Who is Frank Costanza in Seinfeld?

Show

Seinfeld

Played by

John Randolph and Jerry Stiller

First episode

“The Handicap Spot”Season 4, Episode 22, aired May 13, 1993

Role

Side character

Network

NBC

Occupation

Retired traveling businessman, Festivus founder

Show run

1989 to 1998

Also known as

Mr. Costanza

Frank Costanza is George's father, a volcanic man in a cardigan who can turn any family dinner into a shouting match. Jerry Stiller made the role his own, giving Seinfeld Festivus, "Serenity now," and some of its loudest laughs.

On Seinfeld, Frank Costanza's story runs through George Costanza (Son), Estelle Costanza (Wife), Cosmo Kramer (Business Partner), Jerry Seinfeld (Son's Best Friend), and Elaine Benes.

Who is Frank Costanza?

Frank lives in Queens with his wife, Estelle, and the two of them argue almost constantly. He spent years as a traveling businessman and served as a cook in the Army during the Korean War, and in retirement he spends his time dreaming up projects, nursing grudges, and yelling at his son.

He is the clearest answer to the question of how George turned out the way he did. Frank is stubborn, odd, and touchy about strange things (he refuses to take his shoes off in other people's homes), and his attempts at self-improvement usually make everything worse.

Personality and comedy

Frank's comedy is pure volume. He goes from calm to furious in a single breath, and Stiller delivered his lines at a pitch that made even mundane complaints hilarious. When a self-help tape tells him to say "Serenity now" whenever he gets angry, he screams it instead of saying it.

Under the anger, Frank is a dreamer. He pairs up with Kramer on oddball business ideas, starts a computer sales operation out of his garage, and has his own strange traditions, the most famous of which is a holiday he invented himself.

Key storylines

Frank invented Festivus years ago as a protest against the commercialism of Christmas, and in season nine's "The Strike" the family finally celebrates it on screen, complete with a bare aluminum pole and the Feats of Strength. George is mortified, but the holiday took on a life of its own.

Frank and Estelle separate in season six, and in "The Fusilli Jerry" he becomes furious when Kramer uses his old "stop short" driving move on Estelle. In "The Serenity Now" he runs a computer business from the garage and hires George alongside George's childhood rival Lloyd Braun, then quietly fakes Lloyd's sales so George will have someone to compete with.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Frank first appeared in "The Handicap Spot," played by John Randolph. Jerry Stiller took over the role starting with "The Puffy Shirt" in season five, and Randolph's scenes were later reshot with Stiller for the syndicated version. Stiller, unhappy with his first days on set, found the character's volcanic energy by playing off Estelle Harris. Stiller went on to play another famously cranky father, Arthur Spooner, on The King of Queens.

Festivus has become a real tongue-in-cheek holiday, usually celebrated on December 23 as a playful alternative to the commercial side of the season. Frank is the rare recurring character who gave the culture an actual holiday.

Frank Costanza: frequently asked questions

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