George Wendt, best known for his iconic role as the affable Norm Peterson on the NBC hit sitcom Cheers, passed away on Tuesday, May 20, at the age of 76. His publicist, Melissa Nathan, in a statement to a news outlet, confirmed his death, revealing that the actor had died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles.
Although initial reports about his demise did not reveal the specific cause of the tragic incident, his death certificate, which was recently made available to the public, has given insight into the circumstances of the passing of the beloved actor, who was cremated on May 28.
Death certificate lists cardiac arrest as the official cause of George Wendt’s death
Cheers star George Wendt’s cause of death has been revealed. According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, Wendt died from cardiac arrest.😖”Geez”! pic.twitter.com/g68r9mUkCx
— Sumner (@renmusb1) June 5, 2025
According to a death certificate issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and made available to several media outlets such as Fox News Digital and TMZ, the actor passed away due to a cardiac arrest.
The certificate revealed that prior to his death, Wendt had been battling several underlying health conditions, including congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension, end-stage renal disease, kidney failure, and hyperlipidemia, a condition associated with an increased fat level in the blood, all of which were listed as possible factors that likely contributed to his demise.
Friends and colleagues pay tribute to George Wendt on his death
Wendt’s passing left his co-stars and colleagues deeply saddened. Ted Danson, who played the role of Sam Malone in the hit sitcom, expressed his anguish about the demise of his co-star. While relaying his heartfelt condolences to Wendt’s family, including his wife, Bernadette, and their children, he admitted that the news was quite shocking and that it would take him a long time to accept the loss of his dear friend, with whom he shared a deep bond both on and off-screen.
John Ratzenberger, who portrayed the character of Cliff Clavin on Cheers, also talked about how sad he was when he got the tragic news of the Wendt’s death. Reflecting on their years working together, he praised Wendt’s subtle brilliance in bringing the character ‘Norm’ to life, a performance that, despite appearing effortless, resonated deeply with the beloved fans of the show.