On May 18, 1995, Seinfeld introduced a larger-than-life character into the pop culture consciousness. In “The Understudy,” Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has a chance encounter with J. (Jacopo) Peterman (John O’Hurley), a mail order clothing catalog magnate whose penchant for ornate, over-the-top dialogue left Elaine and viewers both slack-jawed and delighted. What many Seinfeld fans still might not be aware of is that the Peterman in the show is based on a real-life mail order catalog magnate by the name of J. (John) Peterman.

Read More