George Wendt celebrated “Cheers” in his closing public look earlier than his dying.
The actor appeared on his former co-stars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson’s podcast, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” in Aug. 2024, 9 months earlier than he died at age 76.
Through the episode, Wendt recalled how he landed the position of Norm Peterson on the beloved sitcom.
“My agent called and said, ‘You know, honey, they want you to do this ‘Cheers,’” mentioned Wendt. “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 that he initially auditioned to only say one phrase within the pilot episode. However the casting crew wished extra from him and he finally secured the position of Norm after one other audition.
“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,” Wendt shared.
“Cheers” aired on NBC from 1982 to 1993.
The solid additionally included Danson, 77, as Sam Malone, Harrelson, 63, as Woody Boyd, Shelley Lengthy as Diane Chambers, Nicholas Colasanto as Coach Ernie Pantusso, Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli, and extra.
Wendt grew to become a fan favourite, scoring six Emmy nominations for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Sequence for his position as Norm.
Two months earlier than his podcast look, Wendt participated in a comedy sketch on the Huge Slick Movie star Weekend in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri alongside his real-life nephew, “Ted Lasso” actor Jason Sudeikis.
Wendt additionally attended the seventy fifth annual Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024 for an iconic “Cheers” reunion that featured Danson, Perlman, Kelsey Grammer and John Ratzenberger.
At a pre-Emmy get together, Wendt was seen with a cane and getting assist strolling from Sudeikis, 49.
The Put up confirmed that Wendt died “peacefully in his sleep” on Tuesday morning.
“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” the household’s rep informed The Put up in an announcement. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
Danson mentioned in an announcement to The Put up that he was “devastated” over Wendt’s dying.
“It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie,” the “Good Place” actor mentioned.
Perlman, for her half, informed The Put up: “George Wendt was the sweetest, kindest man I ever met. It was impossible not to like him.”
