George Wendt, Norm on Cheers, Dies at 76

George Wendt, the actor and comedian best known for playing barfly Norm Peterson on Cheers, has died at 76. Wendt’s publicist, Melissa Nathan, confirmed the actor’s death in a statement announcing that he died Tuesday morning at his home. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Wendt “passed peacefully in his sleep.” No cause of death was provided.

“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever,” Nathan’s statement reads. “The family has requested privacy during this time.”

Wendt starred as Norm in all eleven seasons of Cheers, appearing in 270 episodes and receiving six consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series between 1984 and 1989. He was famously greeted with “Norm!” by staff and other patrons upon entering the bar.

Wendt went on to reprise his role as the barstool-inhabiting Norm on a 2002 episode of the spinoff Frasier alongside Cheers co-stars Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, and Rhea Perlman, and appeared in crossovers with fellow NBC series St. Elsewhere and Wings. Went also made an appearance on the short-lived Cheers spinoff The Tortellis, and portrayed the character in the 1988 Mickey’s 60th Birthday television special and again in an opening sequence of 1990’s The Magical World of Disney: Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary Celebration special on NBC.

In animation, Wendt voiced his iconic Cheers character in an episode of The Simpsons in 1994 and two episodes of Family Guy in 2007 and 2009. Following his 11-year run on Cheers, he headlined The George Wendt Show, which aired six of its eight episodes before being canceled by NBC.

He made cameos as himself on episodes of Seinfeld and The Martin Short Show, and would reunite with Cheers co-stars Ted Danson on Becker and Kirstie Alley and Rhea Perlman on an episode of Alley’s self-titled sitcom, Kirstie.

The uncle of Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis, Wendt hosted episodes of the sketch comedy series in 1986 (with Francis Ford Coppola) and 1991, with the Illinois-born comedian frequently making cameos as part of Bob Swerski’s Superfans, a group of beer-drinking Chicago sports fans that included Chris Farley, Mike Myers, and later, John Goodman. Most recently, Wendt had one-off roles in episodes of sitcoms Harry’s Law, Fresh Off the Boat, and The Goldbergs, and a recurring role as the voice of Grandpa Frank Anderson on the Disney Jr. animated series Fancy Nancy.

Born on October 17, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, Wendt is an alum of 1975’s Second City comedy troupe in Chicago and went on to land guest roles on Taxi, Alice, and M*A*S*H. James Burrows, the Emmy-winning director of the Taxi series (co-created by future Simpsons producer James L. Brooks), invited Wendt to read for Cheers, the sitcom Burrows developed with series co-creators Glen and Les Charles.

Wendt is survived by his wife, Bernadette Birkett, and their three children.