<P> Crane and Kauffman pitched their original idea to network NBC in December 1993 . NBC liked it and commissioned a complete script , which was submitted in March 1994 . Before the script was finished , casting for the six main roles began ; 75 actors were seen for each part . The pilot was taped on May 4 , 1994 at Warner Bros . ' studios in Burbank , California . After making final edits to the episode , executive producer Kevin Bright submitted it on May 11 , two days before NBC was due to announce the schedule . Satisfied with the completed pilot , NBC ordered 12 more episodes for the first season . The episode was watched by approximately 22 million viewers , making it the fifteenth-most - watched television show of the week . Critics compared the show unfavorably to Seinfeld and Ellen , noting the similarities all three series had in depicting friends conversing about their lives . The cast , particularly Schwimmer , were complimented , though there was some concern that the character roles were undeveloped . </P>
<P> Crane and Kauffman pitched their original idea to network NBC in December 1993 . NBC liked it and commissioned a complete script , which was submitted in March 1994 . Before the script was finished , casting for the six main roles began ; 75 actors were seen for each part . The pilot was taped on May 4 , 1994 at Warner Bros . ' studios in Burbank , California . After making final edits to the episode , executive producer Kevin Bright submitted it on May 11 , two days before NBC was due to announce the schedule . Satisfied with the completed pilot , NBC ordered 12 more episodes for the first season . The episode was watched by approximately 22 million viewers , making it the fifteenth-most - watched television show of the week . Critics compared the show unfavorably to Seinfeld and Ellen , noting the similarities all three series had in depicting friends conversing about their lives . The cast , particularly Schwimmer , were complimented , though there was some concern that the character roles were undeveloped . </P>
when was the first episode of friends made
when was the first episode of friends made
May 4 , 1994
May 4 , 1994