“Everybody Loves Raymond” was a sitcom on the CBS network that ran for nine seasons and a total of two hundred and ten episodes. To this day, it is fondly remembered for the unique family dynamic, the hilarious writing, and the fact that some people might not want to live right next to their parents.
Behind-The-Scenes Secrets of “Everybody Loves Raymond” | Getty Images Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc & Alamy Stock Photo by Everett Collection Inc/CBS & Photo by Francis Specker & Photo by WENN Rights Ltd
Behind-The-Scenes Secrets of “Everybody Loves Raymond”/Getty Images Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc & Alamy Stock Photo by Everett Collection Inc/CBS & Photo by Francis Specker & Photo by WENN Rights Ltd
Have you ever wanted to know more about this show? Well, good news, we have plenty of fun facts and trivia that might surprise you even if you have the box sets. From the actors to the stories, to the production, you’re sure to learn plenty.
Real-Life Inspiration
Any good show uses details from real life, and ELR was no exception. Each episode has a little bit of true life inside it, with a lot of the stories or details coming from things that have happened to the crew, the staff, or even the actors. For example, Monica Horan played Amy – Ray’s brother Robert’s girlfriend and eventual wife.
Real-Life Inspiration | Alamy Stock Photo by Cinematic Collection
Real-Life Inspiration/Alamy Stock Photo by Cinematic Collection
Horan is the real wife of Philip Rosenthal, the show’s creator, and the arguments Amy and Robert had were real ones that Monica and Philip had in their actual marriage. That might have helped to give the scenes some better emotional weight.
While a good deal of the show is based on real life, many things had to be left out or changed. Ray used his first name, his arguments, and many real life stories, but as his family joined the show, some things had to change. Ray had twins in the show – just like in real life, and their names were meant to be Matthew and Gregory – just like in real life.
Brad Garrett plays Raymond’s huge brother Robert, a policeman that still lives with his parents across the street from Raymond. Brad Garret has been open about his problems with alcohol during his early time on the show, describing himself as a “high-functioning alcoholic.” He says it became a defense mechanism for things that were out of control in his life.
“Everybody Loves Raymond” was the first big project that Ray Romano had in the entertainment business, and amazingly, there were plenty of doubts about his ability to hold up the show. Brad Garrett was one of the people that did not have much faith.
The Paycheck Issue
Obviously, Ray Romano was the main actor, but the rest of the family was just as important. However, there was still an incredible wage gap that nearly stopped the show short once it was discovered. Romano was making almost two million dollars an episode towards the end of the series. Everyone else was only making about $160,000 per episode. No small paycheck, but less than a tenth of Romano’s earnings. Garrett staged a cast walkout in 2003, which lasted two weeks until more money came through with the help of syndication rights. The others collected about $20 million extra each.
Is That Really the Name?
The name of this show is now recognizable around the world, but originally it was going to be something different. What was that something different? We do not know! “Everybody Loves Raymond” was the show’s placeholder title for the pilot episode – from a snarky remark that Romano’s real cop brother made once – but the name stuck.
