George Wendt | Cheers Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Wendt was born in the Beverly neighborhood on the south-side of Chicago, the son of Loretta Mary (née Howard) and George Robert Wendt, a navy officer and Realtor. [1] [2] His maternal grandfather was photographer Tom Howard . He is of both German and Irish descent. [3] He attended Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He was expelled from the University of Notre Dame after he received a 0.00 GPA the first semester of his junior year and later attended the Jesuit Rockhurst College in Kansas City, where he graduated with a B.A. in economics. Acting career Edit George Wendt appeared in the 1980 film My Bodyguard. He played a handyman working behind the check-in counter at the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago (now the Public Hotel). In 1981 George appeared on an episode of the TV series Taxi as an exterminator. Wendt starred as Private Mosconi in a 1982 episode of M*A*S*H, where he suffered from having a pool ball stuck in his mouth for much of the episode.

From 1982 to 1993, Wendt appeared as Norm Peterson in all 275 episodes of Cheers. His first appearance on [[Wikipedia:Saturday Night Live|Saturday Night Live]] was in a Season 11 (1985–1986) episode where he shared hosting duties with director Francis Ford Coppola. In 1988 he played the part of "Witten" in the New Zealand-made film, Never Say Die. In the early 1990s, Wendt made cameo appearances on several episodes of SNL as Bob Swerski, one of the Chicago Superfans (along with castmembers Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Robert Smigel, and one-time host, Joe Mantegna). Having grown up as a lifelong fan of his hometown Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears, Wendt's Bob Swerski character is said to be a "spot-on" characterization of Chicago's south-side citizens. Wendt is also the uncle of former SNL writer and cast member Jason Sudeikis.

In 1989, Wendt appeared as the eponymous protagonist in a BBC TV dramatization of Ivan Goncharov's novel Oblomov. He has also appeared twice on the original British edition of Whose Line Is It Anyway?. In 1991, Wendt played the father in Michael Jackson's music video, Black or White. In 1994 he appeared in the film Man Of The House as Chet Bronski, the stepfather of Norman (Zachary Browne), and played on this stage with Chevy Chase, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Farrah Fawcett. He also played the role of "Old Man Dunphy's" closeted homosexual friend Joey in the 1999 film, Outside Providence. Following his success on Cheers, Wendt starred in the short-lived The George Wendt Show, which featured him as a garage mechanic with a radio show, based on the NPR radio show Car Talk. The George Wendt Show aired from March through April, 1995. Wendt starred as the killer in one of the last episodes of the TV series Columbo, portraying a thoroughbred horse owner in the 1995 episode Strange Bedfellows.

Wendt has since appeared as himself on NBS-TV's Seinfeld and has reprised the character Norm Peterson on the The Simpsons episode "Fear of Flying", two episodes of Family Guy "Road to Rupert" and "Three Kings" as well as the Frasier episode "Cheerful Goodbyes". In the same year as his Frasier guest appearance, Wendt played the bartender to Ted Danson's character in Becker (the inverse of their relationship on Cheers). In 2003, Wendt appeared as a celebrity fisherman in the music video for Corba Verde's "Riot Industry" along with Rudy Ray Moore (of "Dolemite" fame) and The Minutemen's Mike Watt. He appeared in several episodes of The WB's Sabrina, The Teenage Witch in 2001 as the title character's boss. He also was the host of the A&E reality show, House of Dreams in 2004. In January 2006, Wendt was seen again on television screens as part of the cast of Modern Men. George has also appeared on The Larry Sanders Show as a guest on the show.

In May 2006, Wendt was seen yet again on television. He made several appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien where he performed short skits. Recent work Edit Beginning in the fall of 2013, Wendt appeared in a television commercial for State Farm Insurance. Wendt and Robert Smigel appeared as two prototypical Chicago Bears fans, who encounter quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The commercial continued the theme of State Farm commercials featuring Rogers, using the "discount doublecheck" slogan. The characters played by Wendt and Smigel were first introduced on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, when their catchphrase "Da Bears" became popular among fans.[7] The commercial, by DDB Worldwide, Chicago, was positively reviewed by Adweek.[5] The video of the commercial can be found here. From Nov. 6, 2013 – Jan. 19, 2014 George starred in Never Too Late a comedy with his real life wife, actress Bernadette Birkett at New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, KS.

In this Broadway hit, George plays a successful lumber yard owner who is king of his castle and whose life is going exactly the way he wants until his wife comes back from a doctor appointment with some big news. [4] George Wendt - IMDb IMDb Actor | Soundtrack | Director George Robert Wendt III was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, USA, to Loretta Mary (Howard) and George Robert Wendt, who was a realtor and navy officer. He attended a strict Jesuit prep school and then dropped out of Notre Dame University after a few uneventful years. He worked with the Windy City's famed Second City comedy troupe from 1974-... See full bio » Born: a list of 28 people created 29 May 2011 a list of 41 people created 30 Jul 2014 a list of 32 images created 14 Dec 2014 a list of 35 people created 14 Sep 2015 a list of 35 images created 23 Sep 2015 Do you have a demo reel?

Add it to your IMDbPage How much of George Wendt's work have you seen? User Polls Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 nominations. See more awards » Known For 2016 Childrens Hospital (TV Series) Governor Jasper Ruth - By the Throat (2016) ...

Governor Jasper Ruth 2015 Clipped (TV Series) 2014 Franklin & Bash (TV Series) Henry 'Hank' Shae 2014 Verdene and Gleneda (TV Series short) Uncle Beanie 2012 Kickin' It (TV Series) Uncle Blake 2011 Harry's Law (TV Series) Franklin Chickory 2011 Hot in Cleveland (TV Series) Yoder 2010 The Stay-At-Home Dad (TV Series) Gerard Gold 2010 Ghost Whisperer (TV Series) George the Plumber 2010 Less Than Kind (TV Series) Tiny 2007 Imperfect Union (TV Movie) Duke 2004 George Lopez (TV Series) Ed 2004 Rock Me, Baby (TV Series) Monty 2004 House of Dreams (TV Series) Host 2001 Robertson's Greatest Hits (TV Movie) Tom Robertson 2001 Strange Relations (TV Movie) Howard 2000 The List (TV Series) Guest Host 1998 Alien Avengers II (TV Movie) Charlie 1997 Alien Avengers

 (TV Movie) Charlie 1997 The Naked Truth (TV Series) Les Polanski 1996 Spin City (TV Series) Dan Donaldson 1993 The Building (TV Series) Cappucino Guy - The Waiting Game (1993) ...

