In what turned out to be his final public appearance, actor George Wendt reunited with Cheers co-stars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson for a conversation filled with humor and cherished memories. The moment aired just weeks before Wendt died peacefully in his sleep on May 20, 2025.
He was known to millions as Norm Peterson, but George Wendt was more than just a television regular. He was a kind-hearted man whose legacy continues to live on.
How George Wendt rose to fame
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He was born in 1948 in Chicago, and his love for comedy blossomed at Second City, where he also met his wife, Bernadette Birkett. The two spent 47 years together, raising three children — Hilary, Joe, and Daniel. Before Cheers, Wendt made brief appearances on shows like Hart to Hart, M*A*S*H, and Taxi, building a name for himself.
His breakthrough came when he auditioned for a single word in the Cheers pilot. Instead, he walked away with the role of Norm Peterson, a character who became a staple of the show for over a decade. He was part of what made Cheers feel like home, and that remains the same.
George Wendt left the stage, but not people’s hearts. People truly loved him.
In August 2023, Wendt joined Danson and Harrelson on Where Everybody Knows Your Name, where they laughed about old stories, like the time they skipped work to sail with John Ratzenberger and got “called in one by one” for it. The relationship they had was unmistakable, and it was clear that Wendt remained at the heart of the Cheers family until the very end.
Just months before his passing, he also appeared on the Still Here Hollywood podcast, reflecting on his career and praising his nephew, Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis. “He’s such a great kid,” Wendt beamed. “Smart, thoughtful—just a solid guy.” In June 2024, he even shared the stage with Sudeikis and others during the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend in Kansas City, joking about Taylor Swift’s concert prices and proving he still had his sense of humor. When he died at 76, it wasn’t just the end of a career; it was the loss of a genuinely good man. “It’s going to take me a long time to get used to this,” Ted Danson said. “I love you, Georgie.”