---
name: "Michael Richards"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-richards"
fi1m_id: "michael-richards"
imdb_id: "nm0724245"
tmdb_id: 50807
wikidata_id: "Q314945"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "24 July 1949"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 59
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T05:13:06.850965+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael Richards

## Identity

Michael Richards

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-richards
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-richards
- **IMDb ID:** nm0724245
- **TMDB ID:** 50807
- **Wikidata ID:** Q314945
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314945, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724245/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/50807

Actor. Born 24 July 1949 in Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 24 July 1949, Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA
- **Active:** 1989–2007
- **Also known as:** مایکل ریچاردز, Michael Anthony Richards
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 3 Emmys (3 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 59, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 90 (1), 1990s 32 (1), 2000s 55 (1)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Adventure 1, Animation 1, Family 1
- **Screen time:** 3 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $360m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q314945, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724245/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/50807

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Seinfeld*](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md) (90)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Michael Richards

> Michael Richards gives absurd behaviour the physical confidence of someone doing the sensible thing. His Kramer is a superb comic performance, and *Seinfeld* gives that headlong energy the company and structure it needs.

Watch Michael Richards come through a doorway in *Seinfeld* (1989), and the entrance itself becomes a joke. As Cosmo Kramer, he commits to slides and pratfalls with no apparent doubt that this is how a person should move. We laughed at those entrances because Richards gives the commotion such complete assurance; Kramer never seems to be asking permission to be ridiculous. It is a superb supporting performance, though it depends on the other actors having enough character of their own to resist being reduced to spectators.

The route to Kramer included *Fridays* (1980–1982), where Richards was a regular and Larry David a writer and co-star. In *UHF* (1989), his Stanley Spadowski provided another outlet for physical comedy. His habits include stammers, vocal sound effects and improvised noises, as well as the more conspicuous falls. The attention extends to wardrobe and props, which he has sourced and designed himself.

Jerry Seinfeld's narrower performance gives Richards room to be stranger, although Seinfeld sometimes seems more amused by a scene than involved in it. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, playing Elaine Benes, can finish an exchange with a look of irritation, giving Richards a sharply different comic method to work alongside. We value that difference: her control stops his physical exuberance from becoming the only way the programme knows how to be funny. Richards benefits from having colleagues who can get a laugh without moving towards a doorway. The strength of *Seinfeld* is that its plotting and ensemble keep four selfish people worth spending time with.

His later starring vehicle, *The Michael Richards Show* (2000), was short-lived, and his subsequent work struggled to get beyond Kramer. That does not diminish the performance, but it gives us little reason to assume that putting Richards at the centre automatically makes better use of him. Another substantial part would need strong colleagues and something more to do than reproduce familiar entrances. Start with *Seinfeld*, and give its tentative opening episodes time.

## Biography

Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor and comedian. He played Cosmo Kramer in the NBC sitcom *Seinfeld* from 1989 to 1998.

Richards began his career as a stand-up comedian and became a series regular on the sketch show *Fridays*. He made guest appearances on series including *Cheers* (1982) and *Miami Vice* (1984). His film roles include parts in *Coneheads* (1993) and *Airheads* (1994), and he voiced a character in *Bee Movie* (2007). He received three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for *Seinfeld*.

After *Seinfeld*, Richards starred in the short-lived sitcom *The Michael Richards Show* (2000) and appeared as himself in *Curb Your Enthusiasm* (2000).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, themoviedb.org, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Bee Movie* (2007), Fi1m 55, as Bud Ditchwater (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/bee-movie.md)
- *Problem Child* (1990), Fi1m 32, as Martin Beck — [page](https://film.one/film/problem-child-1990.md)
- *Seinfeld* (1989), Fi1m 90, as Cosmo Kramer — [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)

