Marilu Henner on Landing the Role of Elaine Nardo in Taxi

Casting Elaine Nardo

• 🎯 Marilu Henner discusses landing the role of Elaine Nardo on "Taxi" at age 25, despite the character being written for a 35-year-old.
• 💡 She credits Jim Jacobs for pushing her towards "Grease" and casting director Joel Thurm for championing her for "Taxi", believing she could hold her own with the cast.
• 🎭 Henner's final audition involved improvising with Barry Newman, which she believes helped secure the part.

The "Taxi" Ensemble Cast

• 🌟 The "Taxi" cast is highlighted as a particularly hot ensemble, with Henner coining the term "PF" (penis factor) to describe their collective sexual quotient.
• 💬 The dynamic of having a character like Elaine, described as the "hottie that didn't belong there," added a unique snap and animated the show.
• 🤝 The cast was known for having a party every Friday, making them the "kid cool kids" on the Paramount lot.

The Iconic "Taxi" Theme Song

• 🎶 Henner expresses a personal feeling that the Bob James theme song for "Taxi" was creepy, particularly due to its opening flute melody.
• 📺 This sentiment contrasts with the show's overall fresh and different feel compared to other sitcoms of the era like "Happy Days."

The Premiere and Show's Success

• 🚀 "Taxi" premiered on September 12th, 1978, a date Henner remembers as she was in London for the premiere of "Grease."
• 📈 She realized the show was a hit just three days later when she and Johnny were in New Orleans for the Ali-Spinx fight, and people on the street were recognizing and honking at them.
• 🎬 The show ran for 112 episodes, with Henner noting that Wikipedia's count of 114 includes retrospective episodes.