Brought His Own Take On The Character

Stiller Was Initially Reluctant To Take Over The Role

When deciding to bring Frank back for Seinfeld season 5, the casting director recruited Jerry Stiller, who truly captured the spirit of the character that they imagined. Although Randolph’s Frank could be slightly angry and crass, the intrigue of the character paled in comparison to Stiller’s, which was fueled by over-the-top emotion, a combative personality, and just as much ridiculous energy as the rest of the cast.

Jerry Stiller would quickly turn Frank Costanza into the eccentric grouch that viewers , but upon finding out that he would be replacing John Randolph, the comedian initially had mixed feelings about taking the role. Stiller quickly gave in and ed the Seinfeld cast with part of the personality change upon Frank’s Seinfeld recast being due to Stiller’s own read of the character.

Stiller was initially asked to wear a bald cap and contrast Estelle as a meeker persona, but the actor decided on his fourth day to start screaming back at George’s mother in their scenes together, believing this was a much more compelling dynamic. Seinfeld showrunner Larry David loved his performance — and, thus, the iconic Frank Costanza that audiences know today was born.

John Randolph's Frank Costanza Is Only On Seinfeld DVDs

Larry David Sought Consistency For Reruns Of Seinfeld

After recasting Frank Costanza with Jerry Stiller, David convinced NBC to let them reshoot the scenes with Frank from season 4’s “The Handicap Spot,” allowing for better continuity with just one actor playing George’s father. NBC agreed to Larry David's Seinfeld reshooting request, so the syndicated airing of Seinfeld’s episode would feature Stiller in the episode rather than Randolph, with the reshot version also being the only one available on Netflix.

John Randolph’s portrayal of Frank Costanza is still available on Seinfeld’s DVDs and a few streaming services, but most viewers who didn’t watch the season 4 episode’s original broadcast have only seen Jerry Stiller play the iconic character.

Jerry Stiller's Awards Prove Recasting Frank Was The Right Call

Frank Costanza Became A Highlight Of The Show Thanks To Stiller

Ultimately, recasting Frank Costanza with Jerry Stiller was the right call for Seinfeld, and the character actor went on to receive accolades and nominations for his performance. Throughout his stint on the series, the actor received the nod for numerous awards, such as an Emmy in 1997 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Notably, Stiller also won an American Comedy award for Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series in 1998.

Frank appeared in 29 Seinfeld and is considered one of the most frequent recurring characters on the show. Opting for Jerry Stiller's alternative Frank Costanza was a wise call by Seinfeld creators, and the fact that the studio was willing to put their money behind reshoots – and that it actually paid off – shows that they were right to put the character first. The legendary status of Stiller's iteration is proof in and of itself, but the awards and critical acclaim provided the icing on the cake.