Career Timeline of Jerry Seinfeld: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jerry Seinfeld made an impact.
Jerry Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer renowned for his observational comedy. He achieved widespread fame as a semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom 'Seinfeld' (1989–1998), co-created and written with Larry David, winning a Golden Globe. 'Seinfeld' is celebrated as one of the most successful sitcoms ever. Post-'Seinfeld,' he created and produced 'The Marriage Ref,' hosted the web series 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee' (earning three Webby Awards), and co-wrote and starred in the animated film 'Bee Movie' and the Netflix comedy 'Unfrosted'.
1976: Early Stand-Up Performances
In 1976, Jerry Seinfeld tried out at an open-mic night at New York City's Catch a Rising Star after graduating from Queens College.
1980: Recurring Role on "Benson"
In 1980, Jerry Seinfeld had a small recurring role on the sitcom "Benson", playing Frankie, a mail-delivery boy, before being abruptly fired.
January 1981: Performance on An Evening at the Improv
In January 1981, Jerry Seinfeld performed stand-up comedy on "An Evening at the Improv".
September 5, 1987: HBO Special Airing
On September 5, 1987, Jerry Seinfeld's first one-hour special, "Stand-Up Confidential", aired live on HBO.
1987: Stand-Up Confidential Release
In 1987, Jerry Seinfeld released his first stand-up special, "Stand-Up Confidential".
1988: "The Seinfeld Chronicles" Creation
In 1988, Jerry Seinfeld created "The Seinfeld Chronicles" with Larry David for NBC, which was later renamed "Seinfeld".
1989: "Seinfeld" Sitcom Debut
In 1989, the sitcom "Seinfeld", co-created and co-written by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, premiered on NBC.
1993: Release of "SeinLanguage"
In 1993, Jerry Seinfeld released his book "SeinLanguage," an adaptation of his stand-up material, coinciding with the rise in popularity of his television show, Seinfeld.
1993: SeinLanguage Publication
In 1993, Jerry Seinfeld wrote his first book, "SeinLanguage".
1995: Golden Globe Award
In 1995, Jerry Seinfeld won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his role in "Seinfeld".
1998: "I'm Telling You for the Last Time" Release
In 1998, Jerry Seinfeld released his second stand-up special, "I'm Telling You for the Last Time".
1998: Return to Stand-Up Comedy
In 1998, after ending his sitcom, Jerry Seinfeld returned to stand-up comedy and went on tour, recording a comedy special titled "I'm Telling You for the Last Time".
1998: "Seinfeld" Final Episode Airs
In 1998, the final episode of "Seinfeld" aired, although it continued to be popular in syndicated reruns.
1998: "Seinfeld" Series Finale
In 1998, the final episode of the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld", co-created and co-written by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, aired.
1999: Auction of Breitling Chronomat Watch
In 1999, Jerry Seinfeld auctioned a Breitling Chronomat watch at the "Famous Faces, Watch Auction For Charity" event in New York City, with the watch selling for $11,000.
2001: Creation of Good+Foundation
In 2001, Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld created the charitable organization Good+Foundation, which donates products and services to programs addressing family poverty.
2002: "Halloween" Children's Book Release
In 2002, Jerry Seinfeld wrote the children's book "Halloween".
2002: Publication of "Halloween"
In 2002, Jerry Seinfeld wrote the children's book titled "Halloween", which was illustrated by James Bennett.
2002: Documentary "Comedian" Release
In 2002, the documentary "Comedian", chronicling Jerry Seinfeld's process of developing and performing new stand-up material, was released.
February 2004: Review of Porsche Carrera GT
In February 2004, Jerry Seinfeld wrote an article for the February issue of Automobile, reviewing the Porsche Carrera GT.
November 18, 2004: Donation to National Museum of American History
On November 18, 2004, Jerry Seinfeld donated the "puffy shirt" he wore in the "Seinfeld" episode of the same name to the National Museum of American History.
