130 Fun Facts About The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Who plays Miriam "Midge" Maisel?

She won the 2018 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role.

Who created The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?

She was inspired by memories of her father, a New York stand-up comic, and by early female comics like Joan Rivers.

On which streaming service did The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premiere in 2017?

The pilot aired as part of Amazon's Spring 2017 pilot season before the show was picked up.

In what year does the first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel begin?

The final season adds flash-forwards all the way to the 2000s.

At which Greenwich Village club does Midge give her first drunken, nightgown-clad set?

Its exterior was shot outside 96 St. Mark's Place, the building on Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti cover.

Which real-life comedian is arrested the same night as Midge in the pilot and becomes her ally?

Luke Kirby won an Emmy for playing him.

Who becomes Midge's manager after spotting her raw talent at the Gaslight?

Alex Borstein won back-to-back supporting-actress Emmys for the role in 2018 and 2019.

Which actress, also the voice of Lois Griffin on Family Guy, plays Midge's manager?

She was a MADtv cast member from 1997 to 2009.

Midge's husband Joel leaves her for whom?

Joel's own comedy act was mostly stolen from Bob Newhart routines.

Whose comedy routines does Joel Maisel copy for his own act?

His set at the Gaslight bombs so badly it kicks off the whole series.

At which department store does Midge take a job on the make-up counter?

Exteriors were shot at the real building on Fifth Avenue; interiors in a disused Brooklyn bank.

Who plays Midge's father, Abe Weissman?

He won the 2019 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the role.

What subject does Abe Weissman teach at Columbia University?

He also researches at Bell Labs before quitting academia to return to activism.

Abe Weissman later becomes theatre critic for which publication?

Chris Eigeman plays Gabe, the paper's editor.

What second career does Midge's mother Rose Weissman take up?

She runs afoul of a consortium of New York matchmakers led by Kelly Bishop's Benedetta.

Which rival comic performs in a fat suit as a frumpy Queens housewife but is really a Manhattan snob?

Jane Lynch plays her; the character's vindictive manager gets Midge blacklisted.

Which singer hires Midge as the opening act on his tour at the end of season two?

Darius de Haas provided the character's singing voice.

Why is Midge fired from the singer's tour in season three?

Sterling K. Brown played his manager Reggie that season.

Where does Joel open his nightclub in season three?

He soon discovers his landlords run an illegal gambling den downstairs.

Which future Oscar nominee plays Mei Lin, the mysterious woman Joel dates?

She went on to be nominated for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

At which type of venue does Midge become the emcee in season four?

The Wolford is eventually shut down by a police raid.

In season five, Midge is hired as a writer on which late-night TV programme?

Reid Scott plays the host and Jason Ralph, Brosnahan's real-life husband, plays producer Mike Carr.

Why does Midge eventually fire her manager, as revealed in the season-five flash-forwards?

Frank and Nicky, the mob enforcers, become unlikely friends of Susie's along the way.

Midge's brother Noah Weissman secretly works for which organisation?

His wife Astrid converted to Judaism and obsessively observes every tradition.

Which actress plays Benedetta, leader of a New York matchmaking consortium, in season four?

Milo Ventimiglia, another Gilmore Girls veteran, also guested that season.

Which This Is Us star plays Reggie, manager of the singer Midge opens for, in season three?

His casting was announced in April 2019 in an undisclosed role.

Which comedian plays a version of legendary stand-up Moms Mabley in season three?

The show also brought in Jason Alexander as playwright Asher Friedman that season.

Which Chuck star plays Dr. Benjamin Ettenberg, the doctor Midge is briefly engaged to?

They meet at the Catskills resort in season two.

Which cult filmmaker made a guest appearance in season four?

The same season featured Milo Ventimiglia and Kelly Bishop from Gilmore Girls.

How many seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were made?

The final season premiered on April 14, 2023.

How did the release format change for season four?

Earlier seasons had dropped in a single binge.

Which building, famous from a Led Zeppelin album cover, provided the Gaslight's exterior?

The building appears on the cover of 1975's Physical Graffiti.

Where were the season-two Catskills scenes actually filmed?

The Paris scenes that season were shot in the 2nd arrondissement and the Musée Rodin.

Which Miami hotel appears in season three?

