Actor George Wendt, best known for playing Norm on the sit-com Cheers, has passed away at the age of 76. His family shared the news in. a statement to The New York Post, in which they said the star “died peacefully in his sleep while at home” on May 20.
Now, Wendt has been remembered as a “well-loved friend” and a “doting family man” by his family and friends. “George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” his wife, actress Bernadette Birkett, and three children shared in a statement. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
Wendt played fan favourite Norm Peterson on Cheers from 1982 to 1993 – a role that earned him six consecutive Emmy nominations. Celebrity tributes have begun rolling in from Wendt’s many A-list peers.
Celebrity tributes to George Wendt
From the Cheers cast to his nephew Jason Sudeikis, here’s how Wendt has been remembered by Hollywood.
Ted Danson
Ted Danson, 77, who played bartender Sam Malone alongside his “Georgie” said he’s “devastated” by the death of his long-time friend. “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,” he added.
John Ratzenberger
Another of Wendt’s Cheers co-stars, John Ratzenberger, 78, said he was “heartbroken”. “For 11 years on Cheers, we shared a stage, a lot of laughs, and a front-row seat to one of television’s most beloved friendships,” he shared. “George brought Norm to life with a subtle brilliance – the kind that made it look easy. That was his gift.”
Ratzenberger played Cliff, a fellow regular at Cheers bar, and Norm’s best friend.
Jason Sudeikis
Wendt’s nephew, Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, credited his uncle with encouraging him to pursue a career in comedy. In fact, Wendt insisted Sudeikis audition for Saturday Night Live after watching him perform.
Sudeikis previously told Playboy, “He didn’t take me to the park to explain comic timing. There was nothing like that. He was just a good example that being an actor was a viable option.”
He continued, “He’s a guy from the Midwest, in my family, who took the road less travelled and it worked out for him. The advice he gave me, and I say this jokingly, is ‘Get on one of the best sitcoms of all time and then ride it out.’”
Melissa Joan Hart
Wendt was beloved by those who worked with him, like his former Sabrina the Teenage Witch co-star Melissa Joan Hart who said “heaven just got a little funnier” after news of his death broke. “He was warm, professional and kind and our cast and crew were gifted with his presence every time. Rest in peace! #GodBlesstheFunnyPeople.”
Rhea Pearlman
Rhea Pearlman, who played Carla in Cheers, remembered George Wendt as “the sweetest, kindest man I ever met.”
“It was impossible not to like him,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer told The Hollywood Reporter: “I believe mourning is a private matter. But I liked George a lot. He was beloved by millions.” Grammer starred as Frasier Crane in eight of Cheers‘ 11 seasons, before earning his own eponymous spin-off as the haughty psychiatrist.
Before landing Cheers, Wendt had roles in M*A*S*H, Taxi and Soap, and later appeared in films like Gung Ho, Never Say Die, Guilty by Suspicion, Forever Young, and Spice World.
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