Though born in Brooklyn, Jerry Seinfeld was raised in the suburban Long Island neighborhood of Massepequa. His first attempts at stand-up began immediately after college graduation, literally, as he left graduation to do an amateur night at New York's "Catch a Rising Star."

He performed in local clubs and in the Catskills, but his first boost to a wider national audience came from an appearance on a Rodney Dangerfield HBO special. Soon following was a successful appearance on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson", leading to further appearances along with performances on "Late Night with Letterman" and "The Merv Griffin show."

After a bad experience on the sitcom "Benson", Seinfeld vowed never to do another sitcom until he had more creative control. In 1989, that control was granted, as he partnered up with fellow stand-up Larry David to create the "Seinfeld Chronicles", which eventually became just "Seinfeld." The show was just about Jerry's life as a stand-up comic, dealing with the little things of modern life. The show developed into a huge hit. Seinfeld ended the show in 1998 while still on top of the ratings and critical praise.