Cosmo Kramer

Cosmo Kramer
Seinfeld character
First appearance	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" (1989)
Last appearance	"Seinfeld" (2009)
Created by	Jerry Seinfeld Larry David
Based on	Kenny Kramer
Portrayed by	Michael Richards
In-universe information
Alias	Kessler H. E. Pennypacker Professor van Nostrand Dr. Martin van Nostrand
Gender	Male
Family	Babs Kramer (mother)

Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to simply by his surname, is a fictional character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998) played by Michael Richards.

The character is loosely based on comedian Kenny Kramer, Larry David's ex-neighbor across the hall. Kramer is the neighbor of the series' main character, Jerry Seinfeld, and is friends with George Costanza and Elaine Benes. Of the series' four central characters, only Kramer has no visible means of support; what few jobs he holds seem to be nothing more than larks.

His character is that of a lovable rogue with his trademarks being his upright hairstyle, vintage wardrobe, impractical business ideas and eccentric personality, whose combination led Elaine to characterize him as a "hipster doofus".^[1] He is obsessed with high-quality fresh fruit and occasionally smokes pipes and Cuban cigars. He is also known for his habit of bursting through Jerry's apartment door without knocking. His antics include frequent pratfalls and a penchant for noisy, percussive outbursts to indicate skepticism, agreement, irritation and a variety of other feelings. He has been described as "an extraordinary cross between Eraserhead and Herman Munster".^[2]

Kramer appears in all but two episodes: "The Chinese Restaurant" and "The Pen", in the second and third seasons, respectively. For the pilot episode, Kramer was named "Kessler" to avoid potential legal issues; Kenny Kramer later authorized the use of his name.^[3]