This Back To The Future Star Made A Hilarious Cameo In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
FXX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" will be premiering its 17th season in July, and along with the record-breaking new season and a surprise crossover beyond their collaboration with "Abbott Elementary" comes the celebration of 20 years on the air. Who would have thought that of all the major shows, both network and/or on basic cable, the raunchy "Seinfeld" of the 21st century would make television history as the longest-running live-action scripted American sitcom?
Naturally, with at least two decades worth of some of the best dark comedy ever produced on television, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has had its fair share of notable guest stars. Some of the most memorable guests include Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who has appeared on the series as Pappy McPoyle, the patriarch of the comically disgusting McPoyle family. Emmy-winner Jason Sudeikis has also appeared on the series as an ex-member of the Paddy's Pub Gang, Schmitty. However, there is one surprise cameo appearance in the series that many viewers may not have realized, given that it's a blink-and-you'd-miss-it gag that happens to feature a beloved character actor most famous for his role as the eccentric scientist who discovered what made time travel possible.
Christopher Lloyd appeared on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia through one of its most unsettling sequences
The first (and so far, only) Christmas special for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," titled "A Very Sunny Christmas," was initially produced as a direct-to-video extended episode that was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download in 2009. It eventually aired on FX the following year as the season 6 finale. The episode follows the holiday exploits of the Gang, with Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton) and Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson) attempting to get revenge on Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) for ruining every Christmas for them since their early childhoods.
Meanwhile, Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) and Ronald "Mac" McDonald (Rob McElhenney) reminisce about their childhood Christmas activities, which are hilariously revealed to be somehow even darker than the Reynolds'. Mac comes to the realisation that he spent his childhood Christmases robbing presents from other family's houses. Then, Charlie reflects on the numerous men dressed as Santa Claus who would visit on Christmas, each giving him a present before going upstairs to "entertain" his mother, Bonnie Kelly (Lynn Marie Stewart).
The montage in which young Charlie opens the door for numerous men dressed as Santa Claus is one of the most unsettling sequences in the entire series, given that Mac ultimately puts the pieces together that Charlie's mother was a sex worker. This realization ultimately taints Charlie's innocent Christmas memories, leading him on a violent rampage against the mall Santa he encounters. Given the uncomfortably hilarious nature of this sequence, fans may not realize that one of the men dressed up as Santa Claus is none other than Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd.
Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito go way back
"A Very Sunny Christmas" is yet another project that Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito have both contributed to (though the two do not share a scene, given that Lloyd only appears in his brief cameo in Charlie's childhood montage). Both Lloyd and DeVito's onscreen acting careers trace back to the 1970s, with their paths first crossing in Miloš Forman's Best Picture winner, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
Fittingly, following that first collaboration on one of the greatest American films ever made, Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito would reunite as part of the ensemble of one of the greatest American sitcoms ever made: "Taxi." In that series, Lloyd portrayed Reverend Jim Ignatowski, while DeVito played the series' antagonist, Louie De Palma. While "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, "Taxi" was awarded the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy three times, while also garnering both Lloyd and DeVito Emmys of their own. To think, these two beloved character actors have appeared together in a Best Picture winner and an Outstanding Comedy Series winner!
The newest season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" will premiere on July 9, 2025, on FXX, appearing on Hulu the next day. Meanwhile, "Taxi" is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.