Kenny Kramer

Kenny Kramer (born May 1943) is an American stand-up comedian.

He is the inspiration for the character of Cosmo Kramer from the television sitcom Seinfeld.

Early career

Kramer had a spotty career as a stand-up comedian, and worked as the manager for a British reggae band. Kramer sought to manage Bill Beason, a New York point karate champion, with the hopes that the karate tournament scene would develop along the same lines as wrestling had, since corporate sponsors such as Budweiser and Paul Mitchell were emerging.

Seinfeld co-creator Larry David lived across the hall from Kenny for six years, just as the character of Jerry Seinfeld did from Cosmo Kramer in the show. The two lived in Manhattan Plaza, a federally-assisted apartment complex for performing artists in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. David said that Kramer was a little bit eccentric and would be a good character to have on the show. Many of the traits of Kenny Kramer, such as the obsession with golf, fruit, hot tubs, taking things out of the refrigerator and coming up with strange ideas and inventions, were featured in the show.