Tributes pour in after Cheers icon George Wendt, best known for his role as Norm Peterson, dies aged 76

20 May 2025, 21:06 | Updated: 20 May 2025, 21:43

Tributes have flooded in following the death of Cheers icon George Wendt, best known for his turn as Norm Peterson, aged 76.

Wendt played a central role in the legendary show from 1982 to 1993.

The beloved actor passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, exactly 32 years since Cheers ended.

The actor's family said: “George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him.

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"He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”

Social media has been flooded with tributes to the beloved actor following his death.

Taking to X, Emmy winner Danny Deraney wrote: "Rest in power George Wendt. One of the greatest character actors of our generation."

Another heartbroken fan added: "Rest in peace to George Wendt, responsible for Norm Peterson, one of the most iconic sitcom characters of my lifetime. Cheers big guy. Rest easy."

Famed for his role as Norm Peterson, Wendt starred in all 275 episodes of Cheers.

He earned six Emmy nominations while on the beloved show and even had his own spin-off.

Away from Cheers, George had a short-lived CBS series named the George Wendt Show, which failed to find the same traction his turn as Norm did.

Elsewhere, he had small roles in The Goldbergs, Taxi and M*A*S*H.

On the silver screen, George starred in a slew of movies, including Dreamscape, House, Fletch, The Little Rascals, Spice World, Airplane II: The Sequel, Alice in Wonderland and No Small Affair.

George was born in Chicago and married his wife, Bernadette Birkett in 1978.

Together, the pair shared three children.

Cheers was centred on lovable losers in a Boston bar and starred Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, Kirstie Alley and Woody Harrelson.

It would spin off another megahit in Frasier and was nominated for an astounding 117 Emmy Awards, winning 28 of them.

Wendt, who spent six years in Chicago's renowned Second City improv troupe before sitting on a barstool at the place where everybody knows your name, did not have high hopes when he auditioned for Cheers.

"My agent said, 'It's a small role, honey. It's one line. Actually, it's one word'. The word was 'beer'. I was having a hard time believing I was right for the role of 'the guy who looked like he wanted a beer'.

"So I went in, and they said, 'it's too small a role. Why don't you read this other one?' And it was a guy who never left the bar," Wendt told GQ.