• Jennifer Aniston was casted for the part of Rachel three hours after her audition.

• When the pilot show was approved by the network, and a series commissioned, the entire cast was sent on a free trip to Las Vegas.

• In TOW Everyone Finds Out, Phoebe sees Monica and Chandler through the window, their lines were:

Chandler: Look, we have to talk. Your shirt is really bugging me.
Monica: Wow, that's so weird, 'cause your pants are really bugging me.
Chandler: Well, let's make each other happy and get rid of them.

• Joey's pin number is 5639 which spells out 'Joey' on the telephone.

• The characters of Ross's ex-wife Carol and her girlfriend Susan are based on the godmothers to Marta Kauffman's daughter.

• The one and only time they took the Central Perk set was taken down is during the filming of 'TO In Vegas.'

• Central Perk is based on the Manhattan Cafe in New Yorks West Village.

• Joey hurting his arm by falling of his bed in 'TOW The Jam' was not part of the storyboard, it was just thrown in because Matt dislocated his shoulder on the set.

• Courteney Cox originally read to play the part of Rachel.

• Other titles considered for the series included "Once upon a time in the West Village," "Insomnia Cafe," and "Across the Hall". The original title "Friends Like Us" was shortened to the current one-worder.

• It took Matt LeBlanc twelve times to open Phoebe's blouse correctly in 'TOW Everyone Finds Out.'

• The opening footage of the cast dancing around a fountain was filmed on the Warner Bros. lot in LA at five o'clock in the morning.

• The golden frame around the peephole on the door was originally a mirror which one of the crew accidentally smashed. But because it still looked good it was left there.

• Helen Baxendale who played Emily was pregnant while filming the part. This is why it was decided that Ross should get a divorce. In the show they only showed her from the shoulders up when she was in London telling Ross never to see Rachel again.

• When Ursula is on the show Lisa Kudrow's sister doubles for the shoulder shots.

• At the end of 'TOW Five Steaks And An Eggplant,' Joey was supposed to pick up the phone and say 'Bob here' but he tripped and fell. It was so funny that it was left like that. The same happened when Rachel's pillow dropped off the balcony in 'TOW George Stephanopoulos.'

• The 'Friends' set is the same set where the popular ABC show 'Full House' was filmed.

• The first line of dialogue on the show was spoken by Monica who said "There's nothing to tell."

• The whole cast huddles together before each episode to wish each other luck. This made frequent guest star Tom Selleck feel a bit left out.

• The cast apparently get along as well in real life as they do on screen. They play poker and Scrabble together, and the girls often shop with each other. The rumour that they had made a pact never to sleep together is untrue.

• Monica and Chandler's relationship was originally only going to last a couple of episodes, but when the writters saw how big of a hit they were, they decieded to keep them together. Yay!

• The day he auditioned for Friends, Matt LeBlanc had a big scab on his nose and forehead after falling down drunk on a bender the night before. He was also down to his last $11.

• When David Schwimmer first met Matt LeBlanc he was skeptical. Matt was wearing leather jeans, and Schwimmer thought he was "Joe Cool Stud" and hated him on sight.

• David Schwimmer accused the handlers of his on-screen pal Marcel the monkey of being "too possessive." He claims he was never allowed to bond with the creature.

• Marcel's trainer, Nerissa Pulitzer, said of her charge: "If Monkey was human, she'd be Meryl Streep."

• To direct Marcel he had to be yelled at which drove everyone crazy.

• The shot of Marcel dancing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is a loop.

• Matthew's father John Bennett Perry appeared in the 4th season episode "TOW Rachel's New Dress."

• The fridge at Monica's apartment actually works; the one at Joey's doesn't.

• Robin Williams and Billy Cristal's appearence wasn't prepared, they just happened to be in the building and joined them.

• The show's producers admit that the characters could never afford the rents on the apartments they live in on the show.

• Perry's wit is so legendary that the scriptwriter has often incorporated his gags into the show.

• According to Aniston, her famous "Rachel" hairdo was created by accident when her "friend" Chris cut her hair with a razor.

• Bruce Willis donated the money he made for his appearence.

• Matthew Perry dated Julia Roberts after her appearance on the show.

• A 30 second commercial during the break in the show in America costs advertisers around $500,000