Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998). He was played by Michael Richards. In the original pilot, The Seinfeld Chronicles, he was known as "Kessler" because the man the character was based on, Kenny Kramer (a neighbor of co-creator Larry David), had not given his consent to use his name yet. Kramer was the wacky neighbor and friend of Jerry Seinfeld. His other main friends are George Costanza and Elaine Benes.
The only known steady job Kramer had throughout the entire series was when he went back to work at a bagel shop after being on strike for a number of years. He only worked there for one episode, leaving to go back on strike. He had a variety of ways to get money to live, including gambling, working in various theater projects, acting out illnesses at a medical school, getting a spot on the show Murphy Brown, and pitching ideas for inventions like his Coffee Table Book; a book about coffee tables, and celebrities with their coffee tables, that featured a cup-holder on the cover and legs on the bottom to make the book itself a little coffee table. In one episode, he started Kramerica Industries and with the help of an intern, unsuccessfully worked on a bladder system for oil tankers that would have put an end to all devastating oil spills. Kramer even at one time had plans to start his own restaurant, a pizza place where you bake your own pies. Kramer also participated in lawsuits against various people and companies. He won lawsuits (though received no monetary compensation) against a coffee company whose beverages were too hot (a reference to a famous real-life lawsuit brought against McDonalds), and a tobacco company whose products aged him prematurely. His lawyer was Jackie Chiles, a parody of real-life OJ Simpson lawyer Johnnie Cochran. Kramer also saved money by borrowing items from Jerry, most notably food. Jerry's apartment was Kramer's second home; he had his own key to the apartment and rarely bothered to knock.
Kramer was perhaps the most popular out of the group, and seemed to have more friends than any of them. One notable friend was Bob Sacamano, an oft-referred to, but never seen character. Newman, played by Wayne Knight, was a regular of Kramer's friends on the show. Although they seemed to get into many fights, Newman often participated in many of Kramer's invention and money making ideas, such as the time they decided to get homeless people to pull rickshaws around New York City. Kramer participated in schemes with George's father, Frank Costanza, like the invention of the [Bro] (a bra for men) and the return of Festivus. He was popular with Jerry's parents, and even briefly lived in the same retirement community in Florida as they did.
Although he can be as shallow, callous, and indifferent as the others on the show, he seemed to be the most caring and friendly, going out of his way to get his friends to help others and to do the right thing even when they don't want to. In one episode he convinces George to buy a wheelchair for an injured handicapped woman. He also got his friends into trouble by talking them into things such as parking illegally in a handicapped space or peeing in a parking garage.
He was also known for his extreme honesty, and lack of tact; like the time he told George's girlfriend that her nose was too big. Instead of being horrified, many of these people ended up thanking Kramer for his honesty. Kramer never got in trouble for his honesty, but often times his friends did.
Kramer's signature on the show was entering a room sliding in, much like the character Ed Norton on The Honeymooners. This reportedly first became a recurring gag when Richards was late for a cue. Trying to save the scene he burst into the room, much to the delight of the audience.
Like the other three characters, Kramer had a pseudonym he used in various schemes; H. E. Pennypacker and Dr. Martin van Nostrand were the most popular.
Known only as "Kramer" for many years, not even Jerry knew his real first name. It was George Costanza who found out his unusual name through an encounter with Kramer's mother, Babs.
Kramerica Industries
A fictitious company started by Cosmo Kramer to develop a bladder system for oil tankers. In theory, this bladder system would prevent the release of oil after an accident. Unfortunately, Mr. Kramer was not successful in his attempts and abandoned the project. Mr. Kramer had only one employee, Darren, who was an intern from New York University.