2004: Earnings from Seinfeld and Other Ventures
As of 2004, Jerry Seinfeld's cumulative earnings from Seinfeld were $267 million, making him the highest-paid celebrity that year, and he earned $100 million from syndication deals and stand-up performances.
May 13, 2006: Cameo on Saturday Night Live
On May 13, 2006, Jerry Seinfeld made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live as host Julia Louis-Dreyfus' assassin, jokingly addressing the "Seinfeld curse."
2006: Earnings in 2006
In 2006, Jerry Seinfeld earned $60 million from various ventures.
February 25, 2007: Academy Awards Presentation
On February 25, 2007, Jerry Seinfeld presented the award for "Best Documentary" at the 79th Academy Awards, opening with a monologue about movie theater etiquette.
October 4, 2007: Guest Appearance on 30 Rock
On October 4, 2007, Jerry Seinfeld made a guest appearance as himself in the "30 Rock" episode titled "SeinfeldVision".
2007: "Bee Movie" Release
In 2007, Jerry Seinfeld co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in the DreamWorks animated film "Bee Movie".
February 24, 2008: Academy Awards Voice Role
On February 24, 2008, Jerry Seinfeld appeared at the 80th Academy Awards as the voice of Barry, his character from "Bee Movie", presenting Best Animated Short Film.
June 2, 2008: Stand Up for a Cure Performance
On June 2, 2008, Jerry Seinfeld performed a one-night-only show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City to benefit Stand Up for a Cure, aiding lung cancer research.
June 2008: Earnings with Bill Gates
In June 2008, Jerry Seinfeld earned $10 million for appearing with Bill Gates in Microsoft's advertisements for Windows.
August 2008: Windows Vista Pitchman
In August 2008, it was reported that Jerry Seinfeld would be the pitchman for Windows Vista, as part of a $300-million advertising campaign by Microsoft.
September 2008: Windows Vista Ads Airing
In mid-September 2008, Jerry Seinfeld's ads for Windows Vista began airing as part of Microsoft's $300-million advertising campaign.
March 2009: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Reunion Announcement
In March 2009, it was announced that Jerry Seinfeld and the entire cast of "Seinfeld" would be appearing for a reunion in Larry David's HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm".
June 2009: Earnings Between June 2008 and June 2009
Between June 2008 and June 2009, Jerry Seinfeld earned $85 million, becoming the world's highest-paid comedian.
September 14, 2009: First Guest on "The Jay Leno Show"
On September 14, 2009, Jerry Seinfeld was the first guest on Jay Leno's talk show, "The Jay Leno Show".
August 30, 2010: Guest Appearance on The Howard Stern Show
On August 30, 2010, Jerry Seinfeld made a surprise guest appearance on "The Howard Stern Show", ending the feud the two had in the early 1990s.
2010: "The Marriage Ref" Premiere
In 2010, Jerry Seinfeld created and produced the reality series "The Marriage Ref".
July 2011: Guest on The Daily Show
In July 2011, Jerry Seinfeld was a surprise guest on "The Daily Show", assisting Jon Stewart to refrain from making jokes about Michele Bachmann's husband.
2011: "The Marriage Ref" Conclusion
In 2011, Jerry Seinfeld's reality series "The Marriage Ref" ended.
2012: "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" Debut
In 2012, Jerry Seinfeld created and hosted the web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee".
June 2013: Appearance on Wale's album
In June 2013, Jerry Seinfeld was featured on rapper Wale's album, The Gifted, specifically on the song "Outro About Nothing."
2013: Reported Annual Income
In 2013, Forbes documented Jerry Seinfeld's annual income as $32 million, though Seinfeld disputed Forbes's claims.
2014: Clio Awards Speech and Don Rickles Special
In 2014, Jerry Seinfeld delivered a speech at the Clio Awards ceremony, receiving media attention for his commentary on the advertising industry. Also in 2014, he hosted "Don Rickles: One Night Only" at the Apollo Theatre, a special celebrating Don Rickles.
