- “The Office” ran for nine seasons.
- The cast included Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Mindy Kaling.
- Jim and Pam’s first kiss was John Krasinski’s first on-screen kiss.
- The computers in the office actually had Internet.
- Jenna Fischer kept Pam’s engagement ring.
“The Office” has become such an irreversible part of American pop culture that psychologists have explored why people can’t seem to stop bingeing it on Netflix. Its fans are so dedicated that star Steve Carell even dedicated his recent “Saturday Night Live” cold open to shutting down the notion of a revival.
And so, for the hundreds of thousands of fans with “The Office” queued up on their computers right now, we’ve rounded up some surprising facts about the show and its cast that will make your team speechless with gratitude on trivia night.
Angela Kinsey was a phone operator for 1-800-Dentist when she auditioned for the show.
“1-800-Dentist, this is Angela,” she quipped on “Larry King Now” in February. “Did you need a check-up and cleaning or do you have a specific dental problem today?”
It’s good Kinsey got the part because her operator gig “is gonna haunt [her] for the rest of [her] life.”
The temperature on set had to be kept at a cold 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
The reason for this, according to Rainn Wilson who plays Dwight, is because Steve Carell had active sweat glands that could ruin a shot. The entire cast had to suffer until the crew finally sprung for space heaters.
Jim and Pam's first kiss was John Krasinski's first on-screen kiss.
Krasinski admitted in an interview that his first on-screen kiss was with none other than Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly.
"My first on-screen kiss was with Jenna Fischer in 'Casino Night' when I say I love her," he recalled. "It's a pretty big moment to have be your first on-screen kiss and it's not one that we really wanted to screw up. I don't think I told her it was my first on-screen kiss," he added. In fact, Fischer asked him if it was, and he denied it.
Steve Carell called in sick during the writers' strike with a case of "enlarged balls."
In a show of solidarity to the writers on the show, Carell reportedly called in sick during the writers' strike in 2007 with a case of "enlarged balls." Of course, without the star on set, production immediately went on hold.
Phyllis Smith was a NFL cheerleader and a burlesque dancer.
"It was just the perfect job for me at the time," she told Yahoo of working with the St. Louis Cardinal cheerleaders. "I really enjoyed it because I loved football, so I was able to watch the game, dance, and be there and look at the cute guys across the field. So it was the triple threat there." She then transitioned into burlesque, though "there was no stripping. We had strategically placed feathers and G-strings with feathers covering our rumps."
The computers in the office actually had Internet.
Don't feel too bad for the actors staring blankly at computers in the background of Michael Scott monologues - chances are, they were browsing the net to entertain themselves.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the computers actually had internet while filming to add an element of realism.
Jim and Pam's proposal scene was the most expensive shot on the show.
Krasinski didn't get down on one knee in front of a real rest stop.
"It was, like, a $250,000 shot or something," executive producer Greg Daniels told the Washington Post. "It's the most expensive and elaborate shot we've ever done, but it's also sort of the highlight of five years of storytelling. We found a gigantic parking lot behind a Best Buy, and our production team built a replica of the rest stop."
Rainn Wilson auditioned for the role of Michael Scott.
It's difficult to imagine anyone capturing Michael Scott's bumbling lovability so well as Steve Carell, but it turns out Rainn Wilson tried. The actor (who of course went on to play Dwight) auditioned for the roles of both Dwight and Michael.
John Krasinski wore a wig in season three.
According to Screenrant, season three Jim is wearing fake hair. It turns out Krasinski was shooting the movie "Leatherheads" at the same time, and he had to shave his head in order to play a 1920s football player.
Thankfully, viewers never noticed the difference.
"The Dinner Party" is the only script that was never rewritten.
"The Office" is known for its episode "The Dinner Party," widely considered by viewers and critics (and even the cast) to be the funniest on the show. Perhaps it's unsurprising to know, then, that it's the only script that was never rewritten.
