Art Vandelay

What is George's obsession with Art Vandelay?

Every time he needs a fake name, or fake employer, it's Art Vandelay.

Does anyone know where this came from?

"W. Eric Saed" wrote:

Art Vandelay is "invented" by George in an early episode called "The Stakeout" (it may be the 2nd episode). Jerry meets a woman who interests him, but he cannot flirt with her because of Elaine. By chance, he finds out where she works, however. Later, George and Jerry go to her office building. They need an excuse to be there and decide to say they're meeting a friend. George proposes Art Vandelay, importer/exporter, and Jerry reluctantly agrees.

Question is: How many episodes refer to Art Vandelay?

I can think of two others:

• Vandelay Industies.

2) The Marisa Tomei episode where Art, the importer/exporter, returns as Elaine's imaginary boyfriend.

Are there other references?

The name Art Vandelay was cooked up by George in an early episode called The Stakeout where he and Jerry were staking out the lobby of the building where a friend of Elaine's, that Jerry had met at a party, worked. Jerry was obsessed with her and they needed an excuse for why they were there. George came up with the idea that they were waiting for his friend Art Vandelay who worked in that building as an Importer/Exporter. This fictitious name Vandelay turned into a running gag and was used in three more episodes (The Red Dot, The Boyfriend and The Cadillac).

Actually, wasn't the first time Vandelay industries cropped up when George needed a cover for where he was working, and told Jerry to answer the phone "Vandely Industries?" Or, is that the same episode?

In article , Robert Sacks writes:

Refresh my memory as to the references to Vandelay in the above episodes, please.

:-)

RTPaces ([email]) wrote:

You know, you should remember that George first wanted the name to be "Art Carr." And then when Jerry said okay, George added "...valay. Yeah, Art Carvalet." Then, as usual, Geoge nixed the entire thing and changed it from Carvalet to Vandelay... (pilot episode)

In The Red Dot episode, George used Art Vandelay as the writer that he had supposedly read in order to impress Elaine's boss when she was trying to get him a job. There was another episode where George made up Vandelay Industries but I can't remember what the name was.:)

In article , [email] (Matt

There was one while he was on unemployment ins. he told a counsellor that he is getting very near to be hired. He gave Gerry's phone # for the counsellor to verify it. As soon as he got out of the office he raced to a pay phone but it was being used, he then jumped onto a Taxi. He kept telling the driver to hurry, go to the right to the left. Eventually the driver extracted him from the cab. He did managed to pursuade Gerry to answer the phone as Vanderlay latex industries. But while he was sitting on the Pot, Kramer answered the phone without saying it. We saw George ran out of the can with his pants down banged the floor with his fists. There should be few instances that he passes vanderlay's name. By the way when is the date for season's premier? Bill

On Thu, 05 Sep 96 15:52:56 -0800, [email] (Bill Chan) wrote:

Art Vandelay was also the name of Elaine's fictitious boyfriend in the episode where George meets with Maria Tomay (I don't know if I spelled the last name correctly). George and Elaine made up a story that George had to meet Elaine to talk about her boyfriend Art Vandelay's import/export business, to try and hide George's rendez-vous from Susan.

Art Vandelay was also mentioned in the episode where Jerry and George are waiting in the lobby of an office building so that Jerry can "accidentally" run into a lawyer and ask her out. (He'd met her when he was at a party with Elaine.) George figures that they need a cover story to explain why they are in the lobby, so he makes up the name Art Vandelay as a guy they are supposedly meeting for lunch.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the first time that George made up Art Vandelay in the episode where Jerry and Elaine go to a Birthday party/dinner for one of Elaine's friends. In that episode Jerry's father (played by a different actor in this early episode) tells him to steak out the office building where she works-because he can only remember the name of the law office she works for. Anyway, Jerry and George make up a reason for being there, and here is where G comes up with Art Vandelay, actually he first says "Art Vandecourt" then when introduced to this girl Jerry went to see, he says that He and Jerry are there to see Art VandeLAY who is an importer/exporter!!

BTW my favourite reoccurring theme is the importer/exporter routine!

Anyone agree/disagree with my theory on Art Vandelay?

On 12 Sep 1996 04:03:56 GMT, "Vee Popat" wrote:

It seems good 'ol fictitious Art Vandelay is getting George out of jams all over the place!

Was anyone grilled? GR

they used the name Art Vandelay in the episode when Jerry is trying to find out this girs name so he and George stand by the the elevator and wait for her . she eventualy comes and she asks George what he is doing there . George says that they are waiting for Art Vandelay.

[email] wrote:

It was Marisa Tomei.

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Phil Spear
Carleton University

Email address: [email]

The name's Bond, Savings Bond.

"The Stakeout" :-)

I've also heard George refer to Art Vandelay in "The Red Dot" as well as "The Boyfriend" (part 1).

what other Vandelay "sightings" have there been?

Bonnie

In article ,

"Vandelay Industries! Say Vandelay Industries!"

Scott

[email] (Scott Wilson) wrote:

:->In article , :->Bonnie Larson wrote: :->> :->>> In article , [email] (PALOS VERD) writes: :->>> > they used the name Art Vandelay in the episode when Jerry is trying to :->>> > find out this girs name so he and George stand by the the elevator and :->>> > wait for her . she eventualy comes and she asks George what he is doing :->>> > there . George says that they are waiting for Art Vandelay. :->>> -- :->> :->>"The Stakeout" :-) :->> :->>I've also heard George refer to Art Vandelay in "The Red Dot" as well :->>as "The Boyfriend" (part 1). :->> :->>what other Vandelay "sightings" have there been? :-> :->"Vandelay Industries! Say Vandelay Industries!"

		So what do they do?:Jerry
	 	They're into latex.:George

			:-), A.
____________________________________
C.A. [email]

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[email] (Scott Wilson) wrote:

He showed up in tonight's ep. George asked to see Art at the office where Kramer eventually got his "job".

[email] (Bonnie Larson) wrote:

Don't forget two seasons ago when George pretended to be an architect working on the Guggenheim Museum. He said his name was Art Vandelay.

As well, George told the Unemployment worker that he was getting a job at Vandelay Industries as a latex salesman.

Lonnie