George Wendt, Known for Playing Norm on Cheers, Dead at 76

George Wendt Dead Cheers Obituary

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George Wendt, known for his iconic role as barfly Norm on the hit sitcom Cheers, has died at the age of 76, our sister site Variety reports.

“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” Wendt’s publicist Melissa Nathan said in a statement confirming his passing. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.” No cause of death has been released.

A Chicago native who trained in comedy at the legendary Second City improv theater, Wendt had small roles on shows like Taxi and M*A*S*H before landing the role of sometimes-employed accountant Norm Peterson on Cheers, a lovable oaf who spent his days on a barstool drinking beer and avoiding his unseen wife Vera. (He went to Cheers so often, the staff and customers all yelled “Norm!” when he walked through the door.)

 

Cheers debuted on NBC in 1982, and though it struggled in the ratings at first, it was a critical darling that blossomed into a monster hit, anchoring NBC’s Thursday night lineup and eventually running for 11 seasons. Wendt remained in the cast for all 11 seasons, with Norm’s one-liners becoming a staple of the show, earning him six Emmy nominations for best supporting actor in a comedy. (He never won, though.)

In addition to his work on Cheers, Wendt also made several guest appearances on Saturday Night Live as Bob Swerski, one of the Chicago Superfans who loved “Da Bears” and coach Mike Ditka. After Cheers ended in 1993, Wendt got his own CBS sitcom, The George Wendt Show, but it was cancelled after just six episodes.

Wendt was a frequent TV guest star on shows like Seinfeld, The Simpsons and The Larry Sanders Show, and he reprised his role as Norm in a 2002 episode of Frasier, starring fellow Cheers alum Kelsey Grammer.

In 1997, Wendt joined the cast of NBC’s The Naked Truth, but left the show when it underwent creative retooling. He also played Sabrina’s boss on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, along with a series-regular role on the TBS sitcom Clipped, which was cancelled after one season in 2015