You might want to have a drink handy for a toast: George Wendt died May 20, on the 32nd anninverary of the Cheers‘ series finale.
His death at 76, peacefully in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, will no doubt inspire editorial cartoons of his Cheers character Norm Petersen arriving at the pearly gates with St. Peter and others calling out, “NORM!” (UPDATE: see cartoon, as predicted, at bottom of post).
As Wendt confirmed for his Cheers costars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson last year on their “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast, his character was the only Cheers regular to appear in all 275 episodes of the series.
Both he and John Ratzenberger auditioned for the same character which was originally named “George.” When Wendt was chosen, Ratzenberger snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a last-minute suggestion on his way out of the casting call. He remarked to director Jim Burrows and others that every bar has a know-it-all — which led to the creation of smarty-pants letter carrier Cliff Clavin.
Cheers famously was a ratings flop that first season, ranking at the bottom of the Neilsen ratings. NBC left if on its schedule basically because they didn’t have anything else ready. It eventually ran 11 seasons, becoming one of the most popular sitcoms ever.
Prior to Cheers, the Chicago native made a name for himself on stage at Chicago’s Second City. He joined the improv troupe in 1975 and in 1980, performing alongside Tim Kazurinsky and Bruce Jachow. He also made several cameo and two hosting appearances over the years on Saturday Night Live.
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Wendt was also one of the first Cheers cast members called on for spinoffs of the series, appearing on both Frasier and the short-lived sitcom, The Tortellis. He also appeared on his late castmate Kirstie Alley’s sitcom Kirstie in 2014, as well as Danson’s follow up hit, Becker.
He was also one of the Cheers castmates who appeared in character on the 1985 crossover episode of NBC’s St. Elsewhere. That hospital drama was set in the same city as Cheers, Boston. Wendt also played Norm on an episode of NBC’s Thursday night hammock series, Wings.
I spoke with Cheers writer-producer Ken Levine about Wendt on two podcast episodes. Wendt’s character was central to one episode Levine and writing partner David Issacs were especially proud of. It was a risky episode, says Levine, because it was all built around one joke: Frequent bar patron Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and his brainy wife Lillith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) are distraught that their baby, the son of two psychiatrists, has yet to utter a single word. Fraiser keeps bringing him to the bar, and with Mr. Petersen’s many entrances, damned if the little tyke’s first word isn’t… well, if you haven’t guessed it by now, listen to Levine tell the full story here.
Then there were the many jokes Wendt told on his way from the front door to his favourite stool on the far end of the bar.
“Hey, what’s happening Norm,” asks Sam Malone (Danson).
Replies Petersen: “Well, it’s a dog-eat-dog world Sammy and I’m wearing milk bone underwear.”
Another good one: Coach (Nicolas Colasanto): “What’s shakin’ Norm?”
Norm in full stride: “Four cheeks and a couple of chins.”
And finally…
Coach: “What would you say to a nice beer Normie?”
Norm: “Going down?”
