Kelsey Grammer is reflecting on his longtime pal George Wendt.
The actor, 70, starred alongside the actor, who died at age 76 on Tuesday, on the NBC sitcom “Cheers” for eight seasons from 1984 to 1993.
Now, Grammer is talking out following Wendt’s passing, revealing that “it was a bit of a surprise.”
“George was a lovely guy,” he continued on SiriusXM’s “Gayle King In The House.”
“He was, I mean, it’s still odd to speak of him in a past tense right now, but I mean, it was just yesterday morning we found out.”
Grammer, who performed Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and the spinoff “Frasier,” recounted the place he was when information of Wendt’s loss of life broke.
“I was just sitting, writing something at the moment [and] I got a call,” he defined. “But I spoke to his family yesterday and just told him how much I liked him and, you know, choked up a little bit. But George was hysterical. I mean, for 11 years, America waited for him to walk into a bar every Thursday night and say something funny.”
And that he did, starring as Norm Peterson on the 11-season sequence, alongside Grammer, Ted Danson, Shelley Lengthy, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger and extra.
“And they just knew he wouldn’t disappoint,” gushed Grammer. “He was extraordinary. He kind of simply loped throughout that ground and sit down at that stool and order that beer and say one thing that set the world on hearth. He was a rare man.“
Wendt’s household rep confirmed he handed on Tuesday, telling The Submit that he “died peacefully in his sleep while at home.”
“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” the assertion learn. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
Hours after Wendt’s loss of life was confirmed, Danson, 77 — who portrayed bar proprietor Sam Malone, shared a heartfelt message.
“I am devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us,” a rep for the “Man on the Inside” actor, 77, instructed The Submit. “I am sending all my love to Bernadette and the children. It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie.”
Rhea Perlman, who performed cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli on the sequence, additionally shared her personal sentiments.
“George Wendt was the sweetest, kindest man I ever met. It was impossible not to like him,” the actress, 77, instructed The Submit. “As Carla, I was often standing next to him, as Norm always took the same seat at the end of the bar, which made it easy to grab him and beat the crap out of him at least once a week. I loved doing it and he loved pretending it didn’t hurt. What a guy! I’ll miss him more than words can say.”
Throughout Wendt’s time on the sequence, he earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for his efficiency as Norm.
Final August, the lads of the sitcom reunited on Danson and fellow “Cheers” co-star Woody Harrelson’s podcast, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.”
Whereas on the episode, Wendt detailed how he landed his well-known position.
“My agent called and said, ‘You know, honey, they want you to do this ‘Cheers,’” mentioned the actor.
“Now you’re not available,’ because I had this other show [‘Making the Grade’] at Paramount for CBS. Then they go, ‘But they want you to come in anyway, and it’s really small, though.’ I go, ‘Oh, okay.’”
Wendt defined, “I read it and then they decided they were going to try to make it work out where I could do both shows, and then the other show got canceled.”
Final 12 months, the solid — together with Wendt, Danson, Perlman, Grammer and Ratzenberger, 78 — got here collectively as a part of a particular tribute on the 2024 Emmys.
“This feels nice to be here in front of you,” Danson mentioned onstage, earlier than Ratzenberger famous it was a “long-overdue class reunion.”
Grammer chimed in: “Being together brings back some great memories of a show we’re all very proud of.”
