The popular 90s sitcom,Everybody Loves RaymondstarsRay Romanoas family man and sports writer, Ray Barone, who leads anything but a boring life in Long Island where he lives with his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton) and their kids along with his parents, Frank and Marie (Peter Boyle,Doris Roberts) who live next door and his older brother, Robert (Brad Garrett). While the show is known for its star-studded cast and memorable antics,Everybody Loves Raymondis also remembered for its various guest stars.
Everybody Loves Raymondconsisted of several regular guest stars includingFred Willard,Georgia Engel,andChris Elliottbut the show also featured iconic appearances of former television stars and even professional athletes likeBarry BondsandTerry Bradshaw. FromCurb Your Enthusiasmstar,Cheryl Hinesto one of America’s first television mothers,Jean Stapleton, these are 10 of the best guest stars onEverybody Loves Raymond!
10Cheryl Hines
In season 7, Ray and Debra have their new friends, Lauren and Neil Williamson, over for dinner and are winding down after what appears to be a great night. As they start spending more time together, Lauren and Neil’s 8-year-old son, Spencer, and his unruly behavior begin to irritate Ray who starts to reconsider his and Debra’s new friends.
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Hinesappeared in the episode, “The Annoying Kid,” as Lauren who is like Debra in every way except when it comes to parenting. Hines is widely recognized for her role asLarry David’s wife on the hitHBO comedy series,Curb Your Enthusiasm, but she’s also made guest appearances on other popular television comedies includingScrubs,Reno 911!andThe Conners.
9David Proval
In the show’s fifth season premiere, “Italy,” Frank and Marie announce that they’re all going on a family vacation to Rome for two weeks at their expense. Once they arrive, Robert falls for a beautiful waitress, Stefania, but their romance is quickly interrupted by Stefania’s intimidating father, Marco who is played byDavid Proval.
Proval appeared in several episodes as Marco Fogagnolo and is known for his roles inThe Shawshank RedemptionandMartin Scorsese’s film,Mean StreetsstarringRobert De Niro. Around the time Proval appeared onEverybody Loves Raymond, the actor was also starring in HBO’s hit series,The Sopranos, as the hot-headed tough guy, Richie Aprile.
8Bob Odenkirk
Ray’s reluctant about going to his 20th high school reunion and Debra meeting his classmates for the first time including his best friends at the time, Scott and Warren. As the night goes on, Debra winds up hanging out with the former popular kids which causes Ray to feel left out and realizes that he was a nerd in high school.
Bob Odenkirkfirst appeared as Ray’s socially awkward buddy, Scott, in season 2, episode 10, ‘High School’ and returned in season 5, episode, “Net Worth.” Before his breakthrough role as Saul Goodman onBreaking BadandBetter Call Saul, Odenkirk rose to fame as a writer onSaturday Night Liveand went on to create the popular HBO sketch comedy show,Mr. Show with Bob and David, co-starringDavid Cross.
7Katherine Helmond
Debra’s parents, Lois and Warren Whelan, invite Ray and his family out to eat at a nice French restaurant as their treat. Lois and Warren’s extensive traveling is a running joke within the Barone family but when Ray makes a comment about where they’re going for Thanksgiving, he ends up in trouble with both families.
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Throughout the show,Who’s the Boss?star,Katherine Helmond, appeared in a total of 14 episodes as Debra’s mother, Lois. While Helmond is recognized for her co-starring role as Mona Robinson on the hit80s family sitcom, she also had minor roles in several popular movies includingOverboard,Time Banditsand Pixar’sCarstrilogy.
6Kevin James
When Robert is named captain of his and Ray’s basketball team, Ray becomes jealous, but the power ends up going to Robert’s head and the team eventually turns on him. They decide to make Ray their new captain and while he enjoys coaching his team, Ray realizes that he’s missing out on spending time with his family.
Kevin Jamesfirst appeared in season 1 in the episode, “Captain Nemo,” as Kevin who is on Ray’s recreational basketball team. James returned to the role of Ray’s buddy in several episodes of the series' second season before starring in the show’s spinoff sitcom,King of Queens, as Doug Heffernan. Both shows featured multiple crossover episodes with Romano appearing in 4 episodes ofKing of Queensas Doug’s friend from Long Island.
5Paul Reubens
In season 4, episode 17, “Hackidu,” Ray’s daughter, Ally, trades all of her Hackidu cards for a single card which Ray thinks is a rip-off and makes the kids trade back. When Ray realizes that the card Ally traded for was very rare and expensive, he tries to make things right by buying the card from Amy’s eccentric brother, Russell who is played byPaul Reubens.
Reubens, who is best known for his signature role as Pee-wee Herman, originally played Amy MacDougall’s brother before the character was portrayed bySchitt’s Creekstar, Chris Elliott as Peter. The show never addresses what happened to Amy’s brother, Russell, but surprisingly, Elliott manages to bring an even more quirky and obnoxious character to the show than Reubens' original version of the character.
4Terry Bradshaw
Ray has an interview lined up with former football star, Terry Bradshaw, about ghostwriting his biography but when Debra and the kids get sick, Ray has to take the kids to the doctor. While Ray tends to his kids, he also tries to keep his meeting with Bradshaw to meet him at his kids' pediatricians which is not where Bradshaw was expecting to show up.
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In the show’s first season, episode, “Debra’s Sick,” Bradshaw enters the doctor’s office completely dumbfounded until he sees Ray with his kids. The episode kicks off with comedy gold as Ray tries to hold a meeting with Bradshaw who casually takes a seat on a large stuffed giraffe. The football star’s appearance isn’t very long but manages to get some of the biggest laughs in that short span of time.
3Barry Bonds
At the beginning of the episode, “Diamonds,” Ray has just finished interviewing baseball icon, Barry Bonds, who is irritated by reporters always giving him a hard time about his salary. The two engage in an interesting conversation about their salaries and somehow, Bonds makes Ray feel like he’s a millionaire too.
Ray’s profession in the series sets up a number of appearances by professional athletes but Bonds schooling Ray about his 7 million dollar salary sets him apart from other guests. While the episode’s title is a reference to Debra’s wedding ring, the title is also a nod to Bonds and the baseball diamond field.
2Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In season 1, episode, “Frank the Writer,” Ray’s dad, Frank, writes a funny story that ends up getting published in Reader’s Digest. The accomplishment makes Frank think he’s actually a good writer and aspires to have a column just like Ray. Before Frank’s big news, Ray has an unexpected guest over to the house, former NBA star,Kareem-Abdul Jabbar.
Jabbar’s guest appearance has literally nothing to do with the rest of the episode but starts things off on a hilarious note when Debra doesn’t even realize Jabbar is in her house. The fact that anyone would be asleep while in the presence of greatness like Jabbar is hilarious in itself and makes the basketball star one of the show’s best celebrity cameos.
1Jean Stapleton
When Ray’s Uncle Gus passes away, Ray is asked to give the family eulogy for his favorite uncle. As the family gathers for the service, Ray is nervous about speaking, but he ends up with a bigger problem when his Aunt Alda arrives and tensions flare up between her and Ray’s mother, Marie.
Stapleton is universally recognized for her role as one of television’s most beloved mother and wife, Edith Bunker from the iconic family sitcom,All in the Family. Her hilarious appearance as Ray’s aunt is not only the highlight of the season one episode, “I Wish I Were Gus,” but also a fitting tribute tothe American sitcom.
