Gunther, played by James Michael Tyler, may be the most recognizable character from Friends other than the main six. He started on the show at the same time as Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey, and Ross, way back in the premiere of season one.
But there's a lot more to the Central Perk manager than meets the eye. Like the show, Gunther has been part of perpetual reruns since the program went off the air in 2004, but there are probably still a few things to learn about the lovelorn barista. Ten of these things to learn are listed below.
Real Life Barista
James Michael Tyler earned his role because he was a real-life barista before being cast on the show. He was elevated from his role as a regular background extra because he was the only extra who knew how to work the espresso machine behind the counter at Central Perk.
While it only gave him a little more screen time in season one, it led to his being a regular extra, and then a regular character on the hit NBC sitcom.
Never Made Coffee
Despite James Michael Tyler being elevated from general extra to an unnamed coffee guy in the first season due to his knowledge of the real-life coffee serving business, he never actually made any real coffee on set.
He has previously said that the espresso machine on set was much too loud to be plugged in while filming, so instead, Gunther just bustles around it to look as if he is making coffee.
Accidental Blond Hair
Gunther is particularly recognizable throughout Friends' 10 seasons because of his bleached blonde locks. Actor James Michael Tyler showed up with his hair bleached, not anticipating that his role would be elevated to Central Perk manager and, eventually, as a named character.
He hadn't planned on bleaching his hair for 10 years, but the producers liked the look and, thus, he was told to keep it.
Silent For Season One
It may come as a shock looking back on everything Gunther did in his 10 seasons on Friends, but the character actually had no lines until halfway through season two.
In season one, he is silent and does nothing but serve coffee to the main cast when they come in to sit on the famous orange couch. In season two's episode, "The One With Phoebe's Dad", Gunther says, "Yeah" and this was his very first line on the show.
Nameless In Season One
Without any lines in the first season of Friends, Gunther didn't officially become "Gunther" until season two. In the same episode where he says his first line (The One With Phoebe's Dad), Gunther officially became Gunther on the call sheet.
It's almost impossible to watch any episode of Friends and not think of Gunther as Gunther, but it took quite a few episodes before his identity became official.
Most Popular Guest Star
Besides his bleached blonde hair, there is a reason that Gunther is so easy to recognize and remember from Friends.
After appearing in season one (even though he did not have a name or backstory yet) James Michael Tyler, and his alter ego, Gunther, went on to appear in 148 of the 236 episodes of Friends. This makes Gunther the program's most frequent guest star over its 10 season run.
Visited Soho
For the 20th anniversary of the blockbuster sitcom, a pop-up shop replica of Central Perk was created in Soho in New York City. Gunther himself (actor James Michael Tyler) with his classic bleached blonde hair visited the shop and interacted with guests and visitors.
Obviously, Gunther is almost as iconic as the orange couch from the coffee shop he manages. He was a major draw with fans as they came to visit the classic setting.
First Episode
While Gunther was around since the very beginning of Friends, he was not in the pilot. Instead, the pilot just focused on introducing the main six friends to the world.
Gunther/James Michael Tyler's first appearance on the show was in the second episode of season one, "The One with the Sonogram at the End."
He Has No Last Name
While James Michael Tyler's role moved from extra to the unnamed coffee guy and finally to Gunther, this manager of Central Perk, who eventually had lines, small storylines, and a crush on Rachel Green, never received a last name.
It became a running joke, as Chandler even had to guess Gunther's last name and guesses that it's "Central Perk." While the guess is a joke, Gunther's real last name is never given on the show and never established off-screen either.
A Soap Star
After getting lines and a first name, James Michael Tyler came up with a more fleshed out backstory for his character.
In his mind, Gunther wasn't always a barista or coffee shop manager, he was actually a failed soap actor who had to find another way to pay the bills.