Michael Anthony Richards was born on July 24, 1949 in Culver City, California to William Richards, an electrical engineer, and Phyllis Nardozzi, a medical records librarian. He was educated in California Institute of the Arts, The Evergreen State College, and Los Angeles Valley College. He received his degree in drama from Evergreen in 1975. He was instantly attracted to the performing arts, and was active in student productions.
Michael Richards ventured into comedy initially through doing stand up. For some time, he was part of an improv act with Ed Begley, Jr. He received his first break when he was featured on Billy Crystal’s first cable TV special. Before his most notable role on Sienfeld, his television appearances include Cheers, Night Court, Miami Vice and St. Elsewhere. In 1989 he was cast for the role of Cosmo Kramer in the television show Seinfeld, a long-running comedy. His character, Cosmo Kramer, is the wacky neighbor of Jerry Seinfeld and the only one without any visible means of support. Due to the popularity of his character on Seinfeld, he launched his own sitcom called The Michael Richards Show. Unfortunately, this lasted for less than a season. As such, Richards returned to his roots: stand-up comedy.
During live performances, Richards had been notorious for his outrageous behavior. One time, he yelled at black hecklers during a live comedy show, issuing an apology a few days after the show.
Other than on television, Richards’ other film appearances include So I Married an Axe Murderer, Problem Child, and UHF. Richards married Cathleen Richards with whom he had a daughter, but later divorced in 1990. He resides in Conejo Valley, near Thousand Oaks, California.
In 2007, Richards reportedly gave up the fast pace of Hollywood announcing that he is retiring from the biz and moving to Cambodia to achieve “spiritual healing.”
-Michael's eccentric entrance into Jerry's apartment on Seinfeld was created by accident. In an early episode, Michael was about to miss his cue and had to hurry through which caused him to open the door and enter the way he did.
-Michael's character Kramer on Seinfeld always wore clothes one size too big to make him appear to be laid back and loose.
-He auditioned for the role of Al Bundy on Married with Children .
Michael won the 1997 and 1998 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Seinfeld along with Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Michael won the 1997 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Seinfeld.
Michael won the 1994 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Seinfeld.
Michael won the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Seinfeld.
1980 Fridays TV Series
1982 Faerie Tale Theatre (TV) .... King Geoffrey, Vince
1982 Young Doctors in Love .... Malamud Callahan
1983 Herndon TV Series .... Dr. Herndon P. Stool
1984 The House of God .... Dr. Pinkus
1985 Darlin' Clementine .... Sneaky Pete
1985 Transylvania 6-5000 .... Fejos
1985 Cheers .... Eddie Gordon
1986 Whoops Apocalypse .... Lacrobat
1986 Fresno (mini) TV Series .... 2nd Henchman
1987 Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge
1987-1988 Marblehead Manor (TV) .... Rick the Gardener
1989 UHF .... Stanley Spadowski
1989-1998 Seinfeld (TV) .... Cosmo Kramer
1990 Problem Child .... Martin Beck
1993 Coneheads .... Motel Clerk
1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer .... Newspaper reporter
1994 Airheads .... Doug Beech
1995 Unstrung Heroes .... Danny Lidz
1996 Ellen's Energy Adventure (uncredited) .... Caveman discovering fire
1996 London Suite (TV) .... Mark Ferris
1997 Redux Riding Hood (voice) .... The Wolf
1997 Trial and Error .... Richard 'Ricky' Rietti
2000 The Michael Richards Show TV Series .... Vic Nardozza
2000 David Copperfield (TV) .... Mr. Wilkins Micawber
2007 Bee Movie....Bud Ditchwater (voice)
2010 Cat Tale .... Ace (voice)
-You could watch Laurel and Hardy for three minutes trying to get into a berth in a train. And that's what made Lucille Ball so popular. She's always doing funny rather than saying funny. The shows today say funny, but I don't see anybody doing funny.
-When you perform in front of an audience after only two days of rehearsal, you're flying by the seat of your pants - particularly when they're rewriting the show right up to the moment the camera goes on.
-It's strange how parts come along, how life lives us, and what we get to do with the abilities that are given us.