George Wendt, an American actor and comedian recognized for earning six consecutive Emmy nominations for his role as Norm Peterson on the iconic NBC sitcom “Cheers,” died Tuesday morning at his residence. He was 76.
His publicist Melissa Nathan confirmed Wendt’s passing with the following message: “George was a devoted family man and a cherished friend and confidant to everyone fortunate enough to have known him. He will be missed indefinitely. The family has asked for privacy during this period.”
A scholar of the Chicago improv scene, Wendt began as a comedian at The Second City in the 1970s before transitioning to television acting. After several guest appearances, he secured the part that would ultimately define his career: the devoted barfly Norm Peterson, whose familiar opening line of “Afternoon, everybody” became one of the series’ fan-favorite motifs.
Wendt stood out among the ensemble, earning six Emmy nominations in the supporting actor in a comedy series category throughout his tenure as a principal cast member during the 11-season span of “Cheers.” He later reprised his role in appearances on the short-lived spinoff “The Tortellis” and the long-running spinoff “Frasier.” After participating in all 273 episodes of “Cheers,” Wendt moved to CBS to star in his sitcom, “The George Wendt Show,” in which he played a radio host and car mechanic. However, the series was swiftly canceled, airing for only a month.
Wendt’s love for comedy made him a staple on “Saturday Night Live” throughout the ’90s, utilizing his South Side roots to join Chris Farley, Mike Myers, and Robert Smigel in the recurring mustachioed Chicago Superfans sketches. (In one particularly unusual piece of “SNL” history, Wendt co-hosted a 1986 episode with director Francis Ford Coppola, who was preparing to release “Peggy Sue Got Married.” Philip Glass served as the musical guest.)
Born on October 17, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, Wendt was raised as one of nine siblings before attending the University of Notre Dame, then transferring to Jesuit Rockhurst College, where he earned a degree in economics. During his time at The Second City, Wendt met Bernadette Birkett, and the two wed in 1978. (Although never seen on-screen, Birkett voiced the character of Norm’s spouse on “Cheers.”) The couple had three children, and Wendt is also the uncle of “SNL” and “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis.
After achieving fame from “Cheers,” Wendt easily landed supporting roles for the remainder of his career, with film credits in comedies such as “Fletch,” “Gung Ho,” and “Spice World,” along with noteworthy films like the 1985 horror movie “House” and the 2019 American indie film “The Climb.”
George Wendt’s TV shows
His extensive list of TV guest appearances includes shows such as “Hot in Cleveland,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Columbo,” “George Lopez,” and “Fresh Off the Boat.” Although he never found another series as iconic as “Cheers,” Wendt contributed significantly to various sitcoms over the years, serving as a main cast member on the TBS series “Clipped” and providing voice talent for the animated series “Fancy Nancy.” In 2023, he participated in “The Masked Singer.”
