There ’s only one reason to equate the for the most part amoral bar keeper that populate FXX’sIt ’s Always gay in Philadelphiawith the serene ‘ 50s vibe ofThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet : With its 13thseason premiering on September 5 and a fourteenth season already ordered , It ’s Always Sunnywill soontieOzzieas the longest - run live - natural process comedy situation comedy in the history of television .
Before that milestone , the gang of Paddy ’s Pub still has a 13thseason to get through without succumb to the effects of sniffing petrol . Check out some facts on the show ’s history , its alternating - universe Dee , and how the yield almost killed national treasure Danny DeVito .
1. THE PILOT COST $100.
Series leads Rob McElhenney , Glenn Howerton , and Charlie Day were unknown region when they create a pilot film in 2004titledIt ’s Always Sunny on TVabout three struggle actors competing for the role of a cancer patient role . Intended to be more of a career carte du jour than a polished production , the snapshot - on - television episodecostless than $ 100 to make . After rat it to different web , they establish a supporter in FX chair John Landgraf : he gave them $ 400,000 to shoot a proper pilot with an actual bunch . ( The background was change to dive bar Paddy ’s Pub in Philadelphia . )
2. ROB MCELHENNEY CONTINUED WAITING TABLES DURING THE FIRST SEASON.
Despite FX ’s endorsement , Sunnystill had just a third of the budget of a distinctive meshing sitcom and was so strapped for immediate payment that the actors partake a dawdler . Rob McElhenney made such a meager salary for the season that he continuedwaiting tablesat a West Hollywood coffee shop after he finish shoot for the daytime .
3. THERE WAS A DIFFERENT DEE.
The original camcorder cowcatcher was miss both the bar and actress Kaitlin Olson , who play “ honeyed ” Dee Reynolds — the image Dee was played by Jordan Reid , then - girl of McElhenney , who was expected to continue on when the serial publication was find fault up by FX . Butaccordingto Reid , her interruption - up with McElhenney led to her being recast on the show . Saturday Night Liveactress Kristen Wiig wasconsideredbefore the part kick the bucket to Olson — who later married McElhenney .
4. DANNY DEVITO SAVED THE SHOW.
After a brief six - sequence first season , Sunnywas neither a critical deary nor a commercial success . crushed rating prompted FX to mandate that the show cast a “ name ” histrion so as to attract attention for a second time of year . Danny DeVitoknewFX ’s Landgraf and check to meet with McElhenney ; after sing about the show — and noting his kids were fan — DeVito take the role of absentee dad Frank Reynolds .
5. HULU ALSO SAVED THE SHOW.
While DeVito provided a stay of executing , the ratings were still mediocre . It was n’t until FX released episodes on DVD and on the streaming service Hulu that masses were able tosamplethe serial , lead to the show becoming one of the overhaul ’s most see offerings . Demand for reruns finally grow so pop that Comedy Central shelled out $ 33 million for the right .
6. THE LIVE MUSICAL HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT.
For a at large level version of a season four episode style " The Nightman Cometh , " the cast toured six cities in 2009 . A kind ofAlways Sunny : The Musical , Day performed several original numbers the trio had write for the installment where his eccentric , Charlie , attemptsto seduce the otherwise - unnamed Waitress ( Day ’s real wife , Mary Elizabeth Ellis ) with song . The tour get about after a West Hollywood nightcluberroneously advertisedthe group would be doing an intact product as counterbalance to just a couplet of number .
7. MCELHENNEY’S PLAN WAS FOR EVERYONE TO GET FAT.
As regularSunnyviewers are aware , the commonly - fit Rob McElhenney decide to cultivate 50 pounds of sight for the show ’s seventh time of year as a response to histheorythat everyone on television gets progressively better looking . He ate 5000 small calorie a day — most of it from nutritionally viable source like crybaby and vegetable , some of it from ice pick — to achieve his politic , seal - like appearance . McElhenney ’s original approximation , however , was to have theentire castadd bulk while DeVito would misplace a dramatic amount of weighting . No one was on board with this plan .
8. FRED SAVAGE DIRECTED SEVERAL EPISODES.
Betraying his wholesomeThe Wonder Yearsroots , actor / director Fred Savage has organize several episodes ofSunny ; he ’s also listed as a manufacturer . Savage sought out work on the show , hetoldNPR , because he saw his own “ worst qualities ” in the characters ; McElhenneyhired himbecause he “ needed to know if he really hump Becky Slater or if it was just Winnie all the way . ”
9. MCELHENNEY AND KAITLIN OLSON OWN A REAL BAR IN PHILADELPHIA.
After a few of McElhenney ’s high shoal friends floated the idea of corrupt a legal profession , he and Olson jibe to fund Mac ’s Tavern , a sports bar in Philadelphia thatopenedin 2010 . Dishes let in Mac ’s chili and Sweet D ’s turkey BLT . In 2017 , bar management Facebook - shamed a couple thatleftwithout paying for their meal .
10. THERE’S A REAL GREEN MAN.
Or men . Charlie Day toldVicein 2010 that his character ’s habit of dressing in a green Lycra dead body suit for sporting events was prompt by a friend of McElhenney ’s who did thesame thingfor Philadelphia Eagles games . The show go on to barrack at least two Vancouver sports buff toshow upat ice hockey games in the same outfit .
11. GLENN HOWERTON WANTED TO BE SUPERMAN.
BeforeSunnypremiered in 2005 , Glenn Howerton made the common auditory modality rounds . One of the mould calls was for Bryan Singer’sSuperman Returns , the 2006 cinema that eventually starred Brandon Routh . In increase to engage the role of Clark Kent , HowertontoldCHUD.com he also audition for the Peter Quill office in 2014’sGuardians of the Galaxy . He ’s now on the NBC sitcomA.P. Bio , which chair to hypothesis that Dennis might be missing from future episodes of the show . Ultimately , he ’s set to appear in themajorityof the 13th season .
12. THERE’S A RUSSIAN ADAPTATION.
It ’s Always cheery in Moscowis a Russian remaking of the showfirst discoveredby Reddit and Philadelphia’sCity Paperin 2014 . The latter persist the landing page of the show through Google Translate and render a sum-up : “ Four new heroes … They start to school together . They have their own clientele — a gin mill ‘ Philadelphia . ’ But revenue it almost does not work . All their hopes and plans — sexual love and money — are crumbling , when confronted with reality . The ground for this — their selfishness , indolence , and stupidity . ” The faithful adaption aired for 16 episodes .
13. THEY ALMOST KILLED DANNY DEVITO.
DeVito has made it clear he rarely says no to anything the show call for of him , from being vex in a playground coil to emerging naked from a sofa . Being so accordant has sometimes led to problems , as in the case of a scene for season 11 when the casting was depicted holding hands under urine . Described as " chirpy " by Charlie Day , DeVito needed to beweighed downso he would sink . After the scene was sodding , the cast of characters was able to rise to the open : DeVito remained stuck halfway down and take to be assisted up by safety diver . He was apparently so upset he left for the rest of the Clarence Day .
14. THEY’RE SHOOTING ON THESEINFELDLOT.
For a decennium , Always Sunnyshot on a Fox studio sight in California . ( Exteriors are shot in Philadelphia . ) For the thirteenth time of year , the product go away to a sight in Studio City , California , where McElhenney pointed out that their stage was once the home ofSeinfeld . In an Instagram video , McElhenney featured a plaque that hangs near the entryway to commemorate the history of the location .
