Secrets of 'The Office': Behind the scenes, episodes, cast member antics and more from the popular sitcom

Each day in the Dunder Mifflin office located in Scranton, Pennsylvania was full of surprises. 

In the popular American sitcom, "The Office," friendships formed, coworking rivalries spanned the television screen, and romantic relationships blossomed – with no shortage of unforgettable comedic moments throughout. 

The work environment set in "The Office" was by no means a traditional one, especially under the direction of Michael Scott, a goofy boss with very little self-awareness, played by Steve Carell. 

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"The Office" had a lenthy TV run, airing on national television from 2005 to 2013. But the popularity of the show did not end with its finale. Audiences frequently tune into past episodes on streaming services. Some believe the show is more popular now than it was when it first aired. 

Because of this, the show has seen an uptick in new fans in recent years.

And though there are many fans of "The Office," most are unaware of some of the behind-the-scenes secrets of the beloved sitcom. Here is a roundup of some of the most hilarious moments from taping the show that you might not know about.

1. John Krasinski's wig

John Krasinski pulled off a wig for a few episodes of the show. 

During the third season of the show, Krasinski had to cut his hair for a movie he was in called "Leatherheads."

For the last six episodes of season 3, Krasinski wore a wig and kept Jim Halbert's hairstyle intact, according to a Mashable interview with hair and makeup stylist Kim Ferry.

2. A perfect 64-degree office

The temperature of the office was always a perfect 64 degrees, Rainn Wilson pointed out in his 2020 book titled "The Bassoon King."

According to the actor, the cool temperature was steadily maintained due to Carell's sweating.

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3. A different Michael Scott

Michael Scott is one of the most well-known roles of Carell's career thus far. But did you know the character was almost played by someone else?

"Better Call Saul" actor, Bob Odenkirk, was going to play Scott after Carell was booked for another show, according to Screen Rant. The show ended up facing an early cancellation, bringing Carell back to Dunder Mifflin. 

4. Phyllis: From casting to cast

Phyllis Smith wasn't always part of the main "Office" cast. Originally, she worked in casting, where she read lines with potential actors who would be part of the cast.

The producers liked Smith and ended up creating a role for her on the show.

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5. The camera work of John Krasinski

Audiences can thank Krasinski for the shots displayed during the opening credits of the show.

After landing the role of Jim, Krasinski went on a road trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he shot the famous clips played before each episode of the show.

6. Jim and Pam's first kiss

Jim and Pam are a favorite TV couple of many, and the story of their first kiss makes their love story even sweeter.

During a 2020 episode of the "Office Ladies" podcast, co-hosted by fellow "The Office" castmates Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Krasinski talked about his first kiss with Fischer in the episode titled "Casino Night."

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Krasinski spoke about how the kiss between Jim and Pam was his first acting kiss of his career.

"It was also my first kiss – first kiss I ever had acting," Krasinski said. "That was my first acting kiss ever."

Kinsey said her first acting kiss was with Dwight; Fischer said her kiss with Krasinski was her second.

7. Meredith who?

If you look really closely at Meredith seated at her desk in the very first episode of "The Office," you may notice that she looks a little different. 

Fischer spoke on the "Office Ladies" podcast about how Kate Flannery, who would end up playing Meredith, was not originally cast.

"Henriette Mantel was a comedy actress who [had] just broken out because she had played Alice in the Brady Bunch films," Fischer said in the podcast. "And she was there for the pilot, and then it was six months later that we got picked up, and then we started filming the rest of the episodes. And I guess the rumor was she was not available."

8. The highly qualified workers of Dunder Mifflin

As it turns out, the employees of Dunder Mifflin are very highly educated. 

Four of "The Office" cast members received an Ivy League education. Krasinski graduated from Brown University just in time for his long run on "The Office."

Ellie Kemper, who played Erin Hannon in later seasons of the show, graduated from Princeton University.

Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor on "The Office," graduated from Dartmouth College and Rashida Jones, who played Karen Filippelli for a limited run, studied at Harvard University.

9. Actors who used their real names

A handful of the actors on the show shared a name with their characters including Angela, Phyllis, Creed and Oscar.