Cappucino Guy 1982-1993 Cheers (TV Series) 1989 Day by Day (TV Series) Stan 1986 The Twilight Zone (TV Series) Barney Schlesinger (segment "The World Next Door") 1984 The Ratings Game (TV Movie) Mr. Sweeney - Latka the Playboy (1981) ... The Exterminator 1981 Soap (TV Series) 1981 Hart to Hart (TV Series) Sgt. Tate 1995 Bye Bye Birdie (TV Movie) (performer: "Hymn for a Sunday Evening (Ed Sullivan)", "Kids") Cheers (TV Series) (1 episode, 1986) (performer - 10 episodes, 1988 - 1993) 2004 Strictly Top-Shelf: The Guys Behind the Bar (Video documentary short) (special thanks) Hide 2016 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2015 Comedy Bang! Bang!

(TV Series) Himself 2014 Top Chef (TV Series) Himself - Guest Judge / Actor, Cheers 2013 Celebrity Ghost Stories (TV Series documentary) Himself 2013 The Broadway.com Show (TV Series) Himself 2011 What's in a Name? (TV Series documentary) Himself - Beer Connoisseur 2010 Gylne tider (TV Series documentary) Himself 2009 Mike & Mike (TV Series) Himself - Guest 2008 Last Comic Standing (TV Series) Himself - Celebrity Talent Scout 2007 Number 7 (Video short) Himself 2006 The Ultimate Sitcom (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2005 Stephen's Life (TV Movie) Himself 2005 Situation: Comedy (TV Series) Himself 2001 Primetime Glick (TV Series) Himself 2001 Weakest Link (TV Series) Himself 2001 TV Funhouse (TV Series) Himself 2000 E!

True Hollywood Story (TV Series documentary) Himself 1999 TFI Friday (TV Series) Himself 1999 The 'Frasier' Story (TV Special documentary) Himself 1998 The Making of 'Space Truckers' (Video documentary short) Himself - 'Keller' 1996 Good Company (TV Series) Himself 1993 Cheers: Last Call! (TV Short) Himself / Norm Peterson 1992 Comic Relief V (TV Special) Himself Himself - Co-Presenter: Outstanding Performance in Variety or Music Program 1992 Seinfeld (TV Series) 1986-1991 Saturday Night Live (TV Series) Himself / Himself - Host / Himself - The Host / ...

1986/I Comic Relief (TV Special) Larry the Interviewer 1986 The Making of 'House' (Video documentary short) Himself 2016 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2009 Biography (TV Series documentary) Norm Peterson on 'Cheers' 2004 Carla's Whipping Boy (Video short) Norm Peterson (uncredited) 2004 Virtual Vera (Video short) Norm Peterson (uncredited) 2001/I Second to None (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Episode dated 15 October 1986 (1986) ... Moderator on Dr. Ruth Sketch from COMEDY RELIEF Related Videos Hairspray (2002). Musical comedy. See more » Publicity Listings: 1 Print Biography | 1 Interview | 2 Articles | 1 Pictorial | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know? Personal Quote: Improvising is best left to those who really love it. Improvising itself is kind of fun, but the apprehension before the improv is not. I don't think that fast; I can't write that fast.

Some people can look at a bunch of suggestions and can come up with a premise, but that was never my long suit. Trivia: Attended University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana for 2 years. See more » Star Sign: Norm Peterson | The Cheers & Frasier Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Cheers & Frasier Wiki Give Me A Ring Sometime - Cheers Last seen Family Vera (wife) Hillary Norman "Norm" Peterson is a character on the American television show Cheers , portrayed by George Wendt . Norm's real first name was revealed to be Hillary, named after his grandfather. [2 ] Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers between 1982-1993 (the only patron to do so), and was initially the only customer featured in the main cast (to be later joined by Cliff Clavin , Frasier Crane , and Lilith Sternin ). Norm also made one guest appearance each in the three other sitcoms known to be set in the Cheers universe: the Frasier episode " Cheerful Goodbyes " and the Wings episode " The Story of Joe ". He also appeared on the spinoff The Tortellis .

Contents Edit Prior to the show, Norm was born in Chicago , and moved to Boston to become an accountant, [3 ] although he is a lifelong Boston Celtics fan who went to Boston Garden as a child. [4 ] Norm previously served in the United States Coast Guard . He loses his accounting job by defending Diane from his boss, [5 ] and becomes a housepainter. Norm was revealed to be an accomplished interior decorator and beer taster, capable of spotting a bad vat in a factory by drinking a single bottle. Ironically, even when unemployed, Norm is the bar's best customer. A running gag throughout the series are the numerous jokes made about the enormousness of Norm's tab at Cheers (e.g., several large binders are shown as being just a portion of it - in the episode "Home Malone", when Woody's rich, naive girlfriend Kelly waitresses at Cheers to gain "real-life experience", Norm convinces her that the tab is a record of the beers for which he has already paid, and for each new beer a mark should be erased - and in the finale Sam has to have his total tab for the series calculated by NASA ).

In the few instances when Norm drinks at another bar, he is immediately kicked out because the bartenders demand an immediate cash payment instead of a tab. Norm's best friend is postman and fellow barfly Cliff Clavin , who calls him "Normy". In the Cheers episode "It's a Wonderful Wife" Vera tells Rebecca off camera that Norm's real first name is Hillary. He explains that he was named after his grandfather who "once killed a man for laughing at him". Cliff asks if his grandfather really killed a man for laughing at his first name and Norm replies, "Not exactly. He was a surgeon and he sort of botched an operation." Norm has a wife named Vera who is often mentioned but her face is never seen. When she is finally shown, her face is covered in a thrown pie. The only other time she is seen, viewers can see only her legs. Vera is the brunt of many of Norm's jokes, but on many occasions, Norm has professed secretly an undying love for his wife, or defended her honor.