"Most scripts get rewritten, and I think this was the only one ever done that didn't," co-writer Gene Stupnitsky told the Rolling Stone. "The only thing that was changed was that in our first draft Jan hits the neighbor's dog and kills it on purpose."
Melora Hardin was the inspiration for Jan's boob job.
"I turned to [executive producer Greg Daniels] and said, 'It's funny, I'm looking around at the females in our cast, and I'm thinking nobody in our cast has a boob job.' Now, I'm not sure that I'm totally right about that, by the way, but that's what I thought. His wheels just started turning in that moment," Hardin told Rolling Stone. "It was just so funny to see. That was when he thought, 'Ding-ding-ding-ding! Jan's getting a boob job!'"
"When Michael broke up with her, in order to get him back, she goes and gets her boobs giant. I just think that's hilarious, and obviously the beginning of her losing her s---."
John Krasinski shot some of the footage for the opening credits.
Krasinski actually shot some footage of Scranton, Pennsylvania on a research trip - and it was used in the opening credits.
Mindy Kaling used to make up lies about their co-workers to mess with B.J. Novak.
Further proof that Kaling and Novak are close: the former used to invent stories about their co-workers to mess with Novak. One time, according to New York Daily News, she even convinced him that showrunner Greg Daniels used to date one of the show's actresses, making Novak afraid to give criticisms during edits.
"Greg asked me what I thought of her cut and I lied to Greg and said I thought it was great, because I was nervous to insult his ex-girlfriend, so he didn't make the edits that I wanted," Novak recalled.
Seth Rogen auditioned for the role of Dwight.
It's hard to imagine Rogen playing Dwight's laser-focused, paranoid character, but he actually auditioned for the part.
If you're having too hard a time imagining it, watch the footage of his audition.
Adam Scott auditioned for the role of Jim.
Furthermore, Krasinski had some competition for the role of Jim in Adam Scott.
Steve Carell improvised the kiss between Michael and Oscar.
In "Gay Witch Hunt," Michael kisses Oscar as a show of support for his homosexuality. But as Nunez reached out for a hug, Carell blindsided him with a kiss- making Nunez's uncomfortable reaction - and the shock of the rest of the cast totally real.
John Krasinski almost sabotaged his own audition.
A man in the waiting room asked him if he was nervous, and Krasinski boldly responded: "I love the British show so much and Americans have a tendency to just really screw these opportunities up. I don't know how I'll live with myself if they ruin it for me."
Unfortunately for him, he was running his mouth to the executive producer.
Phyllis Smith was an assistant casting director for "The Office," but the producers were drawn to her.
Her line readings were so strong opposite actors she was auditioning that the producers asked her to act instead. Thus, sales rep Phyllis Lapin-Vance was born.
Michael's girlfriend Carol was played by Carell's real-life wife.
Nancy Carell, who is an actress in her own right, was cast as Carol, Michael's realtor girlfriend. It's even better rewatching their scenes together (especially in "Casino Night") knowing this bit of information.
Jenna Fischer kept Pam's engagement ring.
Fischer kept Pam's engagement ring that Jim gave her.
"While true that I kept the engagement ring Jim gave to Pam, it was a silver prop ring, not worth $5,000," she explained on Twitter, "and I do not wear it in real life."
Dwight's cousin Mose is played by writer Michael Schur.
"Playing Mose Schrute was a waking nightmare," Schur told Entertainment Weekly of the silent but bizarre character.
"My boss, Greg Daniels, forced me to do it as a way to cause me pain. And it was terrible. The first time I did it, I had to grow a real neckbeard. Every time after that, he 'let' me use a fake beard, which is maybe worse because those beards are terrible."
And, finally, everyone choked up singing "Seasons of Love" in honor of Michael.
"It was so emotional!" Paul Feig said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, who directed the finale. "I was prepping [for the next episode] and my assistant said, 'You should come down here.' The first time they started singing that song, everyone choked up in real life. It really started to land for people that the end is coming."
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