Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive/GettyCBS originally had a different idea about who should playRay Romano’s wife onEverybody Loves Raymond, according to the show’s creator.ThoughPatricia Heatonplayed titular character Ray Barone’s wife, Debra Barone, on the series, creator Phil Rosenthal claimed that “CBS wanted someone hotter to play Debra.““I almost quit the show over it,” Rosenthal, 61, toldYahoo Entertainment.Prior to Heaton’s casting, Rosenthal met with an unnamed actress that CBS “insisted” get the part. But he didn’t think she was right for Debra.“I thought she was wrong, but I met with her and she was a very pleasant, very nice person. She wasn’t going to read for the role but during the meeting, I convinced her to read a little bit with me,” he said. “And she was 10 times worse for the part than I thought she would be!“When Rosenthal later met with network executives, he entered with three picks in mind that included CBS' first choice. Even though then-CEOLes Moonvesasked about the network’s preferred option, Rosenthal was able to convince them to continue searching for the right actress.“I said, ‘I love her and I’ve loved everything she’s been in. I think she’s terrific and beautiful, but then she read for me and I have to tell you it’s just not what I wrote. I just don’t see them as a couple. I think she could do it, but I also think that maybe we could do better,'” he recalled. “[Les] said, ‘Well, it’s just an idea.’ In other words, he let me slide and we agreed to keep looking!““Two weeks later, Patty walked in and within five minutes she had the part. When it’s right, it’s right, and you know it immediately,” he added.PEOPLE has reached out to CBS for comment.Nicholas Hunt/GettyEverybody Loves Raymondran for nine seasons on CBS between 1996 to 2005. The series followed Long Island-based sports columnist Ray Barone and the everyday antics of his Italian-American family.Brad Garrett,Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle,Monica Horan, Madylin Sweeten and twinsSawyerand Sullivan Sweeten were also in the cast.Despite the beloved show’s popularity, Romano previously shut down the idea of anEverybody Loves Raymondrevival."[Phil Rosenthal and I] both agree. The parents are gone. Both parents are gone and they were so the show,” Romano, 63, toldUPIin 2018, referencing the deaths ofRoberts in 2016andBoyle in 2006.Romano also doesn’t think a revival with Ray and Debra replacing Frank (Boyle) and Marie’s (Roberts) former meddling parents roles would work. “It’s so not the show then. We just don’t believe it would do the show justice or be good enough to do it,” he continued. “Not only that but one of the kids[Sawyer Sweeten] is gonealso. So, I never say never, but I think it’s ‘no.'“Though Rosenthal has tried to pitch a reunion special with all living cast members, he hasn’t had much success in doing so.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I’ve pitched to now a couple of different places. We can do a reunion special. We can tell stories of the things that have happened to us at home, and then show a clip of theRaymondepisode, and I think it will be entertaining and funny and you’ll get a chance to catch up with the cast as they are now,” herecently saidon SiriusXM’sPop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw.“And it seemed towork forFriendsand, uh, no takers. Not yet,” he continued. “Maybe someone will hear this and say, ‘Hey, this seems like a no-brainer.’ I think people like the show, I think they would like to see the cast together. Again, I think they would like to revisit some of the highlights and outtakes from the show.”
Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive/Getty
CBS originally had a different idea about who should playRay Romano’s wife onEverybody Loves Raymond, according to the show’s creator.ThoughPatricia Heatonplayed titular character Ray Barone’s wife, Debra Barone, on the series, creator Phil Rosenthal claimed that “CBS wanted someone hotter to play Debra.““I almost quit the show over it,” Rosenthal, 61, toldYahoo Entertainment.Prior to Heaton’s casting, Rosenthal met with an unnamed actress that CBS “insisted” get the part. But he didn’t think she was right for Debra.“I thought she was wrong, but I met with her and she was a very pleasant, very nice person. She wasn’t going to read for the role but during the meeting, I convinced her to read a little bit with me,” he said. “And she was 10 times worse for the part than I thought she would be!“When Rosenthal later met with network executives, he entered with three picks in mind that included CBS’ first choice. Even though then-CEOLes Moonvesasked about the network’s preferred option, Rosenthal was able to convince them to continue searching for the right actress.“I said, ‘I love her and I’ve loved everything she’s been in. I think she’s terrific and beautiful, but then she read for me and I have to tell you it’s just not what I wrote. I just don’t see them as a couple. I think she could do it, but I also think that maybe we could do better,'” he recalled. “[Les] said, ‘Well, it’s just an idea.’ In other words, he let me slide and we agreed to keep looking!