Norm and Vera separated during the second season of Cheers but reconciled in the last episode of the season, ironically contrasting the romance between Sam and Diane, who enjoyed a romance then bitterly broke up in that last episode. When Vera got a job at Melville's however, he was deeply disturbed by her proximity to him during his bar time. Vera was played by George Wendt's real-life wife, Bernadette Birkett. When not sipping beer at Cheers, Norm satisfies his hunger at an eatery called The Hungry Heifer, whose emblem is a young cow smacking her chops. The customers there greet him just the same as the Cheers patrons do. He knows the waitresses by name, and usually orders a meal called a Feeding Frenzy, a monstrous supply of corn and beef. He denigrated the eatery when he first visited it in season 2, but when the place was being shut down in season 9, he insinuates it was an important place to him throughout his life and knew the owner since at latest his college years.

Corrine (played by Doris Grau ), who worked at Cheers occasionally as a temp waitress, was a server at The Hungry Heifer, and said the waitstaff knew Norm as "the guy who comes back". Norm is also greeted by everyone at Gary's Olde Town Tavern (Cheers' rival bar) with his custom "Norm!" shout during the "Bar Wars VI" episode. When Sam asks why the people at Gary's know him by name, Norm replies that he goes there on Christmas when Cheers is closed. "Norm" is actually the first word of Frederick Sternin Crane (son of Frasier and Lilith ). (This occurs as Lilith expresses concern over the effect of bringing baby Frederick to the bar, which Frasier disputes. When Norm enters and greets the bar, everyone is surprised to hear a little voice call out, "Norm!" Lilith, distraught that Frederick was not yet talking, joyously believes he said "Mom!" - a beaming Frasier knows the truth but chooses not to rain on his wife's parade.) [ edit ] Norm in other series Cheers (TV Series 1982–1993) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title.

Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The regulars of the Boston bar Cheers share their experiences and lives with each other while drinking or working at the bar where everybody knows your name. Creators: Frasier and Lilith announce that they are moving in together and as the instigators of the relationship, they invite Sam and Diane over as their first dinner guests. Just prior to Sam and Diane's ... 8.6 Woody embarks on his new life as City Councilman. Norm embarks on his new life as civil servant as Woody pulled some strings to get him an accounting job at City Hall. And Rebecca and Sam embark on ... 8.6 Diane thinks that Frasier is masking romantic feelings for his colleague, Dr. Lilith Sternin, so she launches a plan to fan the flames of love. Meanwhile, Norm and Cliff reluctantly join Woody for a ...

8.5 a list of 32 titles created 21 Jun 2013 a list of 30 titles created 30 Sep 2013 a list of 27 titles created 06 Oct 2013 a list of 37 titles created 10 months ago a list of 39 titles created 3 months ago Search for " Cheers " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 6 Golden Globes. Another 71 wins & 180 nominations. See more awards » Photos Dr. Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown of Seattle where he lives with his father and works as a radio psychiatrist. Stars: Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce Light television comedy featuring Paul and Jaime Buchman as a recently married couple in New York City. They point out the gentle humor of domesticity and in the everyday situations of life. Stars: Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt, John Pankow The staff of a New York City taxicab company go about their job while they dream of greater things.

Stars: Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Danny DeVito Al Bundy is a misanthropic women's shoe salesman with a miserable life. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous. Stars: Ed O'Neill, Christina Applegate, Katey Sagal In this sitcom, Charlie, who takes Mike Flaherty's place in later years, is the Deputy-Mayor of New York City, and his team of half-wits must constantly save the Mayor from embarrassment and the media. Stars: Michael J. Fox, Charlie Sheen, Heather Locklear Will and Grace live together in an apartment in New York. He's a gay lawyer, she's a straight interior designer. Stars: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally An eccentric fun-loving judge presides over an urban night court and all the silliness going on there. Stars: Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, Richard Moll Four previously married women live together in Miami, sharing their various experiences together and enjoying themselves despite hard times.

Stars: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan The staff of an army hospital in the Korean war find that laughter is the best way to deal with their situation. Stars: Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.3/10 X A free spirited yoga instructor finds true love in a conservative lawyer and they got married on the first date. Though they are polar opposites; her need of stability is fulfilled with him, his need of optimism is fulfilled with her. Stars: Jenna Elfman, Thomas Gibson, Joel Murray Hot-tempered journalist Maya Gallo got herself fired from yet another job when she made an anchorwoman cry on the air with some gag copy on the teleprompter. Unable to find a job anywhere ... See full summary » Stars: Laura San Giacomo, Enrico Colantoni, George Segal The misadventures of a tough female television journalist and her friends. Stars: Candice Bergen, Grant Shaud, Robert Pastorelli Edit Storyline The lives of the disparate group of employees and patrons at a Boston watering hole called Cheers over eleven years is presented.

Over much of this period, Sam Malone, a womanizing ex-Boston Red Sox pitcher and an alcoholic, owns the bar, its purchase and this life which was his salvation from his alcoholism which was largely the cause of the end of his baseball career. He ends up having a love-hate relationship with intellectual Diane Chambers, who he hires as a waitress and whose cultured mentality is foreign to anyone else in the bar. He also has an evolving relationship with Rebecca Howe, who managed the bar for the Lily Corporation which bought it from Sam, but whose outward business savvy belied the fact that she was a mess of a woman who was struggling to find her place in life. The regular patrons are largely a bunch of self-identified losers, who bond because of their shared place in life, and because Cheers is their home away from home, and in many ways more a home than ... Written by Huggo 30 September 1982 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Cheers, Aquele Bar See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia The auditions for the roles of Sam and Diane were held on the hotel bar set of Bosom Buddies (1980).

See more » Goofs The "Bar Wars" episodes with Cheers against Gary's Old Towne Tavern are in Roman numerical order from Season 6 to Season 11. However, Season 8 contains the episode, "Bar Wars III" and then the next "Bar Wars" episode is listed in Season 10, but it's incorrectly named "Bar Wars V." There is/was no "Bar Wars IV." See more » Quotes Sam : Have you noticed that, uh... somebody in this bar is getting a little loony? Frasier : Sam, everyone in this bar is on a connecting flight to beyond loony. See more » Crazy Credits The style of the opening credits never changed throughout the series' 11 year run, unless a new cast member was added. See more » Connections (United States) – See all my reviews Cheers was one of those shows that had all of the ingredients of being a success from its inception, yet it took a while before it really gained the respect it has over the years. In fact, it was in jeopardy of being canceled after its first season due to low ratings. However, thanks to some smart executives, amazing writers, and a stellar cast, Cheers persevered.