The tour with Shy Baldwin took Midge far from New York for the first time.

What is the name of the retro typeface used for the show's logo?

It was designed by Stuart Sandler of Font Diner.

Which 1964 film inspired the Cuban dance number in season three?

It is a favourite of cinematographer M. David Mullen.

Which institution acquired two costumes from the series in December 2019?

The Paley Center also mounted a "Making Maisel Marvelous" exhibit that year.

Amazon's 2018 pop-up promotion for the show was modelled on which New York eatery?

Nothing on the menu cost more than 99 cents and proceeds went to the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

A 2019 Emmy campaign stunt sold gasoline in Santa Monica at 1959 prices. How much per gallon?

The queues caused traffic jams and police had to step in.

For Mrs. Maisel, its creator was the first woman to win which two Emmys in one year?

She had already created Gilmore Girls and Bunheads.

Before Maisel, the show's creator made which long-running mother-daughter series?

Several Gilmore Girls actors, including Kelly Bishop and Milo Ventimiglia, turned up in Maisel.

The show's creator got her first TV writing job on which sitcom in 1990?

She gave up a dance career, including a callback for Cats, to take it.

What is the name of the show creator's production company?

Her father Don Sherman was a stand-up comic from the Bronx.

Midge's actress earned an Emmy nomination before Maisel for playing Rachel Posner in which series?

She was born in Milwaukee and raised in Highland Park, Illinois.

Which DC Comics character did Midge's actress play in the 2025 film Superman?

It marked her entry into the DC Universe franchise.

Midge's actress was on which sports team for two years in high school?

She was also a snowboarding instructor as a teenager.

The actresses who play Midge and her manager were both raised in which Illinois town?

Borstein was born there in 1971; Brosnahan moved there at age four.

The actress who plays Midge's manager voiced which villain in Power Rangers Zeo before her MADtv days?

She left an ad agency, where she wrote print ads for Barbie, to write full time.

The actor who plays Abe Weissman is best known for which obsessive-compulsive TV detective?

He won three lead-actor Emmys for the USA Network series before his Maisel win.

Abe Weissman's actor won a Tony Award in 2018 for which musical?

He played the Egyptian bandleader Tewfiq Zakaria.

Luke Kirby, who plays the show's real-life comedian, was born in which country?

He trained at the National Theatre School of Canada and won the 2019 guest actor Emmy.

Michael Zegen, who plays Joel, previously appeared in which Prohibition-era HBO drama?

He was also a probationary firefighter on Rescue Me.

Marin Hinkle, who plays Rose Weissman, spent 12 years playing Judith on which CBS sitcom?

She was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to American Peace Corps parents.

Which award did The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel win at the 2018 Emmys?

Sherman-Palladino also took home directing and writing awards that night.

Which minor character dies offscreen of a stroke in season four after the actor's real-life death?

Brian Tarantina had played the wisecracking emcee since the pilot.

Where was the interior of Moishe Maisel's garment factory filmed?

On screen the factory is set in Manhattan's Garment District.

Liza Weil's bassist Carole Keen is loosely modelled on which real session musician?

Weil was another Gilmore Girls alumna in the cast.

The show is known for its extended single-take scenes. What is the production nickname for them?

One follows Midge from a Jeep onto a hangar stage before nearly 1,000 soldiers.

Whose movies partly inspired the late-1950s design of Midge and Joel's apartment?

Production designer Bill Groom built it on the same set as her parents' apartment.

How many episodes made up the fifth and final season?

It ran from April 14 to May 26, 2023.

On what date did The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel pilot premiere on Amazon Prime Video?

The rest of season one was released on November 29, 2017.

Which two early female comics inspired the show's creator when developing the series?

She also drew on childhood memories of her father, a New York stand-up.

How many episodes did Amazon order for season three in May 2018?

The show was renewed for season four one week after season three's release.

Rachel Brosnahan was cast in the lead role in which month and year?

Tony Shalhoub and Michael Zegen joined the pilot's cast in September 2016.

Which actor who guests in season four is Rachel Brosnahan's real-life husband?

He plays Mike Carr, later a producer on The Gordon Ford Show, and became a series regular in season five.

Which three actors were promoted to series regulars for the fifth season?

