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Behind the scenes of the last Seinfeld-episode

"The Last Table Reading." This is about as religious as it got on 'Seinfeld.' Before every new show the actors read the script aloud before production begins. During these sessions the writers note what material is working, and what needs to be changed. This is the beginning of the end of the last show.

As the announcer finishes introducing the cast, " . . . and playing the part of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, comedian Jerry Seinfeld!" Jerry waits backstage, tears in his eyes, to go on before a live audience for the last time.

Jerry Seinfeld studies his script on the darkened cafe set. He told Rolling Stone, "Today is the last day I go to work. Tomorrow is different. Tomorrow is going to the moon." Jerry so rarely was off by himself, that this was a unique opportunity. Photographers live for these moments.

This is a view of Kramer never seen as he prepares to make an entrance into Jerry's apartment.

Wayne Knight who played Newman. Although their relationship on the show was testy, Jerry and Wayne obviously related well off-camera.

Michael Richards "Kramer" works with dialogue coach Judy Kerr on the 'Seinfeld' set. Richards is one of the most interesting people I have ever photographed. I loved discreetly following him around with my camera as he prepared for a scene. He was in his own world, working on his lines and how Kramer would deliver them. Believe it or not, the real Richards is nothing like his Kramer character. That's acting.

Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus break up during filming on the courtroom set of the last episode. The longer the shooting continued into the night, the sillier things became. A crew member told me that Julia had a tendency when tired to laugh at the smallest thing. I found that to be true--and hysterically funny to observe!

Julia: "For the first time since the first episode, our parts were announced during the table read: "Michael Richards in the role of Kramer; Jason Alexander as George; Julia Louis- Dreyfus will be playing Elaine; and Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry." It was very poignant. As soon as I heard this, I was a goner."
Jerry: "A person trying not to cry should not make another person laugh. Julia's crying, and I'm laughing at her and that's just wrong."

Jerry: I was as interested in Michael off camera as on. He was a great storyteller, a wonderful comic, an all-around charmer. Whether it was a look, a roll of his eyes, or the way he stood, Michael was always doing something funny. What I'm going to miss most are those times when we cracked each other up in rehearsal."

Jason: "I'd always lob the ball to Jerry Stiller and Estelle Harris, because I knew they would smash it back. In this scene for instance, I was thrilled that NBC liked the show that I was going to cowrite with Jerry. We were moving to California! Estelle shattered that dream with, "Since when do you know how to write? I never saw you write anything." Look at my body language. It says, "I'm wide open. Go ahead - strike and kill." "I'd constantly throw myself in front of them like swine before wolves because I knew they'd always go for the jugular. They're two of thesweetest people in real life, but they were killers in terms of comedy."

Jerry: "Like a scene from The Twilight Zone, Michael cut through the fatigue and tension of a long shoot by pretending we were really in the air and exclaiming in mock terror, "How did these people get on the wing?"

Michael: "I always loved making Jerry laugh when we were working. It helped me settle in and to know I was part of the family."

Julia: "Before each show, the four of us always huddled backstage. Normally we held hands and shouted and shouted, "Circle of Power!" then growled like football palyers. It sent us onstage laughing. But this last huddle was an emotional killer. As soon as Jerry began to speak, he started to weep. Then I lost it. Actually we were all overcome with emotion."

Julia: "The legal pads in front of us were filled with doodles. As each hour passed, the doodles became more obscene, immature and hilariously funny. It was like being in school. We laughed when we weren't supposed to. There weren't any bigger fans of the show than the four of us. Like a lot of people at home, we loved seeing all these great characters from past shows enter the the courtroom for one last shot at us."

The "Soup Nazi" (Larry Thomas) prepares to enter the court. For true 'Seinfeld' fans seeing some of the quirkier characters reappear on the last episode was a real treat.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus "Elaine" gives her son rabbit ears between takes on the cafe set of 'Seinfeld'. Julia is a rare person who combines glamour with great comic ability. The chemistry between her and the other cast members is part of what made 'Seinfeld' sing.

Kramer & Kramer. The real Kramer (Ken) visits with Michael Richards on the set. Ken Kramer was a neighbor of Larry David's (the show's co-creator) in New York, and apparently exhibited many of the traits made famous by his acting counterpart.

Jason Alexander is one of those people who always has a mischievous glint in his eye. His view of the world is dry, and sometimes cynical. Jason told Rolling Stone, "There is no community service in 'Seinfeld.'" But in a way that's not true. You could make a case that making people laugh is a community service, and 'Seinfeld' has done that millions of times.