The sitcom mainly takes place in a bar and focuses on the daily lives of a variety of colorful characters and the comical situations they create. In a way, it's like watching a slice of what it means to be a citizen in this great country. We are a melting pot of different people, circumstances, beliefs, hangups, triumphs, misfortunes, etc., yet when push comes to shove in moments of desperation and/or despair, we work it all out. We work as a team to solve problems and get through each day, whether it be a good one or a day wrought with idiosyncrasies. That's what the patrons in Cheers do. Sure, they have their issues and selfish forays that help define them as individuals, but they're basically good people with good hearts. Everybody commits selfish acts sometimes. This show simply magnifies these types of predicaments for the sake of humor that's all in good fun. It's nice to know there is a place where everyone knows your name that is an extended family of sorts. Sometimes we have to get away from those closest to us just to recharge our batteries. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could go to a place like Cheers to unwind now and then?

The main ensemble included the cockybutlikable head bartender, Sam Malone (Ted Danson). I believe Danson was perfectly cast here, and his two Emmy wins are welldeserved. Sam had a love interest on the show for the first five seasons named Diane Chambers (Shelly Long). She was brilliant as the stuffy, neurotic bookworm filled with insecurities and dilemmas that would drive anyone nuts. When Long left the show, Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) took over. She would eventually buy the bar and have her own insecurities to contend with. She had big shoes to fill as Diane was a popular television character. In fact, Long won an Emmy and two Golden Globes for her scene stealing performances. Alley, to her credit, was a terrific replacement because she brought in a distinctive flavor to her character and added a different dimension to the show. She won an Emmy as well. Rhea Perlman played the fiery head waitress, Carla. She could be a bit hard to swallow at times, but she was deadon in all of her performances and has four Emmy awards to prove it.

The rest of the cast included the spacey bartender, Ernie Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), naive bartender Woody (Woody Harrelson  who replaced The Coach after his death in real life), couch potato, Norm (George Wendt), goofy mailman, Cliff (John Ratzenberger), quirky Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar  who went on to star in his own very successful spin off show aptly titled Frasier), and Frasier's uptight wife, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). All of these diverse characters provided plenty of humorous material and the actors/actresses played them to a tee. It was their top notch performances that propelled this show to a higher level than it already was. In closing, Cheers offers the viewer the opportunity to escape the rat race world of the major cities (and perhaps the humdrum of small towns??) that we live in where we can enjoy some good conversation, a few laughs, and great company. Feeling welcome is never a bad thing... 15 of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes 'Cheers' 30th Anniversary: John Ratzenberger on Cliff Clavin and His Legendary Castmates | Hollywood Reporter With the Boston bar sitcom turning 30, John Ratzenberger offers up some tidbits from behind the scenes of where everybody knows your name. John Ratzenberger is reminiscing. "I can remember sitting there," he says, referring to his regular mark on the set of Cheers, "and saying to George Wendt, 'Do you realize that we get paid to sit at a bar and crack jokes? That’s our job.' And we just sort of laughed at, well, the dreamlike quality of it." Now, 30 years since the show premiered, he still has a special reverence for the experience of starring on what he -- and many others -- consider the greatest sitcom of all time. That Ratzenberger was even on Cheers came as a bit of a stroke of luck. He tried out for the role of beer-slugging bar regular Norm, and after getting turned down -- in favor of Wendt -- he pitched a whole new character.

Although he had spent the previous decade touring around Europe with his improv comedy group, the Connecticut native knew that back home in New England, every bar had a know-it-all, and he suggested that the show’s Boston-based pub best have one, too. PHOTOS: THR Snaps TV's Legendary Emmy Icons He got the green light and a seat at the bar, and Cliff Clavin, the blowhard mailman who was a constant stream of false facts and half-true boasts, would become one of four characters to appear in all 271 episodes of the series. Perhaps the most critically acclaimed and popular show of the 1980s, the four-time Emmy winner for outstanding comedy series celebrated its lunch-pail, blue-collar characters and reveled in tweaking the upper-middle-class interlopers that drank away the problems of the upwardly mobile Reagan economy. And on a blue-collar show, Clavin did the dirty work. Even on a sitcom, Cliff and Norm provided the comic relief; they'd offer wry remarks while throwing back rounds or end up the butt of jokes in a side story. They were the constants, too, offering a laugh from the mahogany island no matter what happened throughout the 11 seasons.

And a lot happened, moving the wheels forward even as things seemed to always stay the same. Joining the barstool buddies in each and every episode were bartender Sam Malone, the former Red Sox pitcher and ladies man played with wry playboy perfection by Ted Danson, and waitress Carla Tortelli, a caustic spark plug played by Rhea Perlman. Together with Cliff and Norm, the four took shots at the intellectuals: psychologist Frasier (Kelsey Grammer, of course), the neurotic perpetual grad student Diane (Shelley Long, in the first five seasons) and eventual bar manager Rebecca (Kirstie Alley, in the last six). PHOTOS: 2012's Emmy TV Parties Sam had relationships with both Diane and Rebecca, Fraiser got married, and Carla spent half the series pregnant. But Cliff’s storylines largely consisted of sounding like a bizarro encyclopedia to no one in particular -- and his arc, as a postal worker who lived with his mother, didn’t offer much in the way of character development, which brought a welcome steadiness. "In the beginning, Cliff was more a font of knowledge," Ratzenberger remembers.

"Coach [played by Nick Colasanto the first three seasons], his character was always amazed at how brilliant Cliff was. I enjoyed playing the character because it really comes from the premise that, if you say something with enough authority, people will believe you. So I always got a chuckle out of that. And then later, down the line, Cliff became less of a perceived expert as someone who just interrupted conversations, who was more of an annoyance." Coach was an especially beloved character: an old ballplayer and coach of Sam’s with the Red Sox, he had perhaps been hit in the head with one too many pitches and lived his later days in a perpetual confusion. Ratzenberger said Colasanto "got a kick out of" his old 1953 Chevy pickup truck, and the two used to go out for rides on Saturdays, when they’d be off from filming the show. Colasanto spent much of the show’s third season hiding an illness -- he missed many of that year’s later episodes -- and died the following winter. Ratzenberger still vividly remembers the funeral.

