Both Leah Remini and Kevin James had fond memories of their time working on “The King of Queens.”
On Thursday, the cast members of the CBS comedy celebrated the show’s 25th anniversary by paying homage to it.
The first episode of the series aired on September 21, 1998, and the show continued airing till May of 2007. It followed a middle-class married couple named Doug (played by James) and Carrie Heffernan (played by Remini), as they lived in Queens, New York, with the latter’s father, Arthur Spooner (played by the late Jerry Stiller).
James, who is 58 years old, thanked his co-stars and the program in an Instagram post on Thursday in which he also included a picture of the three of them together.
He stated in the caption, “25 years ago today, we aired,” referring to the day. “I am so incredibly blessed to have taken this ride with the insanely talented @leahremini and Jerry Stiller. Thank you both so much for the opportunity!” I adore both of you so very much. and I would want to extend my gratitude to the BEST FANS in the whole globe LOVE YOU! ”
Remini, who is 53 years old, sent her own personal homage on Instagram to the “truly special show,” gushing over both her co-stars and the viewers of the series. She also uploaded an entertaining clip from one of the episodes of the program, in which Carrie is seen purchasing a shirt for Doug from the “Big and Tall Store.”
“By the time I signed on as Carrie Heffernan, I had been to hundreds of auditions, was cast in many pilots, and some short-lived series, and was finally offered The King of Queens,” she opened her post by saying. “I was so excited to finally get the role.” “As soon as production started on season one, I knew I was home,” the actor said. “And I am blessed to say that I was a part of a truly special show that went on for nine seasons and 207 episodes and still lives on successfully in syndication.”
The actress lauded James and Stiller, as well as their “amazing” costars Gary Valentine (Danny), Patton Oswalt (Spence), Victor Williams (Deacon), and Nicole Sullivan (Holly).
“They all made me laugh every day,” she wrote in her journal. “The program would not be what it is without the talented guests and consistent cast that we have. As an actor, it was a dream come true to get to work with the cast, the crew, as well as our amazing and committed authors and producers.
She then thanked the show’s viewers and their passionate loyalty, remembering a viewer who had written that her family is a “three-generation King of Queens household: her mom watches it, she watches it, and now her daughter watches it.”
“I want to let you all know that I see the comments where you say that you fall asleep every night to The King of Queens, that it got you through a rough day and tough times in your lives,” continued the star, “that you laughed for the first time in your day watching us, or that you watch several episodes a day, or that you and your family bond over watching the episodes in syndication.”
She ended her eulogy by saying, “It means the world to me, and I’m so grateful for this experience that lives on and on,” which is a fitting way to express her feelings.
The cast of “King of Queens” got together digitally in 2021 for a charity reunion and did a table read in honor of their late co-star, Stiller, who had passed away in May 2020 at the age of 92.
Remini recalls of the late actor, “He was the dad, he was the one in his undershirt after the show wrapped,” “Jerry may have been in the opening scene, and they might have told him, ‘It’s all right for you to depart. Even when I told him, “You don’t have to stay all night while we’re filming,’ he insisted on staying.”
James jumped in and said, “He cared so much about you.” “He cared so much about you,” “I remember, there was one taping that we had where we had it where I was sick beforehand… and Jerry came backstage to my dressing room and he goes, ‘Can I help you?'”
“I miss him so much — he’s just the greatest,” said the actor who appeared in Kevin Can Wait. “A lot of people see him how he acts, the cranky old man yelling and screaming, but that was the complete opposite of who he was,” she said. He is a heavenly being.”
