When Curb Your Enthusiasm started out, it was rejected for guest roles by Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty and Steven Spielberg

The New York Times

These days, Larry David and the writer and executive producer Jeff Schaffer have their pick of guest stars.  But that wasn't always the case. Curb, which premiered 20 years ago this week, had trouble booking big-name guest-stars. Schaffer credits actors who play deeply unflattering versions of themselves. . “I was an unreasonable character, I was selfish, egotistical, I wanted to be the center of attention,” recalls Ricky Gervais. “I think the first thing we shot was me showing up (to a party) with my own DVD...The fictional Ricky tried to annoy the fictional Larry."