"It was a freezing day in February, and I came out of the church and the street was packed from one end of the street to the other, in the street and the sidewalks, you would have thought that it was the pope that died," he says, still touched two and a half decades later. "He was well loved, as a character, and in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island. I remember how cold it was that day. But it didn’t diminish the crowds at all." PHOTOS: 100 Fresh Faces of Fall TV After Colasanto's death, the show brought in Woody Harrelson to fill the gap of lovable dunce booze slinger. In what would be his breakout role, Harrelson played Woody Boyd, country bumpkin from Indiana. He was a fresh face and pulled off the seemingly impossible, replacing a fan favorite with a just-as-beloved original character. Cliff and Norm had a new guy to serve them round after round; Coach was mentioned infrequently in the seasons that followed, though he was never forgotten. The bartender switch would end up being the first of two big transitions the show made, as Long’s exit led to Alley’s entrance in 1987.

There were times, Ratzenberger says, when they weren’t sure the show could survive such big changes -- Diane was especially difficult to see go, as Long had turned in Emmy-winning performances as Sam’s main foil and love interest. Yet Alley, too, would end up appearing in more episodes than Long, as she teamed with the writing staff to craft a character that flipped the power dynamic of the bar on its ear. Malone went from bar owner and alpha male to employee and at least a little bit humbled; while he pursued Rebecca just as he had Diane, he also had to answer to her as a boss. Both Long and Alley won Emmys for their roles as Sam’s foil; it took him nearly a decade, but Danson would eventually win two of his own for his work on Cheers. Given their roles as creative catalysts, the exits might have been hardest on an audience that grew attached to each character. Between the limited settings -- the first season took place solely in the bar, and subsequent seasons had only limited ventures outward -- and the quintessential work-family cast, a real sense of community and warmth turned living rooms into an extension of the place where Everybody Knows Your Name, as the show’s ubiquitous theme song put it.

An illusion is shattered when it’s reminded that the set was not actually a pub but a TV studio, and that it was shot in sunny Los Angeles, not freezing-cold Boston. Even worse: The stars of the show weren’t throwing back beers and shooting the breeze together late into the night. "Early on in Cheers, we all had young families, and I don’t think anybody really hung around on the weekends," Ratzenberger says, to every fan’s eternal disappointment. "We saw each other at work, but as far as hanging around, it was pretty much like any other job." Not even he and Wendt? "A lot of people like to think that," he laughs, "but George -- I was just starting out with my kids, but he had five. So he had a lot on his plate." Still, being a regular in the world’s most famous bar means a lot of free drinks -- and a lot of easy friends.

"I find that it’s an advantage when you’re in a place where you don’t know anybody," Ratzenberger offers, "because you’re really in a place where everybody knows your name." 30 Things You Might Not Know About 'Cheers' | Mental Floss 30 Things You Might Not Know About 'Cheers' NBC Like us on Facebook On May 20, 1993, Sam Malone—the fictional MLB pitcher-turned-proprietor of Cheers—announced it was “last call” for the final time at the Boston bar where everybody knows your name. But there’s plenty you probably don’t know about the classic sitcom, which spent 11 seasons on the air. 1. CHEERS ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT THROUGH SEASON ONE. Like many of television’s greatest success stories (e.g. Seinfeld), Cheers was not an immediate hit. It premiered on September 30, 1982 to dismal ratings— 77th place out of 100 shows that week , according to Nielsen. It was NBC’s entertainment president at the time, Brandon Tartikoff, who saved the show from cancellation during its first season. 2.

THE BULL & FINCH PUB, ON WHICH CHEERS IS MODELED, IS NOW CALLED CHEERS Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.5 Talk about life imitating art. After it was decided that the series would be set in a bar instead of a hotel, co-creators Glen and Les Charles decided the locale should be moved to New England. “Boston was chosen partially because only five short-lived television shows claimed the city and the East Coast pubs were real neighborhood hangouts,” wrote Dennis A. Bjorklund in his book, Toasting Cheers. As the show’s popularity rose, it didn’t take long for word to spread that the Beacon Hill tavern was the “real” Cheers (though only the exterior shots were filmed there), turning the neighborhood hangout into a tourist attraction. To satisfy the masses, a second location—this one was actually called "Cheers" and featured a replica of the bar viewers were used to—was opened in nearby Faneuil Hall in 2001. One year later, the Bull & Finch officially changed its name to Cheers. 3. SAM MALONE WAS A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER.

At least he was in the script’s earliest incarnations, which made sense considering that Fred Dryer—the former NFL defensive end who would go on to star in Hunter—was a top choice to play the role of Sam (opposite Julia Duffy as Diane; William Devane was also a strong contender). Ultimately, it was the chemistry between Ted Danson and Shelley Long that led to them getting the gigs. Once the casting was finalized, the creators swapped out football for baseball, based on Danson’s body type. 4. TED DANSON ATTENDED BARTENDING SCHOOL. Danson spent two weeks at a bartending school in Burbank, California as part of his training to play Sam. 5. NORM AND CLIFF WEREN’T INTENDED TO BE REGULAR CHARACTERS. Both George Wendt and John Ratzenberger auditioned for the same role in the pilot, a minor character named George who had a single line: “Beer!” The character’s name was changed to Norm Peterson when Wendt was cast. But Ratzenberger wasn’t about to give up so easily.

“As I was leaving the office after the audition, I turned around and asked them, ‘Do you have a bar know-it-all?,’” the Bridgeport, Connecticut-born Ratzenberger recalled to Ability Magazine . “None of the creators was from New England. They were all Hollywood-centered. And I said, ‘Well, every local bar in New England has got a know-it-all—someone who pretends to have the knowledge of all mankind between his ears and is not shy about sharing it.’” Thus, Cliff Clavin was born. 6. NORM PETERSON IS BASED ON A REAL GUY. In 2012, co-creator Les Charles told GQ that Norm was based on a real person . “I worked at a bar after college, and we had a guy who came in every night. He wasn't named Norm, [but he] was always going to have just one beer, and then he'd say, ‘Maybe I'll just have one more.’ We had to help him out of the bar every night. His wife would call, and he'd always say, ‘Tell her I'm not here.’” 7.

