Phil Rosenthal Shares Interesting Wedding Detail
Phil Rosenthal, the mastermind behind “Everybody Loves Raymond,” recently dropped a fascinating tidbit: John Lennon was the best man at Peter Boyle’s wedding in 1977.
During a special event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the show at the Paley Center in New York City, Rosenthal, 65, shared this surprising news.
Among those in attendance were Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and Maggie Wheeler, all known for their roles on the beloved sitcom.
Peter Boyle, who played Frank Barone, Ray’s father, in the series, passed away in 2006 due to multiple myeloma at the age of 71.
Rosenthal reminisced about Boyle, mentioning two intriguing facts. “He once studied to be a monk,” Rosenthal noted. “When I asked him why he quit, he said, ‘There weren’t enough girls out there.’
He continued, “You know who the best guy at his wedding was? John Lennon,” he said, emphasizing Boyle’s cool vibe.
Boyle met his wife, Lorraine Alterman, in 1974 while working on Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.” At the time, she was a reporter for Rolling Stone. Legend has it, Boyle approached her while still in Frankenstein makeup.
Alterman was close friends with Yoko Ono, which is how Boyle had a connection to the Beatles star.
“He wasn’t in makeup when we met, but he somehow managed to charm me anyway,” Alterman recalled in a 2001 interview.
The couple tied the knot in 1977, and Alterman, also a music critic, had a friendship with Ono, providing the link between Boyle and Lennon.
“I asked John at the last minute to be my best man, and he agreed,” Boyle recounted in 2005. “And the rest is history.” He added, “He’s John Lennon. Everything he does is memorable.”
Tragically, Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980, just three years after Boyle’s wedding, at the age of 40.
On a different note, Rosenthal confirmed at the reunion that there are no plans to reboot “Everybody Loves Raymond.” He feels it wouldn’t be the same without Boyle and Doris Roberts, who played Marie Barone and passed away in 2016.
“I have to be honest,” Rosenthal said, “as a TV student, I’ve seen revivals of shows. They rarely work out.” He expressed that he cherishes the original show’s run, saying, “We did 210 episodes and ended it at the right time.” He reflected on the journey with fondness.
Brad Garrett, who portrayed Robert Barone in the sitcom, echoed Rosenthal’s sentiment. When asked about the possibility of a reboot, he firmly stated, “No. Without the parents, there’s no show. They were essential to the heart of the series.” Garrett emphasized the importance of the family dynamic, indicating that trying to recreate that would be a disservice.