## Complete filmography (44)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Faith, Hope & Love* (2019), as Daddy Hogwood
- *Kirstie* (2013), series, as Frank Baxter
- *Bee Movie* (2007), as Bud Ditchwater (voice) — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/bee-movie.md)
- *David Copperfield* (2001), as Wilkins Micawber
- *David Copperfield* (2000), series, as Wilkins Micawber
- *The Michael Richards Show* (2000), series, as Vic Nardozza · Executive Producer, Creator
- *Curb Your Enthusiasm* (2000), series, as Michael Richards — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/curb-your-enthusiasm.md)
- *Redux Riding Hood* (1997), as The Wolf (voice)
- *Trial and Error* (1997), as Richard Rietti
- *London Suite* (1996), as Mark Ferris
- *Ellen's Energy Adventure* (1996), as Caveman discovering fire (uncredited)
- *Unstrung Heroes* (1995), as Danny Lidz
- *Airheads* (1994), as Doug Beech
- *So I Married an Axe Murderer* (1993), as Obituary Employee
- *Coneheads* (1993), as Motel Clerk
- *Mad About You* (1992), series, as Cosmo Kramer
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Michael Richards — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)
- *Dinosaurs* (1991), series, as Director (voice)
- *Problem Child* (1990), as Martin Beck — Fi1m 32, [page](https://film.one/film/problem-child-1990.md)
- *UHF* (1989), as Stanley Spadowski
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Cosmo Kramer — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Choice Chance Control* (1988), as Victor Loudon
- *Marblehead Manor* (1987), series, as Rick
- *Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge* (1987), Actor
- *Fresno* (1986), series, as 2nd Henchman
- *Sidekicks* (1986), series, Actor
- *Whoops Apocalypse* (1986), as Lacrobat
- *Darlin' Clementine* (1986), as Sneaky Pete
- *Transylvania 6-5000* (1985), as Fejos
- *Tall Tales & Legends* (1985), series, as Sneaky Pete
- *The Ratings Game* (1984), as Sal
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Pagone — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Pinocchio* (1984), as Vince
- *Night Court* (1984), series, as Eugene Sleighbough
- *The House of God* (1984), as Dr. Pinkus
- *Scarecrow and Mrs. King* (1983), series, Actor
- *Herndon* (1983), Actor
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Bill Wolf — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Cheers* (1982), series, as Eddie Gordon — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *Faerie Tale Theatre* (1982), series, as King Geoffrey, Vince
- *The Tale of the Frog Prince* (1982), as King Geoffrey
- *Young Doctors in Love* (1982), as Malamud Callahan
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Actor — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Black and White: Uptight* (1969), Actor

## Gallery

- ![Michael Richards](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-9d4552d200b0.jpg) Michael Richards — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Michael_Richards_%281993%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Faye Dunaway and Michael Richards at the 47th Emmy Awards Governor's Ballfayedunaway_michaelrichards (1994)](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-6e81ceb40e2b.jpg) Faye Dunaway and Michael Richards at the 47th Emmy Awards Governor's Ballfayedunaway_michaelrichards (1994) — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Faye_Dunaway_Michael_Richards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jeffrey Tambor is interviewed (as is Michael Richards in the background) on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards 1993](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-f6ebfe606bbb.jpg) Jeffrey Tambor is interviewed (as is Michael Richards in the background) on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards 1993 — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Jeffrey_Tambor_at_the_1993_Emmy_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![1994 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-35d6adede743.jpg) 1994 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Michael_Richards%2C_Jay_Leno_%282076469713%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Richards%2C_Jay_Leno_%282076469713%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Michael Richards](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-74db31554ed5.jpg) Michael Richards — Image via TMDB
- ![1993 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-a5a21ca58b67.jpg) 1993 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Michael_Richards%2C_Jeffrey_Tambor_%282078379092%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Richards%2C_Jeffrey_Tambor_%282078379092%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![1993 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan](https://film.one/media/person/61605/gallery-e9392350fd4d.jpg) 1993 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Michael_Richards%2C_Jeffrey_Tambor_%282078379788%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Richards%2C_Jeffrey_Tambor_%282078379788%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 3 won

- 1997: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (won), for *Seinfeld*
- 1994: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (won), for *Seinfeld*
- 1993: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (won), for *Seinfeld*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-richards