<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> External links </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website </Td> </Tr> <P> Friends is an American television sitcom, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons . With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox (who became Courteney Cox Arquette partway through the series' run), Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, the show revolves around six 20--30 - something friends living in Manhattan . The series was produced by Bright / Kauffman / Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television . The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane . </P> <P> Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe between November and December 1993 . They presented the idea to Bright, and together they pitched a seven - page treatment of the show to NBC . After several script rewrites and changes, including a title change to Six of One, and, Friends Like Us, the series was finally named Friends . </P>

When did friends air for the first time