The Strong Box
Encyclopedia
"The Strongbox" is the 170th episode of the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld
. This was the 14th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on February 5, 1998.
tries to break up with his girlfriend, Maura, only she doesn't agree. Jerry
has purchased cuff links worn by Jerry Lewis
in Cinderfella
. He plans to use them as a conversation starter with Lewis when he goes to an upcoming roast
at the Friar's Club. George insists that all he needs as a conversation starter is the fact that they share the same name "...Jerry". Elaine
's new boyfriend puzzles and intrigues her with his secretive behavior. Jerry jokingly suggests that perhaps he is a super-hero concealing his secret identity
. The exterior of the apartment of Elaine's secretive new boyfriend is actually located in Manhattan
's East Village
at 4 St. Mark's Place. Neighborhood landmarks like Trash and Vaudeville
and the St. Mark's Hotel can be seen in the shot.
With burglaries occurring in the building, Kramer
has obtained a strongbox to hold his valuables. He needs to find a place to hide his key. A place that no one knows, except him. His first place doesn't work. George lays out all of the reasons that they should be officially broken up, Maura still doesn't agree "to turn the key." Elaine gives up on her mystery man when he runs from a woman that Elaine deduces is his wife. She returns to Jerry's apartment to find that his intercom is broken. So she shouts to him from the street, about the mystery man, while she waits for the opportunity to get into his building. Jerry inspects his intercom, only to find Kramer's strongbox key hidden inside. Kramer hides his key again. Jerry finds the key again and decides to go down to let George in. While downstairs, a neighbor who's forgotten his key and is unknown to Jerry asks to be let in. Jerry politely denies him entry. Elaine goes to the mystery man's shabby apartment and discovers he is poor and on welfare. The woman he ran from is his welfare caseworker. Jerry discovers the keyless neighbor, does in fact live in his building, and to add more uncomfort to Jerry, he also lives on his floor, and right next door to Kramer.
Elaine tells Jerry about Glenn being poor, and they suggest that she could just pay him off to get out of the relationship. However, this plan backfires when she discovers how much she means to Glenn. George decides that cheating on Maura might be his ticket out. Kramer lets Phil, Jerry's "new" neighbor, keep his parrot in the hallway. Kramer also hides his key at Phil's. Jerry needs his cufflinks for the roast, only to find out that Kramer has locked them in his strongbox. The key to the strongbox was hidden in the parrot's food dish, only now the parrot is dead (because he choked on Kramer's key) and buried in a pet cemetery. The Godfather Part II
is referenced here when Jerry accuses Kramer of Fredo's death; to which Kramer exclaims that "Fredo was weak and stupid! He shouldn't've eaten that key!!". George tries getting caught with the other woman, only both women agree that they can work with George through this incident. Elaine discovers that Glenn is, in fact, married and poor. Kramer and Jerry go to the pet cemetery to exhume the key, his neighbor catches only Jerry. George asks what's in the cooler (strongbox) as he easily opens it up. Kramer then claims, "This is one for the books, huh Jerry? Really one for the books!"
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. This was the 14th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on February 5, 1998.
Plot
GeorgeGeorge Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
tries to break up with his girlfriend, Maura, only she doesn't agree. Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
has purchased cuff links worn by Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
in Cinderfella
Cinderfella
Cinderfella is a comedy film version of the classic Cinderella story, with several of the roles reversed. It was released December 16, 1960 by Paramount Pictures and stars Jerry Lewis as Fella.-Plot:...
. He plans to use them as a conversation starter with Lewis when he goes to an upcoming roast
Roast (comedy)
A roast is an event in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and...
at the Friar's Club. George insists that all he needs as a conversation starter is the fact that they share the same name "...Jerry". Elaine
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
's new boyfriend puzzles and intrigues her with his secretive behavior. Jerry jokingly suggests that perhaps he is a super-hero concealing his secret identity
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
. The exterior of the apartment of Elaine's secretive new boyfriend is actually located in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
at 4 St. Mark's Place. Neighborhood landmarks like Trash and Vaudeville
Trash and Vaudeville
Trash and Vaudeville is actually two stores, one on top of the other, located at 4 St. Mark's Place in Manhattan, New York. It is associated with the clothing styles of punk rock and various other counter culture movements....
and the St. Mark's Hotel can be seen in the shot.