2014: Woody Allen Invitation and Joan Rivers' Passing
In 2014, Jerry Seinfeld mentioned inviting Woody Allen to his show but hadn't received a response. In 2014 he also revealed that Joan Rivers was intended to be a guest before her passing due to a medical procedure.
February 15, 2015: Guest Appearance on Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
On February 15, 2015, Jerry Seinfeld made a guest appearance on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, hosting the "Questions from the Audience" segment.
May 20, 2015: Guest Appearance on David Letterman's Final Late Show Episode
On May 20, 2015, Jerry Seinfeld appeared as a guest on David Letterman's final Late Show episode, contributing to "The Top Ten List" segment.
2015: Forbes Ranked Seinfeld the Highest-Paid Comedian
In 2015, Forbes ranked Jerry Seinfeld as the highest-paid comedian.
2015: Avoids College Campuses
In 2015, Jerry Seinfeld stated that he avoids performing on college campuses due to students being easily offended by his comedic routines.
June 2016: June 2017: Ranked Second-Highest-Paid
Between June 2016 and June 2017, Jerry Seinfeld's income was $69 million, making him the second-highest-paid comedian.
January 2017: Appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
In January 2017, Jerry Seinfeld appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he joined Dave Chappelle and Jimmy Fallon in honoring Michelle Obama and participated in a game of Catchphrase.
January 2017: Netflix Deal
In January 2017, Jerry Seinfeld signed a deal with Netflix to feature "Seinfeld and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" on their streaming service, create two stand-up specials, and develop comedy programming. All episodes of "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" were available on the service and a new 24-episode season was added.
June 2017: Forbes Ranked Seinfeld the Highest-Paid Comedian
Between June 2016 and June 2017, Jerry Seinfeld was again ranked the highest-paid comedian by Forbes.
September 19, 2017: Release of 'Jerry Before Seinfeld' on Netflix
On September 19, 2017, Netflix released Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up comedy special, "Jerry Before Seinfeld," which revisits his early stand-up routines at Comic Strip Live in New York City.
2017: "Jerry Before Seinfeld" Release
In 2017, Jerry Seinfeld released his stand-up special "Jerry Before Seinfeld".
2019: "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" Conclusion
In 2019, Jerry Seinfeld's web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" ended.
October 2020: Discussion on Comedy at The New Yorker Festival
In October 2020, Jerry Seinfeld participated in a discussion with Steve Martin about comedy at The New Yorker Festival, addressing topics like the creative process and the future of comedy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 2020: Release of 'Is This Anything?'
In October 2020, Jerry Seinfeld released his new book "Is This Anything?", chronicling his 45 years in comedy and containing many of his best bits from various decades.
2020: "23 Hours to Kill" Release
In 2020, Jerry Seinfeld released his stand-up special "23 Hours to Kill".
2020: "Is This Anything?" Publication
In 2020, Jerry Seinfeld released the comedic compilation book "Is This Anything?".
June 2024: Start of new tour and guest apperance on John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA
In June 2024, Jerry Seinfeld embarked on a new tour, starting in Singapore, followed by stops in Australia and North America. In June 2024, he also appeared as a guest on John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA, joking about the show's unusual format.
2024: Declared a billionaire
In 2024, Bloomberg declared Jerry Seinfeld a billionaire, with his net worth exceeding US$1 billion due to sitcom syndication deals, including $465 million from those deals.
2024: "Unfrosted" Release
In 2024, Jerry Seinfeld co-produced, co-wrote, and starred in the Netflix comedy "Unfrosted".
2024: Comments on Political Correctness
In 2024, Jerry Seinfeld initially claimed to The New Yorker that political correctness was destroying comedy, then later walked back those comments on the "Breaking Bread" podcast.
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