The last Seinfeld show ended with all of the cast in jail. It was amazing to me that they were able to keep this fact secret from the world before the episode aired. Everyone on the set of the show signed a confidentiality statement agreeing not to talk about what the show was about. Apparently it worked.

 Jerry: Do we look guilty?

Jerry: "It was important to the four of us that we be together for the final shot. Jail was a fine place for that."

JERRY ONSTAGE, DOING STAND-UP. THE PRISON POPULATION MAKES UP THE AUDIENCE. JERRY

So what is the deal with the yard? I mean when I was a kid, my mother wanted me to play in the yard, but of course she didn't have to worry about your next door neighbor, Tommy, sticking a shiv in my thigh.

SILENCE, EXCEPT FOR KRAMER, WHO IS LAUGHING.

JERRY (CONT'D)

And what's with the lock-down? Why do we have to be locked in our cells? Are we that bad that we have to be sent to prison in prison? You would think the weight lifting and sodomy is enough.

KRAMER BURSTS OUT IN LAUGHTER AGAIN.

AS THE GUARD ESCORTS JERRY OFF, THE CROWD BOOS.

JERRY (CONT'D)

See you in the cafeteria!

FADE OUT

END OF SHOW

Jerry and Julia laugh during the screening of a 'Seinfeld' gag reel during the wrap party. The party turned out to be more emotional than after the end of the show. At the wrap party, everyone was emotional. When asked by Chris Heath of Rolling Stone what he would have done with the money from one more season he said, "Given it away." Jerry didn't strike me as someone who was motivated by money, but rather by the joy of doing his craft. He was there for every take, whether he was in it or not. (Jerry was also executive producer of the show, a role he took seriously).

Jerry: "Seinfeld is something I learned to do because I was given the opportunity. Then the show spiraled off into this whole other entity that I knew I had to serve because it had its own desire to be something. The experience was just the most amazing rocket ride."

Jerry: "I never figured on anything like my own television series. I didn't need it. I was overjoyed to be writing funny things and performing them for audiences. I was more than happy being a comic. What could be better than giving people a moment of laughter? Think about it. Laughter is a flash of perfection that lasts only a second or two. But like a surfer in the curl of a wave, when you're in a good one there's nothing better."

Jerry: "I felt the first hit of emotion when I drove to the studio early that Monday morning. But the dam really broke for me at the table read - the last time the cast and crew would sit at the long table and read through a brand-new script. Our places never changed - Julia was beside me and Jason was next to Michael."

Jerry: "I always felt the responsibility to lead everyone - or at least try. I mean, I know it was my show and everything, but I never really wanted to be a boss of anything. Creating a show is a very symbiotic relationship. You create this thing, and then it starts creating you. Then it becomes like wrestling. You kind of roll around on the floor together. Sometimes it's on top, sometimes you're on top."

Jerry: "The show grew out of a friendship between me and Seinfeld co-creator Larry David (center). Our conversations were always funny explorations of the smallest, most arcane subjects, matters of such small importance they came to govern all of life. But that sensibility also defined how we made the show. The four of us did things in rehearsal that were so tiny you couldn't see them on camera. I always felt like the show should be shot from a helmet camera because what I saw was even more amazing than what was on screen."

Michael: "Kramer came naturally to me. But I really had to stay on top of this guy. Right up until the finale, I'd constantly ask myself, "Is he too big, too broad?" I never wanted to turn him into a cartoon. But I liked how Kramer would go into different characters. I liked how he schemed. I enjoyed when he'd do something to get the others out of trouble. He delighted in everything. He was truly absorbed in the play of his life, in the theatrics of living. Maybe Kramer knew deep down that we're all playing parts."

Jason: "George got unhealthier over the years. Even in his deepest core of angst and anger, I admired his ability to step back and see the humor of it all. That was his healthiest and most endearing attribute. He did things I'd never do. He yelled at people on the street. I lived vicariously through George, even though he didn't fare well. I think that was part of his appeal." When people reflected on their own lives in comparison to George's, they felt pretty good. No matter how bad life may have been for any given member of our audience, they could tune in and see it was much worse for this poor slob. In a sick way that was comforting."

Julia: "During the last week of shooting, I was struck by the fact that Elaine was one of the best female characters ever written for television, and I'm grateful for having been lucky enough to play her. Gender was never a deterrent to the comedy of Elaine. All of the characters found great strength in their weaknesses, Elaine included. There were no biases of any sort. She was as big a buffoon as the rest of them."