NORM’S NEVER-SEEN WIFE VERA IS VOICED BY GEORGE WENDT’S REAL WIFE. Though she’s only credited in one episode, George Wendt’s wife, Bernadette Birkett, provided the voice for Norm’s wife, Vera. Birkett did make one appearance on the show—as a love interest of Cliff’s—in season three. 8. JOHN RATZENBERGER IMPROVISED MANY OF CLIFF’S FUN FACTS. Many of the random (and untrue) facts that Cliff Clavin offers up were ad libbed by Ratzenberger. “After a couple of years on the show they realized they could trust me not to mess it up,” Ratzenberger told Deseret News in 1993 . “So little by little they've let me just sort of run off. Because I know when to stop … It's easy to improvise comedy. It really is. But the art is knowing when to shut up and let other people talk. That's a hard thing to learn.” 9. SOME OF THE DIALOGUE CAME FROM REAL BAR CONVERSATIONS.

In order to nail the bar talk aspect of the series, the creators regularly visited bars in the Los Angeles area to eavesdrop on patrons’ conversations . In the series premiere, there’s an argument about the sweatiest movie ever made, which was lifted from one of these overheard conversations. 10. CHEERS WASN’T AFRAID TO TACKLE SOCIAL ISSUES. Wikimedia Commons // Fair Use Cheers’ writers never shied away from taboo topics such as alcoholism or homosexuality, through they always had a sense of humor about them. The season one episode “The Boys in the Bar,” in which one of Sam’s former teammates announces that he is gay, earned writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs a GLAAD Media Award . 11. PLANS FOR AN HIV SCARE FOR SAM HAD TO BE ABANDONED. In 1988, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, which meant that several planned episodes of the series were never filmed. Among them was a season six cliffhanger in which Sam learns that a former girlfriend is HIV positive. 12. RHEA WASN’T THE ONLY PERLMAN ON THE SET.

Rhea Perlman wasn’t the only member of her family to grace the set of Cheers. Her younger sister, Heide, produced more than two dozen episodes between 1985 and 1986 and wrote several episodes throughout the show’s run. Perlman’s father, Phil , played one of the bar regulars (named Phil). 13. JAY THOMAS MURDERED EDDIE LEBEC. Getty Images When character actor Jay Thomas wasn’t portraying Carla’s Bruin-turned-ice-show-performer husband Eddie LeBec, he was the host of a popular morning radio show in Los Angeles. Which is exactly what led to his character being killed off rather prematurely by way of Zamboni. “A few episodes of recurring bliss and then one day on Jay’s radio show, a caller asked him what it was like to be on Cheers,” recounts writer Ken Levine . “He said something to the effect of, ‘It’s brutal. I have to kiss Rhea Perlman.’ Well, guess who happened to be listening ... Jay Thomas was never seen on Cheers again.” 14. A CHEERS MINI-EPISODE WAS PRODUCED FOR THE U.S. TREASURY.

Early in Cheers’ run, its creators were contracted by the U.S. Treasury to create a special mini-episode to promote the purchase of U.S. savings bonds. Titled “Uncle Sam Malone,” the episode never aired on television nor is it included on any of the DVDs; it was intended to be screened for promotional purposes at savings bond drives only. 15. A “LOST” SCENE ALSO AIRED AS PART OF THE 1983 SUPER BOWL XVII PREGAME SHOW. Back in early 1983, writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs wrote a special one-off scene to air before Super Bowl XVII in which Sam, Diane, Carla, Norm, Cliff, and NBC announcer Pete Axthelm bet on who will win the big game. “They ran it just before game time and it was seen by 80,000,000 people,” Levine recalled of the spot on his blog . “Nothing we've ever written before or since has been seen by that many eyeballs at one time. But the scene was never repeated. It never appeared on any DVDs. It just disappeared.” (Until now: You can watch it at the link above.) 16.

TED DANSON WORE A HAIRPIECE TO PLAY HAIR-OBSESSED SAM Getty Images A fact that became apparent when he accepted the Emmy—sans hairpiece—in 1990 . In the 1993 episode “It’s Lonely on the Top,” Sam shares his follicular challenge with Carla. 17. VIEWERS FREQUENTLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VOLUME OF THE LAUGH TRACK, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO LAUGH TRACK. In 1983, a quick disclaimer—spoken by one of the regular cast members— was added to the beginning of each episode : “Cheers was filmed before a live studio audience.” This was a direct response to viewer complaints that the “laugh track” was too loud. 18. THE PART OF FRASIER WAS WRITTEN FOR JOHN LITHGOW. Getty Images After recent roles in All That Jazz, Blow Out, and The World According to Garp (for which he received his first of two consecutive Oscar nominations), Lithgow was not interested in working on the small screen. “I just said, 'No,’” Lithgow recalled to The Hollywood Reporter .

“I barely even remembered that … It was like swatting away a fly … I just wasn’t going to do a series.” 19. KELSEY GRAMMER PLAYED FRASIER CRANE FOR 20 YEARS. Grammer made his Cheers debut in the third season premiere in 1984. Though he was intended to be a short-lived character, Crane’s popularity with audiences led to him becoming a series regular. Four months after Cheers ended in May of 1993, Frasier made its debut (on the redesigned Cheers stage, no less) and ran for its own 11 seasons. Grammer’s two-decade run as the pretentious psychiatrist is a record-breaking one for an American comedy actor. 20. TONY SOPRANO'S MOM PLAYED FRASIER'S MOM, TOO. CBS Television Distribution Nancy Marchand's character threatened to kill Diane. The role of Frasier's mom was played by Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson in a 2001 Frasier flashback. 21. KIRSTIE ALLEY IS THE ONLY MAIN CHARACTER WHO DIDN’T MAKE A GUEST APPEARANCE ON FRASIER.

