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It’s been over a decade since the last season ofThe Officeaired on NBC back in 2013, and yet we couldn’t get over the mockumentary sitcom. From rewatching Steve Carell’s antics as Michael Scott to Jim and Pam’s warm relationship and even Dwight’s shenanigans, the show became an evergreen source of entertainment for fans.
But all these years, we focused on what happened on screen. This time, let’s take a look at what made the series so special for the cast and crew. Diving into snippets from Brian Baumgartner’s bookWelcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office, one thing came to the limelight—while Steve Carell served as the lead star of the show, behind the scenes it was Greg Daniels who stole hearts.
Screenwriter Greg Daniels took care ofThe Officecrew as his family
Like any other show from the late 90s and early 2000s that met astronomical success, evenSteve Carell‘s hilarious and fan-favorite sitcomThe Officefaced a handful of bumps during its production process. One suchobstacle for the showcame in the form of the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike.
“No, you dummies, I’m going to do it this way”: Greg Daniels’ Genius Saved ‘The Office’ from Getting Axed That Not Even Steve Carell Could’ve Saved Alone
While this significantly affected the flow of the show with production coming to hiatus, what became an even bigger issue was the pause in income. Considering how the writers’ protest stopped production, affecting other crew in the process, evenThe Officemembers including make-up artists and hairstylists faced grave tragedy.
However, at that time of financial crises, screenwriter Greg Daniels made sure the crew was taken care of. During the 100-day Hollywood strike, Daniels proved thatThe Officecast and crew really were a family. According to Brian Baumgartner’s bookWelcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office(viaCracked),several crew members revealed Daniels’ act of generosity.
Makeup artist Laverne Caracuzzi-Milazzo said,
Every crew member got a check out of Greg Daniels’ personal checking account. [He] went into his personal checking account and wrote the crew each an individual check because we were going to be out of work.
Why wouldn’t you want to keep working for these people, regardless of how long the strike is?
According to Brian Baumgartner’s book,Greg Danielshad sent $1,000 checks to everyone who worked behind the scenes onThe Office. Considering how people were going out of work and losing their savings each passing day, Daniels went out of his way to showcase his gesture of kindness.
Greg Daniels’ gesture propelled him to the stature of Keanu Reeves
As the strike went on through the holidays, leaving the crew out of work, Greg Daniels’ heartfelt gesture left an emotional impact on the members. While Steve Carell’s Michael Scott won over audiences with his shenanigans, Daniels’ $1000 check melted hearts and saved several families during the Hollywood strikes.
Hairstylist Kim Ferry noted,
As a mom of two young kids and the person supporting my household, it was terrifying. I will never forget. I went to the mail that day, and people were sending Christmas cards and stuff, and I saw this card from Greg Daniels.
I opened it up and I saw this check and I didn’t really look at it really clearly at first. I thought it was $100. And then I started counting the zeros and I could not believe it. A thousand dollars for every family. I was floored because that made such a difference to my household.
Given how Brian Baumgartner learned about this gesture while writing the book, the actor described it as one of the “most beautiful, touching moments” from behind-the-scenes scenes. Admitting that he had no idea since no one ever told him until writing the book, Baumgartner’s remarks highlighted how the crew cherished not just Greg Daniels’work on the show, but also his goodwill.
“It’s rare for lightning to strike twice”: The Office Spin-off Gets Mixed Reaction from Fans as Greg Daniels Brainstorms for New Characters
In the industry whereKeanu Reevesis one of the few actors known for their sheer generosity and kindness, it seems thatThe Officescreenwriter Greg Daniels’ heartfelt gesture propelled him to the stature ofThe Matrixstar. Well, there’s no denying that Reeves would be proud of Daniels’ altruism.
The Officeis currently available to watch on Peacock.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
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Greg DanielsKeanu ReevesSteve Carell
