‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ Star Ray Romano Says Co-Star Peter Boyle Is the Reason the Show Has Survived

Ray Romano looks back on his days as a sitcom star.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Romano shared that he wasn’t sure the hit sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond” would be successful and was nervous throughout its first season.

He credits co-star Peter Boyle, who plays his grumpy father Frank Barone on the show, with helping the show become what it is. In his view, Boyle explained that “one of the main reasons it worked” was because he helped Romano “feel accepted and comfortable.”

“He wasn’t supposed to read. We were just supposed to have a meeting with him,” Romano told the outlet. “But he offered to read. And in his defense, it was a tough day for him. We couldn’t really judge whether he was going to get the humor of it or not, and we were like, ‘It’s Peter Boyle, let’s go with the best actor in the room.’”

Ray Romano (right) credits Peter Boyle with the success of “Everybody Loves Raymond.” (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)

RAY ROMANO SUFFERED CHEST PAIN AND ANXIETY AT LAUNCH OF DIRECTOR

The comedian went on to say that they “rolled the dice” when hiring Boyle, because while they knew he was a great actor, he had mostly done dramatic roles before starring in “Everybody Loves Raymond.” However, he said their gamble “paid off because he’s so funny.”

According to Romano, in addition to being “the best actor in the room,” Boyle was also the most interesting man in the room, sharing that he “was a monk who took a vow of silence for two years” and lived in a monastery during “pre-Hollywood times.”

“His wife was a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine. She interviewed him and that’s how they met,” the 66-year-old explained. “She was friends with Yoko Ono. They started hanging out. And when they got married, John Lennon was best man at Peter’s wedding. So he was just a fascinating guy and completely different from the character he plays on my show.”

Romano and Boyle starred together on the sitcom, which ran for 210 episodes over nine seasons, from 1996 to 2005. Both actors, along with other cast members on the show, including Brad Garret, Patricia Heaton and Doris Roberts, received Emmy Award nominations for their performances.

All of the show’s main cast members have won or been nominated for Emmy Awards. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Boyle died in December 2006 from myeloma at the age of 71, and Romano made sure to continue to honor his mentor in every way possible, including organizing charity events Boyle’s wife Lorraine started to raise money for the International Myeloma Foundation.

Overall, Romano considers himself “lucky” to have found so many talented actors to star in his first sitcom.

“Listen, when you’re creating a sitcom, you have to get lucky. And we got lucky that we found Peter, we got lucky that we found Doris Roberts, and even Brad Garrett. You know, we didn’t write that role. Brad brought it.” This character didn’t exist in our minds when we created the show. So we got lucky there. All of those things had to align for the show to work.

Garrett plays Romano’s older brother on the show, Robert, a police officer who moves back in with his parents after their divorce and is a constant rival for Romano’s character Raymond. Roberts plays his overbearing mother, who lives across the street and takes every opportunity to criticize Raymond’s wife, Debra, played by Heaton.

Ray Romano was filled with doubt throughout the show. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)

While reruns continue to bring joy to audiences across America, Romano can’t enjoy it the same way his fans do.

“Honestly, I was always skeptical. I didn’t know if I was going to be good, and I knew I wasn’t going to be in the first season,” he explained. “I can look back and see myself stiffening up. We were trying to get the tone right. So it was a little bumpy at first.”