They play Gordon Ford, Dinah Rutledge and Mike Carr respectively.

Principal photography for the pilot ran from September 27, 2016 until which date?

It ran from September 27 to October 14, 2016.

Which famous jazz club on Seventh Avenue South was used as a New York filming location?

Other locations included a butcher shop on Elizabeth Street in Little Italy.

Where were the interior scenes set at the B. Altman department store actually shot?

Exteriors used the real B. Altman and Company Building on Fifth Avenue.

Season two's Paris scenes were filmed partly at which museum?

Other Paris scenes were shot in the 2nd arrondissement.

In one famous single-shot scene, Midge opens for Shy in a hangar before roughly how many soldiers?

The camera follows Midge and Susie from an open Jeep into the airplane hangar.

Who was the show's production designer, who cited Doris Day films for Midge's apartment?

Midge's apartment used the same set as her parents' home, dressed in more modern late-1950s style.

Which cinematographer's favourite film inspired the season-three Cuban dance number?

The film was Mikhail Kalatozov's I Am Cuba (1964).

The 2018 pop-up deli promoting the show opened in which Manhattan neighbourhood?

Nothing on the menu cost more than 99 cents and proceeds went to the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

What were the only two sandwiches on the menu at the 2018 pop-up deli?

Mini knishes, black and white cookies, cheesecake and pickles were also served.

Which charity received the proceeds of the 2018 pop-up deli?

The promotion ran from December 1 to 8, 2018.

Season two premiered on which date?

Season three followed on December 6, 2019.

Season four premiered on which date in 2022?

It moved to weekly releases of two episodes each.

What overall Rotten Tomatoes score does the series hold?

Its overall Metacritic score is 78.

What average viewer rating out of 5 did the pilot achieve on Amazon Video?

It was one of Amazon Video's most successful pilots ever.

Which two awards did Sherman-Palladino win personally at the 2018 Emmys?

She was the first woman to win both comedy categories in the same year.

Which two cast members won Emmys in 2019 for Supporting Actor and Guest Actor in a Comedy?

Alex Borstein won Supporting Actress in both 2018 and 2019.

Which character is Susie's secretary, later the main manager of her talent agency?

She is played by Alfie Fuller.

What is the name of the Weissmans' maid?

She is played by Matilda Szydagis; her boyfriend Janusz appears in season five.

Which character is Midge's sister-in-law who converted to Judaism to marry Noah?

Insecure about not being born Jewish, she obsessively observes every tradition; she is played by Justine Lupe.

Which powerful talent agent, played by David Paymer, has Sophie Lennon among his clients?

His vindictiveness gets Midge blacklisted from New York clubs in season two.

Who provided the singing voice for Shy Baldwin?

Leroy McClain plays Shy on screen.

Which two low-level mob enforcers develop a friendship with Susie?

Frank is played by Erik Palladino and Nick by John Scurti.

Which character stalks Susie and later becomes her roommate?

He is played by Connor Ratliff.

Which Princess Bride star plays Gavin Hawk, Sophie Lennon's co-star in Miss Julie?

Sophie's attempt at serious theatre is a season-three storyline.

Which Seinfeld star plays playwright Asher Friedman, Abe's old friend?

Alexander is famous as George Costanza.

Which quirky magician does Susie manage in season four?

He is played by Gideon Glick, later of Étoile.

Which actress plays L. Roy Dunham, a newspaper critic reviewing Midge's career?

Santino Fontana plays Boise, the stage manager at the Wolford burlesque club.

Which This Is Us actor plays Sylvio, a man Midge meets in Riverside Park in season four?

Ventimiglia earlier played Jess in Sherman-Palladino's Gilmore Girls.

Who plays Hedy Ford, Gordon Ford's wife, in season five?

Peter Friedman plays George Toledano, the show's producer.

Which actor plays Midge and Joel's older son Ethan as an adult in season five?

Alexandra Socha plays the older Esther.

Rachel Brosnahan was born in which US city?

Her parents worked in children's publishing; she was raised in Highland Park, Illinois, from age four.

Rachel Brosnahan is the niece of which handbag designer?

Spade was married to Andy Spade, older brother of comedian David Spade.

Rachel Brosnahan made her film debut in which 2009 horror film?

