Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
American TV series or program
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Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (also known as Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America) is an upcoming American sketch comedy limited series created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. Produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, the series is scheduled to premiere on HBO on June 26, 2026. The series takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The show consists of seven episodes, each containing approximately four historical sketches. Much like David and Schaffer's previous HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the dialogue is largely unscripted and heavily improvised based on structural outlines.
- Larry David
- Bill Hader
- Kathryn Hahn
- Jon Hamm
- Sean Hayes
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Chris Parnell
| Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness | |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
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| Production company | Higher Ground Productions |
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| Network | HBO |
Premise
Created as a comedic tribute to the United States Semiquincentennial, the series explores major events in American history through the lens of Larry David's signature observational humor.[1]
Cast
- Larry David
- Bill Hader as Abraham Lincoln
- Kathryn Hahn as Mary Todd Lincoln
- Jon Hamm as one of the Wright brothers
- Sean Hayes as one of the Wright brothers
- Jerry Seinfeld as part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
- Chris Parnell as Benjamin Franklin
- Susie Essman as Susan B. Anthony
- Jane Krakowski[2]
- Isla Fisher[2]
- Vince Vaughn
- Barack Obama as himself
- Rita Wilson
- Essence Atkins
- Toby Huss
- Greg Kinnear
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Joe Manganiello
- Alan Tudyk
- Fred Melamed
- Jeff Garlin
- J. B. Smoove
Production
In July 2025, HBO announced that it had ordered an untitled half-hour sketch comedy series developed by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. The project was revealed to be a collaboration with Higher Ground Productions, the production company founded by former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Both Obamas, Ethan Lewis, and Vinnie Malhotra serve as executive producers alongside David and Schaffer.[1]
The series title and the first teaser trailer were released in May 2026, with the first full trailer released the following month.[3][4]
Episodes
| No. | Title [citation needed] | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Tea Party Parking Situation" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | June 26, 2026 |
| 2 | "Crossing the Delaware (Eventually)" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | July 3, 2026 |
| 3 | "The Wooden Teeth Incident" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | July 10, 2026 |
| 4 | "Mary Todd's Upholstery" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | July 17, 2026 |
| 5 | "A Draft in the Tent" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | July 24, 2026 |
| 6 | "The Other Wright Brother" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | July 31, 2026 |
| 7 | "The Duel" | Jeff Schaffer | TBA | August 7, 2026 |