““Two weeks later, Patty walked in and within five minutes she had the part. When it’s right, it’s right, and you know it immediately,” he added.PEOPLE has reached out to CBS for comment.Nicholas Hunt/GettyEverybody Loves Raymondran for nine seasons on CBS between 1996 to 2005. The series followed Long Island-based sports columnist Ray Barone and the everyday antics of his Italian-American family.Brad Garrett,Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle,Monica Horan, Madylin Sweeten and twinsSawyerand Sullivan Sweeten were also in the cast.Despite the beloved show’s popularity, Romano previously shut down the idea of anEverybody Loves Raymondrevival."[Phil Rosenthal and I] both agree. The parents are gone. Both parents are gone and they were so the show,” Romano, 63, toldUPIin 2018, referencing the deaths ofRoberts in 2016andBoyle in 2006.Romano also doesn’t think a revival with Ray and Debra replacing Frank (Boyle) and Marie’s (Roberts) former meddling parents roles would work. “It’s so not the show then. We just don’t believe it would do the show justice or be good enough to do it,” he continued. “Not only that but one of the kids[Sawyer Sweeten] is gonealso. So, I never say never, but I think it’s ‘no.'“Though Rosenthal has tried to pitch a reunion special with all living cast members, he hasn’t had much success in doing so.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I’ve pitched to now a couple of different places. We can do a reunion special. We can tell stories of the things that have happened to us at home, and then show a clip of theRaymondepisode, and I think it will be entertaining and funny and you’ll get a chance to catch up with the cast as they are now,” herecently saidon SiriusXM’sPop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw.“And it seemed towork forFriendsand, uh, no takers. Not yet,” he continued. “Maybe someone will hear this and say, ‘Hey, this seems like a no-brainer.’ I think people like the show, I think they would like to see the cast together. Again, I think they would like to revisit some of the highlights and outtakes from the show.”
CBS originally had a different idea about who should playRay Romano’s wife onEverybody Loves Raymond, according to the show’s creator.
ThoughPatricia Heatonplayed titular character Ray Barone’s wife, Debra Barone, on the series, creator Phil Rosenthal claimed that “CBS wanted someone hotter to play Debra.”
“I almost quit the show over it,” Rosenthal, 61, toldYahoo Entertainment.
Prior to Heaton’s casting, Rosenthal met with an unnamed actress that CBS “insisted” get the part. But he didn’t think she was right for Debra.
“I thought she was wrong, but I met with her and she was a very pleasant, very nice person. She wasn’t going to read for the role but during the meeting, I convinced her to read a little bit with me,” he said. “And she was 10 times worse for the part than I thought she would be!”
When Rosenthal later met with network executives, he entered with three picks in mind that included CBS’ first choice. Even though then-CEOLes Moonvesasked about the network’s preferred option, Rosenthal was able to convince them to continue searching for the right actress.
“I said, ‘I love her and I’ve loved everything she’s been in. I think she’s terrific and beautiful, but then she read for me and I have to tell you it’s just not what I wrote. I just don’t see them as a couple. I think she could do it, but I also think that maybe we could do better,'” he recalled. “[Les] said, ‘Well, it’s just an idea.’ In other words, he let me slide and we agreed to keep looking!”
“Two weeks later, Patty walked in and within five minutes she had the part. When it’s right, it’s right, and you know it immediately,” he added.
PEOPLE has reached out to CBS for comment.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty
Everybody Loves Raymondran for nine seasons on CBS between 1996 to 2005. The series followed Long Island-based sports columnist Ray Barone and the everyday antics of his Italian-American family.
Brad Garrett,Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle,Monica Horan, Madylin Sweeten and twinsSawyerand Sullivan Sweeten were also in the cast.
Despite the beloved show’s popularity, Romano previously shut down the idea of anEverybody Loves Raymondrevival.
“[Phil Rosenthal and I] both agree. The parents are gone. Both parents are gone and they were so the show,” Romano, 63, toldUPIin 2018, referencing the deaths ofRoberts in 2016andBoyle in 2006.
Romano also doesn’t think a revival with Ray and Debra replacing Frank (Boyle) and Marie’s (Roberts) former meddling parents roles would work. “It’s so not the show then. We just don’t believe it would do the show justice or be good enough to do it,” he continued. “Not only that but one of the kids[Sawyer Sweeten] is gonealso. So, I never say never, but I think it’s ‘no.'”
Though Rosenthal has tried to pitch a reunion special with all living cast members, he hasn’t had much success in doing so.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I’ve pitched to now a couple of different places. We can do a reunion special. We can tell stories of the things that have happened to us at home, and then show a clip of theRaymondepisode, and I think it will be entertaining and funny and you’ll get a chance to catch up with the cast as they are now,” herecently saidon SiriusXM’sPop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw.
“And it seemed towork forFriendsand, uh, no takers. Not yet,” he continued. “Maybe someone will hear this and say, ‘Hey, this seems like a no-brainer.’ I think people like the show, I think they would like to see the cast together. Again, I think they would like to revisit some of the highlights and outtakes from the show.”
source: people.com