Throughout Frasier’s 11-season run, Kirstie Alley was the only one of Cheers’ main actors to not make an appearance on the popular spinoff, possibly because the psychiatric profession conflicts with her beliefs as a Scientologist. “Kirstie once said ... she'd never do a show about a psychiatrist,” Kelsey Grammer told Entertainment Weekly in 2002. 22. FRASIER’S DAD WAS MAGICALLY RESURRECTED FOR THE SPINOFF. When Frasier talked about his family on Cheers, he noted that his father—also a well-respected psychiatrist—had passed away. Yet his ex-cop dad, played by John Mahoney, is a main character in Frasier. Incidentally, Mahoney made a one-off appearance in Cheers’ eleventh season, as a fast-talking jingle writer named Sy Flembeck: 23. NORM’S FIRST NAME IS HILLARY. His full name is Hillary Norman Peterson. 24. THAT WOODY PLAYED WOODY WAS A TOTAL COINCIDENCE. Though many of the non-regular bar patrons’ real names were used in filming, that Woody Harrelson ended up playing Woody Boyd is by sheer coincidence.

The character’s name was written into the script long before any actors had auditioned for the role. 25. NORM DRANK “NEAR BEER.” THEN: George Wendt as 'Norm Peterson' | 'Cheers' Cast Then & Now | XFINITY 'Cheers' Cast Then & Now Send to Friend THEN: George Wendt as 'Norm Peterson' Accountant Norm Peterson, who can't seem to hold a job, is always greeted with a customary "NORM!" upon entering the bar. Peterson is married to Vera, who he often complains about but truly loves. He eventually switches careers to become an interior decorator. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. More from this Slideshow 'Where Everybody... In 1982, NBC introduced audiences to local Boston dive bar "Cheers," a place where town misfits gathered and everybody knew your name... especially if it was Norm. A revolving cast of characters, including Ted Danson's Sam Malone, Shelley Long's Diane Chambers and Rhea Perlman's Carla Tortelli, kept audiences coming back each week for eleven seasons.

Keep clicking to find out what the "Cheers" gang has been up to since the show ended in 1993. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Rhea Perlm... Cynical cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli is notorious for her horrible treatment of bar patrons. The twice-divorced mother of eight is very superstitious and often has trouble flirting with men. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Rhea Perlma... Rhea Perlman won four Emmys for her role as Carla Tortelli and remained with the show through its final season. Perlman, now 68, has been married to actor Danny DeVito since 1982.

She has appeared in several movies, including "Matilda" and "10 Items or Less." The mother of three has written six books for the children's series "Otto Undercover." Perlman most recently appeared in the film "I'll See You in My Dreams" and has a recurring role aboard the show "The Mindy Project." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Kelsey Gra... Pompous psychiatrist Frasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A., originally joined the "Cheers" gang to help Sam Malone recover from his alcohol addiction, but ends up competing with him for the affections of Diane Chambers. He eventually marries and welcomes a son with fellow doctor Lilith Sternin. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Kelsey Gram...

Kelsey Grammer, who earned a total of three Emmy awards for his role as Frasier Craine, continued to play the character on the spin-off "Frasier." Grammer, 61, recently appeared on the FX series "Partners" opposite Martin Lawrence.âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Ted Danson... Cheers bartender and owner Sam Malone used to play as a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. The recovering alcoholic is a notorious ladies' man who is unable to make his relationships last. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Ted Danson Danson worked behind the bar as Sam Malone for 11 seasons on "Cheers." He has remained a television staple ever since, with leading roles on "Becker" and HBO's "Bored to Death." Danson recently reprised his role as D.B.

Russell, this time on "CSI: Cyber." In addition to television work, the 68-year-old actor has appeared in several films, including "Three Men and a Baby" and "Saving Private Ryan." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Woody Harr... Woody Boyd, an Indiana-native who eventually marries the wealthy Kelly Gaines, replaced Coach behind the bar at "Cheers." Boyd is notorious for missing obvious jokes and calling bar patrons by their honorific title. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Mike Tweed) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Woody Harre... After "Cheers," Harrelson, now 54, reprised the role of Woody Boyd several times on "Frasier," but mainly focused on getting his film career off the ground. Harrelson eventually earned Academy Award nominations for roles in "The People vs.

Larry Flynt" and "The Messenger." The actor recently starred in season 1 of the acclaimed HBO series "True Detective" and appeared in "The Hunger Games" series. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Shelley Lo... Sophisticated and educated, Diane Chambers is the complete opposite of bar owner Sam Malone. She is forced to become a cocktail waitress at "Cheers" after her fiance walks out, and later ends up in a tumultuous relationship with Sam. She eventually leaves Boston to pursue a writing career in Los Angeles. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Shelley Lon... Shelley Long, now 66, left "Cheers" after five seasons amid rumors of controversy among the cast.

Her first post-"Cheers" project was on the big screen as Beverly Hills housewife Phyllis Nefler in "Troop Beverly Hills." Over the next decade, Long continued to appear in films such as "The Brady Bunch Movie." The actress had a recurring role as DeDe Pritchett on ABC's "Modern Family" and recently appeared in the TV movie "Holiday Road Trip." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: ABC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: George Wen... Accountant Norm Peterson, who can't seem to hold a job, is always greeted with a customary "NORM!" upon entering the bar. Peterson is married to Vera, who he often complains about but truly loves. He eventually switches careers to become an interior decorator. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: George Wend...

Following his success on "Cheers," George Wendt, now 67, starred on the short-lived "The George Wendt Show." He hosted the 2004 A&E reality show "House of Dreams." From 2010-2011 the actor played Santa Claus in "Elf the Musical" on Broadway. Around that time he also guest starred on several episodes of "Hot In Cleveland." Wendt most recently appeared on the TBS series "Clipped." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: John Ratze... U.S. Postal worker Cliff Clavin is the bar know-it-all. He is often found sitting next to his best friend, Norm Peterson. Clavin used his vast knowledge of useless facts to compete on "Jeopardy!," but lost on the final question. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: John Ratzen...

John Ratzenberger, who remained with "Cheers" through its final season, has had a voice role in just about every animated Disney-Pixar film to date, including notable parts as Hamm the Piggy Bank in "Toy Story" and Mack the truck in the "Cars" series. The actor, now 68, had a recurring role on USA's now-canceled series "Franklin & Bash." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Kirstie Al... Voluptuous Rebecca Howe is sent to "Cheers" by the Lillian Corporation to help manage the bar. She has a reputation for dating wealthy men, but eventually begins an ill-fated romance with Sam Malone. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Kirstie All... Kirstie Alley, now 65, won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role as Rebecca Howe.

