After the show wrapped, Wright explained toPeoplethat he "washugely eager to have it over with" and that acting opposite a puppet "was hard work and very grim." Her character's on-again, off-again romance with former Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (played by fellow Emmy winner Ted Danson) kept the show on the top of the ratings chart year after year. He went on to land lead movie roles in Indecent Proposal (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994) and was nominated for a lead actor Academy Award for The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996). Woody Harrelson, 61, arrived at the bar in season four as the new bartender Woody Boyd. Kirstie Alley's first significant role came in 1982 asSaavik in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Throughout his career, he acted in numerous series, including "Dark Shadows," "M*A*S*H," "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "Family Ties." Shelley quit at the end of Season 5 in 1986, believing her character had run its course. Selected to replace the departed Long, Kirstie Alley portrayed Rebecca Howe, the fiercely independent "Cheers" business manager who Sam Malone initially tries to seduce. One of her most impressive performances came when she played Madame Lazora on the "Cheers" episode "The Ghost and Mrs. Photos: (Left) NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images (Right) Mike Coppola/Getty Images. George Wendt asNorm Peterson; (L)Wendt, 74, pictured in a Cheers cast portrait, (R)Wendt seen onAugust 30, 2022 in Los Angeles. In addition to acting, he worked as a stuntman for The Three Stooges. ", The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Before transitioning into acting, Jay Thomas. Once "Cheers" ended, Ratzenberger, 75, continued to get roles in notable television shows like "Murphy Brown," "That 70's Show," "8 Simple Rules," and many others. In the decades since the show first graced the small screen, the roster has endured a lot of loss. He'd appeared in dozens of TV shows before his short run on Cheers, and usually in a similar capacity, lending his talents to an episode or two as an authority figure. "Cheers" turned 40 years old on September 30. That handles a lot. Throughout the '90s, he appeared in iconic films like "Natural Born Killers" and "White Men Can't Jump.". Norm was the most loyal Cheers customer, and had a running tab at the bar for years. She played Goldie on "Fish Police" and Helena Rozhenko on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Alley joined the cast of "Cheers" in 1987 as bar manager Rebecca Howe and left in 1993. George Wendt, as barfly Norm Peterson, was the sageif wisecracking best friend to Cliff Clavin and will be greeted with shouts of Norm! anytime he enters a drinking establishment. "They brought in this new girl, Kirstie, and she lit up the room," Grammer recalls. He also had repeated appearances on "Saturday Night Live" in the '90s and early 2000s. The illness was only recently discovered, her family said. He married actress Mary Steenburgen (Book Club) in 1995 and they have two daughters together. For most of the 1980s and the first few years of the '90s, "Cheers" wasn't simply a place "where everybody knows your name." ", Philip died at the age of 95 on April 29, 2015. "The Simpsons" episode "Team Homer" was dedicated to the actor's memory, and the series retired Lunchlady Doris to honor her. Kelsey Grammer asFrasier Crane; (L) Grammer, 67, pictured asFrasier Cranein a Cheers cast portrait, (R)Grammer seen onNovember 23, 2013 leaving a medical building. She's best known, however, for her voice acting originating the role ofLunchlady Doris on The Simpsons, where she also worked as a script supervisor (a job she held on more than four dozen movies and television series, dating back to the 1950s). In "The Groom Wore Clearasil," he assumes a call is meant for him when Woody asks for "The Outlaw of Love.". In 1980, Grammer's half brothers, Stephen and Billy, died in a scuba accident off St. Thomas. He is a pescatarian and is a dedicated advocate of ocean conservation. The Ultimate Guide to What to Watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and More in March 2023 Carla was also the mother of eight children, and much of her plotlines revolved around her ex-husband and her search for a stepfather for her kids. Shelley Lee Long was born at 7:15 am on Tuesday, August 23, 1949 in Indian Village, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, the only child of Ivadine (Williams), a schoolteacher, and Leland Long, a teacher who had previously worked in the rubber industry. However, Ratzenberger's most iconic legacy remains his association with Pixar. He tended bar alongside Sam, and in a nod to Colasanto's own struggle with alcoholism, Coach helped keep Sam from succumbing to temptation and picking up the bottle. Photo: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Alley's comedic ability was on full display throughout her tenure, with Rebecca taking over the management of Cheers, rebuffing Sam's advances, and leading several storylines most of which centered around her tumultuous love life and her ability to somehow stick her foot in her mouth in just about every situation imaginable. After Cheers, Danson made guest appearances as Malone on Frasier and The Simpsons, but went on to compete with Woody Harrelson for the most diverse career among former cast members.He starred in . Image: facebook.com, @OfficialTedDanson. Of course, it took a little time for the series to achieve that distinction, but through most of "Cheers'" run, it dominated the competition. Mail carrier and dubious fact teller Cliff Clavin was a "Cheers" favorite as much for his inane trivia as his postal worker uniform during the shows 11 seasons. "Cheers" established pretty much every member of the ensemble as a power player of sitcom television, and many continued appearing in hits long after Sam Malone said his final "Last call." The good guys eventually won, however, getting the rooms back (for a large sum) while keeping John Allen Hill at a hostile arm's length for 15 episodes, during which time the character also engaged in an unlikely affair with Carla. Hailing from Chicago, prior to acting Wendt was expelled from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana over poor grades before moving into showbusiness, where his first job was sweeping a theatre floor. For many of the cast members, Cheers was just the beginning of their careers. She performed in variety shows and built a stage career, which earned her a lot of attention and many accolades. "Cheers" ran for 11 seasons consisting of 275 episodes, and while that kept the cast busy, it also allowed for a ton of guest stars, many of whom built successful careers of their own. In film, Alley turned in a memorable performance as Lt. Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,and shestarred alongside John Travolta in the Look Whos Talking" films. Playing kind but slow-witted Woody Boyd, Woody Harrelson took on the assistant bartender role following the death of actor Nicholas Colasanto who played Coach during the first three seasons of. 'I'm in love. Wendt has been married to Bernadette Birkett who played the voice of the mysterious Vera on Cheers since 1978 and they have one daughter and two sons. He was also a beloved recurring guest on The Late Show WithDavid Letterman for years, throwing footballs and re-telling what Dave called "the best story I've ever heard" every Christmas. She spent the better part of a decade in that role, appearing in 159 of the show's 193 episodes. She was 71. I send my love to her children. Offscreen Danson divorced Casey Coates in 1992 after 15 years of marriage and embarked on a highly publicized but short-lived relationship with .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Whoopi Goldberg. Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perlman, Woody Harrelson, and Kelsey Grammer all gave unforgettable performances on the long-running series. Following "Cheers" Rhea Perlman starred in the short-lived TV series Pearl (1996-1997) and appeared on the big screen in Matilda (1996). His first acting credit saw him appear on "Hill Street Blues" in 1982, and he continued to act in movies throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He initially came to Boston from the Midwest to meet his pen pal, who happened to be Cheers' bartender Ernie "Coach" Pantusso. Carla often referred to him or spoke to him on the phone, so he had a presence on the series. Danson, 74, has graced our television screens for decades, acting in award-winning series that have become staples in pop culture like "Frasier" (as Sam) and "Curb Your Enthusiasm. He's appeared in the films "Superman," "Superman II," and "Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back," among many others. They divorced in 2011 and Grammer went on to marry British flight attendant Kayte Walsh the same year. She also reprised her role as Diane in the Cheers spin-off "Frasier." Neuwirth wasn't officially a main cast member until Season . Danson was nominated for 11 consecutive Emmy Awards for his role as Sam, finally winning Best Actor in a Comedy in 1990 and then again in 1993. We put together a reel of all his performances for his 90th birthday, and he really had great timing. Thirty years ago this week, Cheers faced that same dilemma when co-star Nicholas Colasanto passed away from a heart attack at the age of 61. "Cheers," the sitcom about a group of quirky, everyday people who work and meet regularly at the titular Boston watering hole ran 11 seasons on NBC and took final drink orders May 20, 1993, after 275 episodes. Danson jumped to the big screen in films such as Three Men and a Baby (1987) and Getting Even with Dad (1994), but it's been television work that has been consistently keeping him in the public eye. Rosen began acting in the 1940s in minor parts before transitioning into television. Five-time Emmy-winner Kelsey Grammer will forever be associated with the erudite, if hapless, psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane, whom he portrayed for two decades on "Cheers" (1984-1993) and the spinoff sitcom Frasier (1993-2004). Stream all seasons of "Cheers" with a Parmount+ subscription: When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Ted Danson, 74, starred as Sam Malone on the hit show and was one of only three characters to appear in all 275 episodes. Learn more. What began as simply a guest spot, Grammer's Frasier became a fixture at the bar and a beloved series regular. Danson has been married to actress Mary Steenburgen since 1995. Throughout his career Wendt, 73, has acted in various television shows ("The Naked Truth," "Madigan Men," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch"), and even starred in his own self-titled series "The George Wendt Show." The role of Malone earned Ted Danson two Emmys and two Golden Globes. On December 30, 1995, Grau died at the age of 71 from respiratory failure. Their relationship was in constant flux, but concluded in comic tragedy in the 1989 episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice," when Eddie was killed at the ice show by a Zamboni, leaving Carla to raise her eight kids alone. As I got off the plane, I heard that Kirstie had died, Danson said in a statement. Her family thanked the incredible team of doctors and nurses at the Moffitt Cancer Center for their care.. An outspoken environment and marijuana advocate, Harrelson is also a longtime vegan. Max Wright spent much of his early career appearing on stage and in films, where he played minor roles. Sadly, Jay Thomas died of throat cancerin August 2017 at age 69. She began appearing in front of the camera in the late-1980s, with her first acting credit coming from a walk-on role on an episode of "All Is Forgiven." He died on August 5, 1990, at the age of 80. "I was on a plane today. His Cheers role may have become his best known work, but actor Keene Curtis established an extensive resume as a stage star and TV character actor. She has worked consistently ever since in one-off television roles including Murphy Brown (1995-1996), Diagnosis Murder (1998), 8 Simple Rules (2003), Retired at 35 (2011) and has appeared regularly as DeDe Pritchett on Modern Family (2009-2018).