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Was Billy Crystal and Robin Williams’ Cameo on Friends Planned?

On NBC, David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s hit TV show Friends premiered on September 22, 1994. The show’s premise was simple; it revolved around the lives of six young adults living in New York City. No one knew how big the show would get, but after ten seasons and 236 episodes, we can definitely say they made a huge success. But did you know some of the cameos in the hit TV series weren’t planned?

Billy Crystal and Robin Williams had an impromptu cameo on Friends. The two were wandering around from a nearby set and improvised the opening scene of the episode “The One With The Ultimate Fighting Champion.”

The Story Behind Billy Crystal and Robin Williams’ Cameo

Without a doubt, the duo were some of the biggest guest stars to have ever graced the set of the hit TV show Friends. But how did they end up on the set?

While the episode was being shot, Crystal and Williams just happened to be at the neighboring set. They wandered onto the set of Friends, and the writers asked if they’d be up for a quick cameo. They agreed almost immediately, and they were thrown into the opening scene with no script. The two ad-libbed the entire part. The rest of the Friends’ cast caught the improv bug and started adding to the scene too.

Having Williams on the show was a pretty big deal since he was already a Hollywood Big Wig with at least 84 films under his name. The cameo may have been accidental, but it was definitely great for TV. This gave the two actors an extra amount of publicity. The day after the episode aired, the movie Father’s Day hit the theaters. (Source: Screen Rant)

What Episode Did Billy Crystal and Robin Williams Appear On?

The said cameo was for the opening scene of the episode; The One With The Ultimate Fighting Champion.

At the start of the episode, Monica and the rest of the characters of Friends were at Central Perk. Monica was about to tell a story when she was interrupted by Tomas (Williams) and his friend Tim (Crystal). The two men asked the group to scooch over since the cafe was packed. As they obliged the strangers’ request, they couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation.

Tomas believed his wife was cheating on him with her gynecologist, but it turns out Tim was the other man. Joey tried to butt in the conversation, but Tim told him to mind his own business. Tomas ended his friendship with Tim and just stormed out of Central Perk. After the men left, Monica completely forgot what she was going to say. (Source: Screen Rant)

Were There Other Guest Appearances on the Show?

Big names like Crystal and Williams were not new to the show. During its run, popular actors would come and make guest spots. Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Bruce, Willis, and Christina Applegate were just some of the major league actors and actresses who played memorable roles in the sitcom. What made Crystal and Williams’ cameo unique was the fact that it was never planned. With no script, it proves to show how great they were as actors. (Source: Screen Rant)

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