She later starred in The Courier, I'm Your Woman and The Amateur.

Alex Borstein played Dawn Forchette in which HBO medical comedy?

She was also a MADtv cast member from 1997 to 2009.

Tony Shalhoub's breakout role was Antonio Scarpacci in which NBC sitcom?

He later won three Emmys as Adrian Monk.

Tony Shalhoub was born and raised in a Lebanese Christian household in which city?

He was the ninth of ten children.

Marin Hinkle, who plays Rose, was born in which African country?

Her American parents met while serving in the Peace Corps.

Michael Zegen played in which FX firefighter drama from 2004 to 2011?

He grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and graduated from Skidmore College.

Kevin Pollak, who plays Moishe, played Sam Weinberg in which 1992 courtroom film?

He also played Todd Hockney in The Usual Suspects.

Caroline Aaron, who plays Shirley Maisel, was born in which Virginia city?

Her mother Nina Abady was a civil rights activist.

Luke Kirby was born in which Canadian city?

He trained at the National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2000.

Luke Kirby stars as ballet director Jack McMillan in which 2025 Palladino series?

It was cancelled after one season despite a two-season order.

Amy Sherman-Palladino received which Producers Guild honour in 2019?

She has six Emmys, including one for Outstanding Music Supervision.

Sherman-Palladino received a callback for which musical while a possible Roseanne writing job was pending?

She was originally a trainee dancer.

Daniel Palladino began his TV career in 1989 on which ABC sitcom starring Tony Danza?

He also wrote episodes of The Upper Hand, its British version.

Jane Lynch's breakthrough role was Sue Sylvester in which series?

She also hosted the game show Hollywood Game Night.

Lenny Bruce received a posthumous pardon for his 1964 obscenity conviction in which year?

Rolling Stone ranked him third among the greatest stand-ups of all time in 2017.

What was Lenny Bruce's birth name?

He was born in Mineola, New York, in 1925.

The real Gaslight Cafe opened in Greenwich Village in which year?

It began as a 'basket house' where performers passed a basket for tips, and closed in 1971.

Why did audiences at the real Gaslight Cafe snap their fingers instead of applauding?

Neighbours would call the police when the crowd clapped.

Which musician's early performances at the Gaslight were released by Columbia in 2005 as a live album?

The Kettle of Fish bar upstairs was where performers hung out between sets.

The real B. Altman department store was founded in which year?

Its Fifth Avenue flagship operated from 1906 until the end of 1989.

Kelly Bishop, who plays Benedetta, won a Tony for originating Sheila in which musical?

She is also known as Emily Gilmore and as Baby's mother in Dirty Dancing.

Stephanie Hsu, who plays Mei Lin, was Oscar-nominated for which 2022 film?

She played the dual role of Joy Wang and Jobu Tupaki.

Liza Weil, who plays Carole Keen, is best known as which Gilmore Girls character?

She also played Bonnie Winterbottom in How to Get Away with Murder.

Bailey De Young, who plays Imogene, first worked with Sherman-Palladino on which ABC Family series?

She played Ginny Thompson in the one-season ballet dramedy.

How many reviews underpinned season one's 94% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating?

The consensus praised Rachel Brosnahan's 'playful yet poignant performance'.

Which Golden Globe did The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel win in 2017?

Rachel Brosnahan followed with back-to-back Golden Globes for Best Actress in a comedy in 2018 and 2019.

What is the name of Susie Myerson's sister, played by Emily Bergl?

Susie's messy family life becomes a recurring thread once her rise as a manager begins.

Where in New York did the series hold its official premiere on November 13, 2017?

The rest of the first season arrived on Amazon on November 29, eight months after the pilot.

On what date did the third season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premiere?

The fifth and final season, nine episodes long, premiered on April 14, 2023.

What is the name of Sophie Lennon's acerbic butler, played by Steven Hauck?

Sophie's Manhattan household is the opposite of the frumpy Queens persona she performs on stage.

Who plays Michael Kessler, Midge's lawyer and a former activist acquaintance of Abe's?

Kessler is one of several figures from Abe's radical past who resurface as he rethinks his life.

In which arrondissement of Paris were the season-two Paris street scenes filmed?

The crew also shot at the Musée Rodin inside the Hôtel Biron.