George Wendt may have played the calm, beer-loving Norm Peterson on Cheers, but his time behind the scenes was anything but quiet. Wendt, who passed away at 76 after dealing with ongoing health problems, became one of television’s most familiar faces during the 1980s. He joined Cheers in 1982 after his viral audition, which was just him saying one word: “beer.”
That one word landed him the role that would go on to define his career. His character quickly became a fan favorite, with Wendt showing up in every episode across the show’s 11 seasons. That kind of consistency, along with his unique style, earned him six Emmy nominations and a place in TV history.
George Wendt and the ‘Cheers’ cast liked to prank each other
The cast of Cheers liked to prank each other. Once, Danson had played a joke on Woody Harrelson by pulling down his pants during a show. About six months later, Wendt and Kirstie Alley got their revenge. Danson was in his dressing room showering when Wendt asked to come in and shave.
Danson said it was fine, but it turned out to be a setup. Wendt suddenly swung open the shower door, and Alley snapped a photo of him. The Polaroid made an appearance at the wrap party, to the laughter of the entire crew.
‘Cheers’ cast paid tribute to George Wendt
When news of Wendt’s death broke, his castmates didn’t hold back their emotions. Ted Danson said it was hard to believe Wendt was gone and mentioned how much love he had for Wendt’s family. John Ratzenberger described him as someone with a quiet kind of genius. He said Wendt had a way of making scenes work without ever trying too hard.
Rhea Perlman, who played Carla, remembered Wendt fondly, too. She joked about how she was often next to him on set, since Norm always had the same barstool. Kelsey Grammer, who played Frasier Crane, also remembered Wendt’s signature bar entrances and the way he could turn a simple moment into a laugh with very little effort.