TBBT's Sheldon Cooper Could've Been Kenny If It Wasn't For This 1960s TV Legend
Lenny, Penny, and Kenny would've been a banger too.
Despite having a fairly successful prequel that is still on the air, fans of The Big Bang Theory can't help but miss their favorite show. Watching the four main characters evolve, grow, and change for the better over the course of 12 seasons made it extremely difficult for viewers to say goodbye when the time came.
What the majority of viewers don't know is that the changes began long before the show's pilot aired. As it turns out, there is an entirely different pilot episode that was filmed with a slightly different premise. It featured two female characters instead of one, there was no Kaley Cuoco, and, perhaps the most disturbing change of all, there was no Sheldon.
As it turned out, Sheldon Cooper was going to be called Kenny. Not only would this name fit the character, but it would also help make for a killer title: Lenny, Penny, and Kenny. Of course, there was still a place for Raj and Howard in the show itself, but they wouldn't be given a title.
The decision to rename Sheldon likely had to do with a desire to pay homage to the small screen star, the late Sheldon Leonard.
Beginning his career as an actor in the '40s, Leonard moved up the career ladder and switched paths to become a producer. Over the decades, he produced such popular works as The Danny Thomas Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
As The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady told Variety, the idea for the name came from his co-creator Chuck Lorre, but being a big fan of Sheldon Leonard's work himself, he was on board with the decision. While it was a no-brainer to turn Lenny into Leonard, Kenny had to be long forgotten so that Sheldon could thrive.
You can stream all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory on Netflix or MAX, or watch the show's prequel Young Sheldon on CBS. The show has been renewed for a seventh season, but due to the ongoing actors' and writers' strikes, there is no release date. Stay tuned for further updates.
Source: Variety via Express