TMC
02-03-2022, 10:01 PM
https://www.looper.com/756405/the-role-christopher-lloyd-says-ruined-his-life/
BY JENNIFER MASHUGA/FEB. 3, 2022 2:34 PM EST
When the television show "Taxi" (https://www.looper.com/659127/taxi-actors-you-may-not-know-passed-away/) premiered in 1978, it immediately became a hit. Viewers loved the eccentric, oddball cast, as did critics. In its short five-season run, "Taxi" won 27 Emmy awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row (per IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077089/awards/?ref_=tt_awd)). The show brought comedian Andy Kaufman to the mainstream, and brought actors Judd Hirsch, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, and Danny DeVito accolades and name recognition. When it was announced in 1982 — at the end of its fourth season — that it was being canceled, co-creator and producer James L. Brooks was devastated. "I'm trying to cut a happy distance between rage and depression," he said at the time (via The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/05/13/taxis-last-stand/057c82d1-cda9-4171-bcec-995df5755900/)).
Not everyone was distressed by the showing being canceled. Kaufman was thrilled. His feelings were pretty accurately depicted in the film based on his life, "Man on the Moon," which revealed that Kaufman had been eager to get out of his contract. But the rest of the cast, who had bonded like family, were heartbroken. Lloyd remembered how excited everyone was to hang out after the show. "It was great to leave your dressing room and hang up your costume and go up there with everyone and have a feast" (via The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/taxi-turns-40-a-wild-ride-down-memory-lane-cast-creators-1139168/)).
However, Lloyd, who never wanted to be in a sitcom, almost passed over his iconic role on "Taxi." When looking back on his decision to audition for the show, he jokingly said, "It ruined my life" (via GQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJuuOh8UJzM&t=604s)).
Christopher Lloyd was reluctant to audition for a sitcom
When Christopher Lloyd (https://www.looper.com/204917/the-untold-truth-of-christopher-lloyd/) walked into his audition for the role of Reverend Jim Ignatowski, he thought it was for a one-time thing. His character was supposed to perform the green card wedding of Latka (Andy Kaufman) in the first season episode "Paper Marriage," but after the producers saw him, they convinced him to join for the second season. "I've never seen a room laugh harder," co-creator James Burrows said (via The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/08/26/christopher-lloyd-back-to-the-future/)). "We'd be idiots not to have him back." Lloyd's performance as the stoned, bumbling character earned him two Emmy awards, and his career took off (per IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000502/awards?ref_=nm_ql_2)).
Lloyd admitted he's not proud of his snobbish attitude before "Taxi." "In the theater, there was a kind of scorn, if I may say, for sitcoms. It was tantamount to selling your soul, so I came out with a little bit of an attitude," he told The Washington Post. Luckily, Lloyd was able to put aside his ego to audition for the role that would help open more doors for him.
The cast of "Taxi" have remained close, done several reunions over the years, and always speak highly of each other. "The great thing about 'Taxi' was there wasn't a moment on that show that we didn't appreciate how lucky we were to have it, ” James L. Brooks recalled." That was the show's energy. I've never seen anything like it since" (via The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/taxi-turns-40-a-wild-ride-down-memory-lane-cast-creators-1139168/)).
BY JENNIFER MASHUGA/FEB. 3, 2022 2:34 PM EST
When the television show "Taxi" (https://www.looper.com/659127/taxi-actors-you-may-not-know-passed-away/) premiered in 1978, it immediately became a hit. Viewers loved the eccentric, oddball cast, as did critics. In its short five-season run, "Taxi" won 27 Emmy awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row (per IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077089/awards/?ref_=tt_awd)). The show brought comedian Andy Kaufman to the mainstream, and brought actors Judd Hirsch, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Danza, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, and Danny DeVito accolades and name recognition. When it was announced in 1982 — at the end of its fourth season — that it was being canceled, co-creator and producer James L. Brooks was devastated. "I'm trying to cut a happy distance between rage and depression," he said at the time (via The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/05/13/taxis-last-stand/057c82d1-cda9-4171-bcec-995df5755900/)).
Not everyone was distressed by the showing being canceled. Kaufman was thrilled. His feelings were pretty accurately depicted in the film based on his life, "Man on the Moon," which revealed that Kaufman had been eager to get out of his contract. But the rest of the cast, who had bonded like family, were heartbroken. Lloyd remembered how excited everyone was to hang out after the show. "It was great to leave your dressing room and hang up your costume and go up there with everyone and have a feast" (via The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/taxi-turns-40-a-wild-ride-down-memory-lane-cast-creators-1139168/)).
However, Lloyd, who never wanted to be in a sitcom, almost passed over his iconic role on "Taxi." When looking back on his decision to audition for the show, he jokingly said, "It ruined my life" (via GQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJuuOh8UJzM&t=604s)).
Christopher Lloyd was reluctant to audition for a sitcom
When Christopher Lloyd (https://www.looper.com/204917/the-untold-truth-of-christopher-lloyd/) walked into his audition for the role of Reverend Jim Ignatowski, he thought it was for a one-time thing. His character was supposed to perform the green card wedding of Latka (Andy Kaufman) in the first season episode "Paper Marriage," but after the producers saw him, they convinced him to join for the second season. "I've never seen a room laugh harder," co-creator James Burrows said (via The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/08/26/christopher-lloyd-back-to-the-future/)). "We'd be idiots not to have him back." Lloyd's performance as the stoned, bumbling character earned him two Emmy awards, and his career took off (per IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000502/awards?ref_=nm_ql_2)).
Lloyd admitted he's not proud of his snobbish attitude before "Taxi." "In the theater, there was a kind of scorn, if I may say, for sitcoms. It was tantamount to selling your soul, so I came out with a little bit of an attitude," he told The Washington Post. Luckily, Lloyd was able to put aside his ego to audition for the role that would help open more doors for him.
The cast of "Taxi" have remained close, done several reunions over the years, and always speak highly of each other. "The great thing about 'Taxi' was there wasn't a moment on that show that we didn't appreciate how lucky we were to have it, ” James L. Brooks recalled." That was the show's energy. I've never seen anything like it since" (via The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/taxi-turns-40-a-wild-ride-down-memory-lane-cast-creators-1139168/)).