Dark Secrets From Behind The Scenes Of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' (2024)

In 2003, Brad Garrett staged a work walkoutfrom Everybody Loves Raymond.Garrett and the other cast members were making $160,000 per episode. Though a fat paycheck, it was a far cry from the $1.8 million Ray Romano receivedeach episode.

The two-week standoff ended with all the cast members being included in syndication royalties, granting roughly $20 million to each of the cast members; before the walkout, only Romano was set to benefit from these residuals.Garrett has said there's no ill will toward Romano about the wage discrepancy, but it probably helps they received the pay bump they sought.

In April2015, Sawyer Sweeten took hislife. SweetenplayedGeoffrey Barone, twin brother of Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) andthe youngest childof Ray and Debra. The actor'sfamily, as one can imagine, wasshocked.

His family had difficulty processing what happened to him. Theyopposedthe idea he suffered from depression, with Sweeten's mother saying:

What happened to our son was not textbook depression. He was happy, upbeat and loving. But in the last week of his life, we saw something happen. It was so rapid in progression that we were caught off guard.

Patricia Heaton, who played his onscreen mother, toldE! News:

Sawyer was a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon. The loss the Sweeten family is experiencing is unimaginable. Tonight hug your children a little tighter and please keep Sawyer and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Brad Garrett proposed to his girlfriend Jill Diven on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond in 1998. Unfortunately, the relationship didn'toutlive the show, as the two separated in 2005 anddivorced in 2007. The couple had issues throughout their relationship while the show was still filming, but Garrett insisted on keeping up a facade.

Despite going through this turmoil, the actor kept it under wraps from both his real family and television family until the news finally leaked in August2006. Of course, it's not really anyone's business, but toput on a funny face while no one knows your life is in upheaval must be tough.

In a 2015 interview with ET, Garrett revealed his struggles with alcohol duringhis earlyEverybody Loves Raymond days. Garrett said he was a "high functioning alcoholic," drinking "a fifth a day." The interview was part of the press tour for his tell-all book,When the Balls Drop, where he discussed his experience in more detail.

Garrett described themoment he decided to quit, stating,"This sh*t's eventually gonna kill me."

Peter Boyle, who played Ray Romano's father,passed away in 2006frommultiple myeloma and heart disease.Garrett and Romano told Larry Kingthat Boyle's illness was "kept pretty muchjust between the family and the cast."

Doris Roberts, who played Boyle's wife, Marie, on the show, spoke with the Los AngelesTimes in 2009, admittingshe was partly responsible for his silence onhe matter:

He said, "Should I tell them?"I said, "No. They will treat you like a dying man and you don't need that. You need for them to write for you."We had such fun together.

In 2009, Patricia Heaton was sued by personal assistant Jennifer Lee. Lee cited unpaid wages and uncompensated forced overtime in the suit. Lee was hired to work 15-20 hours a week and compensated $770 per week; Lee claimed she was forced to work much more than her initial contract stated, allwithout extra pay or benefits.

It gets worse. When Lee brought up her due compensation, Heaton dismissed her. Heaton also claimed Lee's child was "becoming a problem" due to the work schedule. Lee sued Heaton for $7,425, stating, "If the rich and famous wish to employ individuals to cater to their every need, they must also refrain from violating California’s wage and hour laws."