Today, Ray Romano is a well-loved comedian, most famous for his roles in “Ice Age” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.” However, that wasn’t always the case.
During a recent appearance, the actor revealed he was actually fired from an NBC show shortly before getting his own sitcom.
The comedian admits that everything turned out for the best in the end. However, he recalled feeling incredibly nervous while filming the first few episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
Ray Romano Remembers Feeling Jittery While Filming His Show’s First Season
Getty“Everybody Loves Raymond” was written by Phil Rosenthal and premiered in 1996. It went on to win 15 Emmys before concluding in 2005.
Comedy fans can’t imagine a world without the series. However, star Ray Romano admitted he wasn’t sure it would last when it premiered.
“I was doing stand-up for a living. A couple acting opportunities came up, and one of them was the show called ‘NewsRadio,'” the comedian explained at the 2026 ATX TV Festival, as reported by PEOPLE. “I got cast in the original cast of ‘NewsRadio.’ I’d never really acted before. I was doing stand-up. And on day two, I got fired.”
Ray Romano originally played an electrician during the pilot. However, NBC fired him because they didn’t feel he was a good fit for the show. He was in low spirits when he was cast on “Everybody Loves Raymond” and wasn’t sure it would work out. Thankfully, the series quickly took off.
“Fast forward to the first day, and I’d just gotten fired from a sitcom, and this sitcom has my name … and it was a little terrifying for me,” the 68-year-old continued. “And I know when I watch that first season, I see myself get better towards the end of the season. I was a little stiff still, a little green.”
Though he felt nervous, the audience couldn’t tell. They fell in love with the series, which ran for 210 episodes, spanning nine seasons.
Brad Garrett Revealed There Are No Plans For a Spin-Off
“Everybody Loves Raymond” may be a staple of 90s television, but there isn’t likely to be a revival or spin-off. Last summer, star Brad Garrett confirmed it. He played Ray Romano’s brother, Robert.
“There won’t be,” Garrett told PEOPLE. “And I’m just saying that because that’s something that Ray and Phil [Rosenthal] have always said.”
Actors Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts played Ray and Robert’s parents, Frank and Marie, on the show. Boyle passed away in 2006 shortly after the series ended. Roberts passed away in 2016. Without Frank and Marie, Brad Garrett doesn’t believe fans would tune in.
“There is no show without the parents,” Garrett continued. “They were the catalyst, and to do anything that would resemble that wouldn’t be right to the audiences or to the loyal fan base. And it was about those two families, and you can’t get around that.”
Sawyer Sweetin played one of Ray Romano’s onscreen children. He passed away in 2015.
“Everybody Loves Raymond” is available to stream on both Peacock and Paramount+.
