The Role Christopher Lloyd Says Ruined His Life

[TMC]

https://www.looper.com/756405/the-ro...ined-his-life/

BY JENNIFER MASHUGA/FEB. 3, 2022 2:34 PM EST

When the television show "Taxi" 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). 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).

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).

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).

Christopher Lloyd was reluctant to audition for a sitcom

When 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). "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).

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).

[Chocolate Moose]

Really? He was brilliant!

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

Really? He was brilliant!

I think he was being facetious, the article indicates he was reluctant to join the series but once he joined, he was happy he did.

[Chocolate Moose]

oh....ok

[howilu]

I felt Christopher Lloyd was hilarious as Reverend Jim. He was one of the few people who got along with Louie and the drivers test scene was very funny.

[Yong Fang]

I think Lloyd said this humourously because Taxi really launched him into a very, very lucrative and successful career, which would not have happened if it wasnt for Taxi. Lloyd had a more lucrative and successful career than all the other players on the show which is really saying something. Even Danny DeVito.

I saw a video once of the "real" Christopher Lloyd following him around in his early career (probably still on Taxi) and the man is really soft spoken and very urbane. Sounded absolutely nothing like any of his characters. A well educated theater actor. He was a "niche" kind of guy, someone who would have a script and a role and they would wonder "we have this eccentric, slightly crazy/goofy guy to do this, who do we call?" Christopher Lloyd.

Remember his part in "One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest". This was the start of him playing offbeat, crazy and even sinister characters. He also did sinister well. I am a Trekkie and he was really good as the Klingon, that Klingon was evil and bad. Plus the whatever hundred or other things he did. We the audience loved him which is why he was a draw. He was in a recent movie called "Nobody" with Bob Odenkirk, which was a fighting, shoot them up film. Lloyd is like eighty now and still has it.

[king of comedy]

He was great as Jim.