With burglaries occurring in the building, Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
has obtained a strongbox to hold his valuables. He needs to find a place to hide his key. A place that no one knows, except him. His first place doesn't work. George lays out all of the reasons that they should be officially broken up, Maura still doesn't agree "to turn the key." Elaine gives up on her mystery man when he runs from a woman that Elaine deduces is his wife. She returns to Jerry's apartment to find that his intercom is broken. So she shouts to him from the street, about the mystery man, while she waits for the opportunity to get into his building. Jerry inspects his intercom, only to find Kramer's strongbox key hidden inside. Kramer hides his key again. Jerry finds the key again and decides to go down to let George in. While downstairs, a neighbor who's forgotten his key and is unknown to Jerry asks to be let in. Jerry politely denies him entry. Elaine goes to the mystery man's shabby apartment and discovers he is poor and on welfare. The woman he ran from is his welfare caseworker. Jerry discovers the keyless neighbor, does in fact live in his building, and to add more uncomfort to Jerry, he also lives on his floor, and right next door to Kramer.
Elaine tells Jerry about Glenn being poor, and they suggest that she could just pay him off to get out of the relationship. However, this plan backfires when she discovers how much she means to Glenn. George decides that cheating on Maura might be his ticket out. Kramer lets Phil, Jerry's "new" neighbor, keep his parrot in the hallway. Kramer also hides his key at Phil's. Jerry needs his cufflinks for the roast, only to find out that Kramer has locked them in his strongbox. The key to the strongbox was hidden in the parrot's food dish, only now the parrot is dead (because he choked on Kramer's key) and buried in a pet cemetery. The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. The film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, chronicling the story of the Corleone family following the events of the first film while also depicting the...
is referenced here when Jerry accuses Kramer of Fredo's death; to which Kramer exclaims that "Fredo was weak and stupid! He shouldn't've eaten that key!!". George tries getting caught with the other woman, only both women agree that they can work with George through this incident. Elaine discovers that Glenn is, in fact, married and poor. Kramer and Jerry go to the pet cemetery to exhume the key, his neighbor catches only Jerry. George asks what's in the cooler (strongbox) as he easily opens it up. Kramer then claims, "This is one for the books, huh Jerry? Really one for the books!"
Characters
- Mary ScheerMary ScheerMary Scheer is an American actress and comedian. She is best known as one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for playing Freddie's mother, Marissa Benson, on iCarly...
, who was still doing MADtvMADtvMADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, played the welfare caseworker in this episode. She also had a cameo in Season 6's "The Kiss HelloThe Kiss Hello"The Kiss Hello" is the one hundred and third episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 6th season. It aired on February 16, 1995. Although this was the 103rd episode to air, the cast and crew of the series credit this as the 100th episode because it is the 100th episode...
" in a different role as one of Jerry's neighbors. - Alex Kapp HornerAlex Kapp HornerAlex Kapp Horner is an American actress whose most notable role was as Lindsay on the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine.-Personal life:...
, who appeared in this episode as George's girlfriend, would later be in another Julia Louis-DreyfusJulia Louis-DreyfusJulia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
' show, The New Adventures of Old ChristineThe New Adventures of Old ChristineThe New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
as Lindsay. - Louis MustilloLouis MustilloLouis Mustillo was born May 28, 1958 in Buffalo, New York; he is an American actor.-Biography:Mustillo has guest starred in more than 50 episodes of television and appeared in over 20 films. He was a series regular on Man of the People with James Garner...
as Phil, the man Jerry won't let in because of a recent string of robberies, and turns out he lives diagonally from him.
Superman references
- Jerry: We found out his super power was lack of money.
- George: Hey, Elaine. Maybe his girlfriend is Lois LoanLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
. - Jerry: He can wipe out his checking account in a single bounce!
Errors
- Phil's apartment number is 5E, which in all other episodes is Newman'sNewman (Seinfeld)Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
apartment number.