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Omaha Steve

(108,244 posts)
Tue May 20, 2025, 03:43 PM May 2025

George Wendt, who played a beloved barfly on 'Cheers' and found another home onstage, dies at 76

Source: AP

By MARK KENNEDY
Updated 3:26 PM CDT, May 20, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — George Wendt, an actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers” and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf,” has died. He was 76.

Wendt’s family said he died early Tuesday morning, peacefully in his sleep while at home, according to the publicity firm The Agency Group.

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

Despite a long career of roles onstage and on TV, it was as gentle and henpecked Norm Peterson on “Cheers” that he was most associated, earning six straight Emmy Award nominations for best supporting actor in a comedy series from 1984-89.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/george-wendt-dies-55681263ea8b5bddaf1c89e8e9ba8cb1

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George Wendt, who played a beloved barfly on 'Cheers' and found another home onstage, dies at 76 (Original Post) Omaha Steve May 2025 OP
RIP George, MarineCombatEngineer May 2025 #1
NORM.... snowybirdie May 2025 #2
"NORM!" CurtEastPoint May 2025 #3
... littlemissmartypants May 2025 #5
Ugh. BumRushDaShow May 2025 #4
... littlemissmartypants May 2025 #6
"Butkus. Polish sausage." MissMillie May 2025 #7
YES! his best and most important role, IMHO, was..... Gato Moteado May 2025 #12
R-I-P Norm ... 😪 🙏 nt Raine May 2025 #8
George Wendt, as a comedy actor. was funny and endearing FakeNoose May 2025 #9
He was good Beringia May 2025 #10
I liked Norm, but Anton Kreitzer was better rpannier May 2025 #11

BumRushDaShow

(164,745 posts)
4. Ugh.
Tue May 20, 2025, 05:37 PM
May 2025

"Cheers!" was part of my all-week 8pm - 11 pm, Brandon Tartikoff NBC programming - Thursdays at 9 pm IIRC and eventually "Hill Street Blues". I think about Rhea Pearlman too who eventually married Danny Devito (who had been on a competing show "Taxi", another fave ).

Before "Neuman" ( '"Seinfeld" ) there was "Norm".

R.I.P. and thank you for your many roles!

FakeNoose

(39,859 posts)
9. George Wendt, as a comedy actor. was funny and endearing
Tue May 20, 2025, 08:15 PM
May 2025

RIP George Wendt, and thanks for all the laughs.

rpannier

(24,830 posts)
11. I liked Norm, but Anton Kreitzer was better
Wed May 21, 2025, 12:37 AM
May 2025

Stronger. More assertive.
Oh... they were the same person?

Some Norm favorites of mine:

Coach: How's a beer sound, Norm?
Norm: I dunno. I usually finish them before they get a word in.

Sam: What's new, Norm?
Norm: Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach and they're demanding beer.

Woody: Hey, how would a beer feel, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Pretty nervous if I was in the room.

Coach: How's life treating you, Norm?
Norm: Like he caught me in bed with his wife.

Woody: Hey, Mr. Peterson, how's life?
Norm: Oh, the plot's okay, Woody, but it kind of falls apart at the end.

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