George Wendt, the beloved actor who endearingly embodied the beer-loving, everyman character of Norm Peterson across all 11 seasons of the iconic NBC sitcom "Cheers," has passed away at the age of 76. His family confirmed his peaceful passing in his sleep at home on the early morning of Tuesday.
In a heartfelt statement, a representative for Wendt shared, "George was a devoted family man, a cherished friend, and a confidant to all the fortunate souls who had the pleasure of knowing him. His absence will be felt eternally. At this difficult time, the family has kindly requested privacy."
Wendt, a native of Chicago's South Side, began his journey in the 1970s with Second City, the renowned improvisational comedy troupe that thrived in his hometown. He later made a memorable appearance on "Saturday Night Live" as Bob Swerski, a "superfan" who gathered at Coach Mike Ditka's restaurant in the Windy City to passionately watch their beloved "Da Bears."
Wendt's filmography spans an impressive array of movies, including "Dreamscape" (1984), "House" (1985), "Fletch" (1985), "Gung Ho" (1986), "Plain Clothes" (1987), "Never Say Die" (1988), "Guilty by Suspicion" (1991), "Forever Young" (1992), and "Spice World" (1997). He also played the role of a grumpy father to a son (Macaulay Culkin) who loved loud music in Michael Jackson's iconic 1991 music video "Black or White," directed by Jon Landis.
Among those mourning his loss is his nephew, Jason Sudeikis, the sole son of one of Wendt's six sisters.
Wendt's approachable, next-door-neighbor charm and natural acting style endeared him to both fans and castmates as he portrayed the lovable, albeit somewhat dim-witted, accountant Norm on every episode of "Cheers" during its 1982-1993 run. Notably, Ted Danson and Rhea Perlman were the only other actors who appeared in every single episode.
For six consecutive years, spanning from 1984 to 1989—encompassing the show's second to seventh seasons—he garnered Emmy nominations for his exceptional performance as a supporting actor in a comedy series. However, victory repeatedly eluded him, as he was outshone by Pat Harrington Jr. of "One Day at a Time" in 1984, bested by John Larroquette of "Night Court" from 1985 to 1988, and finally, edged out by his very own castmate, Woody Harrelson, in 1989.
The hearty, curly-haired Wendt, with a self-deprecating humor, often joked about his refined acting prowess, asserting that the most challenging aspect of his role was consuming the so-called "beer"—a warm, flat, non-alcoholic mixture laced with a hint of salt in each mug, meticulously crafted to simulate the appearance of drinking on television. "I spent an entire day chugging those down," he recounted to The Washington Post in 1985. "It wasn't just the vile taste; I feared I might collapse from hypertension. But eventually, I caught on. I realized I didn't need to finish every brew; it only mattered when the camera was focused on me. It took a couple of years, but now, I'm camera-conscious. That's how I earn my living. That's acting."
George Robert Wendt Jr., one of nine siblings, was born on October 17, 1948. His father was the proprietor of a real estate agency founded by his grandfather, while his mother, Loretta, was a devoted housewife and a long-standing volunteer and fundraiser for Little Company of Mary Hospital.
Wendt's maternal grandfather was none other than the renowned photographer Tom Howard, who famously disguised himself as a priest to clandestinely capture one of history's most infamous tabloid moments—a photograph of murderer Ruth Snyder in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in 1928, precisely as the lethal switch was thrown. This historic snap occupied the front page of the New York Daily News.
Wendt's educational journey led him to Campion High School, a Jesuit boarding institution for boys nestled in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, followed by Notre Dame—where his academic journey came to an abrupt halt as a junior, following his expulsion with a GPA of 0.0.
In 2016, he confided to The Kansas City Star, "I essentially abandoned my studies without notifying the university. Having relocated off campus during my junior year, I failed to consider the logistics. Without a car and amid the biting cold, I never once stepped foot in a classroom." Prior to earning his B.A. in economics from Rockhurst College, another Jesuit institution in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1971, Wendt gained experience by expertly "fetching coffee for the secretaries" under his father's employment. Subsequently, he embarked on an extended European sojourn spanning almost three years.
Upon his return, Wendt harbored aspirations of becoming a comedic actor. He immersed himself in numerous workshops, eventually earning a spot in Second City's touring company and, in 1975, transitioning to their resident troupe. Though demoted after a year, he was later welcomed back with open arms. Reflecting on his Second City days in a 1983 interview with the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, he shared, "I specialized in depicting slices of everyday life, making it seem authentic. Lose your audience's belief, and you're merely reciting jokes. That's my approach as Norm. I don't aim for punchlines or forced humor."
After six fruitful years with Second City, Wendt ventured into film, featuring in My Bodyguard and Somewhere in Time in 1980. He also donned the role of an exterminator in a 1981 Taxi episode penned by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows—a trio soon to create Cheers.
During his Cheers audition, Wendt revealed to Chicago magazine in 2021 that he aimed to embody "a guy yearning for another beer," uttering a solitary word in the pilot episode: naturally, "beer." Initially, his character was named George, with John Ratzenberger, destined to portray fellow barfly Cliff Clavin, vying for the role before it landed in Wendt's lap.
Later in the series, Norm's journey transformed him into various roles—a house painter, an interior decorator, and most fantastically, a beer taster at a brewery, proving that dreams do indeed come true. When Cheers concluded its successful run, NBC toyed with the idea of a spin-off featuring Wendt and Ratzenberger as inseparable bar buddies, but this concept never saw the light of day. Instead, Wendt shone on CBS in 1995 with The George Wendt Show, where he played the co-owner of a Wisconsin garage and co-hosted a radio show dedicated to car repairs.Regrettably, this delightful comedy was unfortunately only sustained for six episodes, leaving a longing desire for more.
Over the years, Norm's presence was felt in numerous shows such as St. Elsewhere, Wings, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Frasier, and The Tortellis, while he also made appearances as himself on Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show. He had recurring roles in The Naked Truth and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and guest-starred in other series like Alice, Soap, Hart to Hart, Danson's Becker, Hot in Cleveland, Columbo, Harry's Law, Fresh Off the Boat, and The Goldbergs.
In 1998, Wendt made his Broadway debut in the play Art, and later, in 2007-2008, he sang and danced his heart out as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, a role originally portrayed by Harvey Fierstein.
Wendt is survived by his wife, actress Bernadette Birkett, whom he married in July 1978 after they met at Second City. Interestingly, she was the unseen, off-screen voice of Norm's wife, Vera, on Cheers. He also leaves behind his children, Hilary, Joe, and Daniel, and his stepchildren, Joshua and Andrew.
Unsurprisingly, Wendt starred in beer commercials for Miller Lite and Meister Brau. He shared that Cheers fans would shout "Norm!" at him, just like on the show, and often treated him to a round of drinks. In 2009, he co-wrote a book titled Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer. He began the book with these heartfelt words: "I'm a simple man, I don't ask for much. Give me a cozy chair, a refreshing breeze, a ballgame playing on the radio, and an ice-cold beer, and I'm in bliss. But let's be honest, I could survive without the chair. A breeze is lovely, but it's not a necessity for a good time. And there are moments when I don't have access to a ballgame. But a world devoid of beer? I'm not sure if that's the kind of world I want to live in."