Four years after her stint on "Cheers," Alley headlined her own sitcom, "Veronica's Closet," which ran from 1997 through 2000. The mother of two competed on the 2012 all-star season of "Dancing with the Stars," and helmed the short-lived TV Land sitcom "Kirstie." Her most recent appearance was in the film "Accidental Love." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Bebe Neuwi... Lilith Sternin, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., A.P.A., is Fraiser Crane's wife, best known for her remote, icy demeanor. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Bebe Neuwir... Bebe Neuwirth, now 57, won two Emmy Awards for her role as Lilith Sternin.

She went on to revive the role on 12 episodes of the Kelsey Grammer-driven spin-off "Frasier." Neuwirth currently appears in the CBS series "Madam Secretary." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Dan Hedaya... Carla's ex-husband Nick Tortelli, father to four of her eight children, always seems to find a reason to visit (and annoy) her the bar. After several unsuccessful attempts to reunite with Carla, he married the much-younger Loretta, an aspiring singer. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

NOW: Dan Hedaya Hedaya, now 75, went on to star on the "Cheers" spinoff "The Tortellis." The actor appeared in the Coen brothers' first feature film "Blood Simple," and was cast as Richard Nixon in the 1999 movie "Dick." Hedaya more recently appeared on television shows such as "The Mindy Project," "Gotham" and "Blue Bloods." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Jean Kasem... Aspiring singer Loretta Tortelli is the blonde, ditzy wife of Carla's ex-husband, Nick Tortelli. Her beauty is often thrown in Carla's face, but the pair eventually bond over a mutual dislike for Nick. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

NOW: Jean Kasem Jean Kasem went on to star alongside Dan Hedaya on the short-lived "Cheers" spinoff "The Tortellis." Kasem works mostly as a voice actor now, with rare appearances on television. She is the widow of radio legend Casey Kasem. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Jay Thomas... Boston Bruins' ice hockey player Guy Ãdouard Raymond "Eddie" LeBec marries Carla Tortelli after learning that she is pregnant with his child. LeBec was eventually killed in a freak Zamboni accident. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Jay Thomas Jay Thomas, now 67, reportedly lost his role as Eddie LeBec on "Cheers" after making nasty comments about Rhea Perlman's appearance. Thomas went on to guest star as talk show host Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown," a role that earned the actor two Emmy Awards.

He recently appeared on Showtime's "Ray Donovan." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Jackie Swa... Attractive, sheltered and wealthy Kelly Gaines joined the "Cheers" gang in the middle of season seven as bartender Woody Boyd's love interest. The pair eventually married and welcomed two children. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Jackie Swan... After "Cheers," actress Jackie Swanson, now 52, landed a recurring role on the series "Baby Talk." She hasn't acted since 2007's "Charlie Wilson's War." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Tom Skerri... Evan Drake is Rebecca Howe's boss at the Lillian Corporation. Howe's massive crush on Drake is apparent to everyone except Drake himself, and he does not return her affections.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Tom Skerrit... Following his time on "Cheers," Tom Skerritt appeared as Sheriff Jimmy Brock on the series "Picket Fences," a role for which he won an Emmy. In 2012 Skerritt appeared on episodes of "Leverage" and "White Collar." The 82-year-old most recently appeared on CBS' "Madam Secretary." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Derek McGr... Ex-con Andy Schroeder, a cherubic murderer known as "Andy-Andy," is known for tormenting Diane Chambers. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Derek McGra...

Canadian actor Derek McGrath, now 64, went on to star on shows such as "My Secret Identity" and "Star Trek: Voyager." He recently appeared on the TV show "Good Witch." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Hallmark Channel) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Anthony Ci... French photographer Henri is known for threatening to steal Kelly Gaines away from Woody Boyd. He constantly taunts Boyd by saying "I'm going to steal your girlfriend!" âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Anthony Cis... Anthony Cistaro, now 52, guest starred on several notable television shows after his stint on "Cheers," including bit roles on "Friends" and "The Nanny." He portrayed a demon named Dumain on "Charmed" in 2006. He hasn't taken on any roles since 2010. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

THEN: Frances St... Esther Clavin, Cliff's overprotective mother, is known for being extremely talkative. Cliff still lives with Ester, which explains a lot of his know-it-all tendencies. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Frances Ste... Frances Sternhagen, 86, received two Emmy Award nominations for her role as Ester Clavin. She has since played Millicent Carter on "ER" and Bunny MacDougal on "Sex and the City." Sternhagen is a renowned stage actress, appearing on Broadway in shows such as "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "On Golden Pond." She recently had a recurring role on the TNT series "The Closer."âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Raye Birk ... Walt Twitchell is Cliff Clavin's ultimate rival. He works at the same post office as Clavin and often visits the bar to taunt him.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Raye Birk Raye Birk, now 72, revived his "Cheers" character on a 2002 episode of "Fraiser." In 2009, Birk played Dr. Shapiro in "A Serious Man." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Focus Features) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Fred Dryer... Sam Malone's old teammate Dave Richards returns to Boston to interview Sam for his sports program, "Where Are They Now?" He tries to break Sam and Diane up after learning of their relationship, but eventually comes to his senses and offers Sam a temporary sports reporting gig. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Fred Dryer Fred Dryer, now 69, is a former professional football player. He nabbed the "Cheers" gig upon retiring from the NFL, and continued to act after.

He recently appeared on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." on ABC. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Roger Rees as 'R... English multi-millionaire Robin Colcord, known for his condescending remarks and rivalry with Sam Malone, dated Rebecca Howe. He was sent to prison after his plot to illegally take over the company that owned the bar was discovered. Roger Rees went on to play Lord John Marbury on "The West Wing." The openly gay actor appeared in the films "Frida" and "The Prestige." He also starred in several episodes of CBS' "Elementary" and Syfy's "Warehouse 13." Rees died at the age of 71 in July 2015. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Nicholas Colasan... Original "Cheers" cast member Nicholas Colasanto was best known for his three-season stint as Coach Ernie Pantusso, a slow and often forgetful bartender.

Colasanto died of a heart attack on February 12, 1985, at the age of 61 during the show's third season. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Question: What was the first name of the character played by George Wendtin 'Cheers'?
Answer: 'NORM'