The Stand-In (season 5, episode 16)

written by Larry David, directed by Tom Cherones
original airdate: February 24, 1994

Kramer is hired as a stand-in on a soap opera. He encourages Mickey to put lifts in his shoes, but his advice doesn’t sit well with the other little people stand-ins. George is ready to break up with his girlfriend until he discovers that she’s being urged to call it quits with him.

FEATURED LOCATIONS

The Improv

Jerry’s Apartment
Elaine tells Jerry about her date with Phil, and how “he took it out.” Kramer and Mickey argue over whether to use lifts in Mickey’s shoes for his stand-in job, with the two coming to blows after Mickey’s lifts are outed by a fellow little person actor, thus violating an unwritten code of the stand-in world.

Monk’s Café
George, about to dump Daphne, decides to maintain the relationship only to spite Al Netchie, who warned Daphne that George would “hurt her.” Daphne later ends up dumping George at the coffee shop.

Jerry and George’s bus route
New York, NEW YORK
Jerry and George ride the bus, discussing George’s relationship with Daphne, and Fulton’s illness. They criss-cross past a number of NYC locations, including:
– West Side Kids (498 Amsterdam Ave.)
– Optimo (NOW CLOSED – 364 Eighth Ave.)
– Mo’ Better Restaurant (NOW CLOSED – 570 Amsterdam Ave.)
– 7-11 (345 W. 42nd St.)
– Hatrexco (NOW CLOSED – 838 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn)
– American Video Service Center (NOW CLOSED – 203 W. 85th St.)

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center (now Mount Sinai West)
1000 Tenth Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 59th Street – Columbus Circle (A,B,C,D,1)
Jerry goes to visit Fulton in the hospital to give him “a good laugh”…and ends up laughing him to death.

Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), RUSSIA (fmr. SOVIET UNION) (map)
Jerry, to Fulton, on the siege of Leningrad: “First you crack, then you chuckle! That was the motto of the Russians at the seige of Leningrad…you know, because Leningrad, when the Nazis attacked, it wasn’t a very happy time. Because of the war. Famine, plus it was cold…very cold. They were eating each other…”

ABC Studios
77 W. 66th St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 66th Street – Lincoln Center (1)
Kramer and Mickey appear as stand-ins on “All My Children,” and Mickey has a moral dilemma over whether to wear lifts in his shoes. “Notes About Nothing” on the Season 5 DVD lists the studios’ location as 320 W. 66th St.

Daphne’s apartment
New York, NEW YORK
George decides to prolong his suffering relationship with Daphne, after she proclaims that maybe her friend Al was right to warn her about George when parked outside of her apartment.

Elaine’s Apartment
Phil Tatola drops off Elaine at her apartment…but not before taking “it” out in the car.

The Concord
Jerry mentions to Adrian his stand-up bit killed at The Concord last week, and thus he should be allowed to “perform” for Fulton at the hospital.