Top 10 Times a TV Actor Broke but They Still Used the Take

#10: Dick Leathers Up

“3rd Rock from the Sun” (1996-2001)

As Mary Albright, Jane Curtin was the foil who reacted to Dick Solomon’s eccentric behavior with a straight face… most of the time. Although Curtin strived to remain professional on set, there were times when she couldn’t help but lose it. One such instance came in Season 1 when Dick tries to shed a few years off with a newly dyed head of hair. Dick also breaks in a new pair of leather trousers. Emphasis on the word break, as the squeaky sounds he makes with every gesture chip away at Curtin. Barely getting through the scene, Curtin lets it all out as John Lithgow exits. Curtin said, “It would have been impossible to do that scene had I not been allowed to break up.”

#9: The Stapler

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)

Of the Nine-Nine crew, Rosa Diaz might’ve seemed like the hardest nut to crack. Behind the scenes, though, Stephanie Beatriz came down with the giggles more than a few times. One of the most notable instances is also among the easiest to miss. In a Season 2 cold open, the precinct tries to make Gina look up from her phone. Before Charles can get more than two words out, Gina instinctively chucks a stapler at him. The cast in the background is blurred, but if you look closely, you’ll spot Rosa pulling her head back, cackling. We guess this isn’t entirely out of character. If anything were going to make Rosa laugh uncontrollably, Charles’ suffering would probably do the trick.

#8: Yellow Light

“Taxi” (1978-83)

Christopher Lloyd’s Reverend Jim Ignatowski became a series regular in Season 2 of “Taxi.” Before he can join the Sunshine Cab Company, he needs to pass a written exam. To call Jim slow would be an understatement. How slow? He doesn’t comprehend that a yellow light means slow down, even as his friends try feeding him the simple answer. Lloyd fully commits to the bit as he repeats the same question over and over again. The fact that Lloyd says the line slower each time only makes it harder for co-stars Jeff Conaway, Tony Danza, and Marilu Henner to keep their laughter under control. Aside from Lloyd, Judd Hirsch is the only other cast member who manages to stay completely in character.

#7: The Final “Bullet”

“Frasier” (1993-2004)

When Frasier helms a radio murder mystery, nothing goes according to plan. Among the unforeseen issues is Roz having to perform after a trip to the dentist. Niles is even more frustrated, deciding that the only way out is with a bullet… or a balloon, in this case. Niles goes on a killing spree, having to pop several balloons. It’s a relief for Roz when her character is axed off, retreating into the background. As Niles pops his last balloon, a grin pops up on actress Peri Gilpin’s face. Roz was already covering half of her face due to the pain, making this break a little easier to disguise. Yet, it doesn’t take a detective to notice Gilpin getting giggly.

#6: Book Interrogation

“Seinfeld” (1989-98)

Jerry Seinfeld cracked up so often on his eponymous sitcom that it essentially became part of his character. In what might be Seinfeld’s most notorious bit of breaking, he’s paid a visit from a library cop named Lt. Joe Bookman. That alone is a funny setup, but what makes the scene such a riot is how seriously Philip Baker Hall plays Bookman, acting as if this were a legitimate crime drama. Hall’s intensity perfectly offsets Seinfeld’s immaturity as he smiles throughout the monologue. Seinfeld estimates that the scene in the finished episode consists of eight different takes. Even the most usable footage couldn’t contain Seinfeld’s chuckles. Seinfeld says it was the hardest scene to shoot without laughing. The evidence is on the screen.

#5: Boyfriends

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-)

A hurricane is no laughing matter. It’s also an inappropriate means to pick up chicks, but that naturally doesn’t stop Dennis. As Charlie gathers supplies, Dennis invites two women to his hurricane party. Dennis rescinds the invitation upon learning that they have boyfriends, blatantly telling the ladies that the possibility of bunker sex was the only reason he spoke to them. All the while, Charlie turns his back to the camera. From a character standpoint, one could argue that this is because Charlie knows that Dennis is about to explode. In reality, though, it’s clear that Charlie Day was trying to hide the smirk on his face. Much like a storm, you can’t always control what happens, no matter how much you prepare.

#4: Kitty Gets Naughty

“That ‘70s Show” (1998-2006)

Sometimes, it’s better to go all in during rehearsals so every actor knows what’s coming. Of course, you also lose some spontaneity when the cameras start rolling. For this scene set at a strip club, actress Debra Jo Rupp wasn’t sure what exactly she was going to do until the shoot was underway. As Kitty, she through herself into routine, causing hysterics across the set. It was easy enough to cut out Laura Prepon and Luke Wilson laughing behind her. They had a harder time shooting around Mila Kunis, who was sitting next to Jo Rupp. With all eyes on Kitty, you might overlook Jackie collapsing in laughter at first. Once you see Kunis break, though, there’s no going back.

#3: Nip It In the Bud

“The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-68)

Some scenes can be nailed in one take. Others are harder to nip in the bud. This one falls into the latter category. With the arrival of three new recruits, Don Knotts’ Barney tries to assert himself as the senior deputy around these parts. Although Barney presents himself as an authority figure, Knotts had little self-control that day. The moment that kept getting to Knotts sees actor Howard McNear scream back at him. According to Knotts, they had to shoot the scene nearly twenty times due to his laughter. The good news is that they eventually got the scene without Knotts breaking. The bad news is that star Andy Griffith could be seen covering his smile, although we’d still call that a happy accident.

#2: Translating

“I Love Lucy” (1951-57)

When Ricky’s friends from Cuba visit, Lucy feels left out since she doesn’t speak the same language. Ricky, meanwhile, is caught in the middle, having to translate for everyone. He gets a little mixed up at one point, accidentally asking his out-of-town friends a question in English, remembering halfway through that they only speak Spanish. This was a flub on Desi Arnaz’s part, which is apparent based on his subsequent laughter. The gaffe still worked within the episode’s context, as going back and forth between two languages can get confusing even for bilingual speakers. So, the take was left in, with Arnaz getting back on track. English or Spanish, this scene is a reminder that laughter is a universal language.

#1: Celebration: Bagpipes Edition

“Friends” (1994-2004)

For Chandler and Monica’s wedding day, Ross wishes to celebrate with a Kool & The Gang played on the most angelic of instruments: bagpipes. When Ross shows them what he’s learned, Monica and Chandler aren’t having it, Phoebe gets into it, and Rachel tries to hold back her laughter. Really, though, it’s Jennifer Aniston hiding her case of the sillies, which is 100% genuine. She wasn’t the only one who broke during the shoot. A blooper reveals every actor on set going to pieces. While her co-stars managed to keep it together for the finished take, Aniston is the outlier. Between Ross’ butching of the bagpipes and Phoebe singing along, it’s impressive that Rachel was able to show just enough restraint.

Did you catch any other character breaks that were left in? Let us know in the comments.