Beloved Cheers star George Wendt dead at 76
Actor George Wendt, who once played the ever-loyal Norm on Cheers, died Tuesday morning at his home at the age of 76, his family confirmed in a statement through his publicist.
'George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,' the statement said. 'He will be missed forever.'
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cheers star George Wendt dead at 76.
Wendt was one of TV's most recognizable faces after appearing in more than 260 episodes of the popular Boston bar-set sitcom. His character, Norm, was a jovial beer lover who sat at the same stool at the bar, which shared the same name as the show.
Norm was a dedicated patron of the bar 'where everybody knows your name', proving the adage true when the bar would call out 'Norm!' when he walked in.
A Chicago native, Wendt's career began at The Second City comedy theater. He joined the improvisational group after dropping out of the University of Notre Dame with 0.0 grade-point average,
according to his Second City biography
.
Wendt returned to higher education to study economics, however, from Rockhurst College in Kasnsas City, Missouri. He revisited some of his favorite old
haunts with the Kansas City Star
in 2016.
'I remember going to see Second City (in Chicago) when I was in college,' Wendt told the paper. 'It looked for all the world like a bunch of young men and women goofing off onstage, and I was pretty sure they got paid. So I thought, wow, if I could do that.'
Comedy may run in the family as Wendt's nephew is Ted Lasso creator Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis was also a member of
The Second City
before joining the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live.
A representative for Sudeikis did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wendt's death.
Wendt was cast in guest starring roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s on shows such as Hart to Hart and Making the Grade. But it was in 1982 when Wendt got his big break with the role of Norm Peterson on Cheers.
The long-running Cheers, which aired from 1982 to 1993, also starred Ted Danson, Rhea Pearlman, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, Shelley Long and Kelsey Grammar.
Wendt was nominated
for six Emmys during his tenure on Cheers
, though he never took home the winged statuette.
Following the end of the show, Wendt had a short-lived series called the The George Wendt Show where he played a mechanic with a radio show.
The actor also starred in several movies throughout his career and made even small moments stand out, such as the 1994 film version of The Little Rascals. Wendt played a man selling lumber when the mischievous children were trying to rebuild their clubhouse.
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George Wendt's cause of death has been revealed. The Cheers star died on May 20 aged 76, and now TMZ has released his official cause of death as per the certificate obtained from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. It lists the actor's cause of death as "cardiac arrest with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes" and adds that "end-stage renal disease - kidney failure - and hyperlipidemia" were also contributing factors. Best known for his role as beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the hit NBC bar sitcom Cheers, Wendt had spoken candidly about the impact of the show on his life. He said in a past interview: "I was lucky to be part of something that became such a beloved part of people's lives." Born in 1948, Wendt became a household name throughout the run of Cheers, which was on air for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. 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The Cheers star died on May 20 aged 76, and now TMZ has released his official cause of death as per the certificate obtained from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. It lists the actor's cause of death as "cardiac arrest with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes" and adds that "end-stage renal disease - kidney failure - and hyperlipidemia" were also contributing factors. Best known for his role as beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the hit NBC bar sitcom Cheers, Wendt had spoken candidly about the impact of the show on his life. He said in a past interview: "I was lucky to be part of something that became such a beloved part of people's lives." Born in 1948, Wendt became a household name throughout the run of Cheers, which was on air for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. Despite a rocky start with low ratings that nearly saw the show cancelled after its first season, the sitcom grew to become a defining sitcom of its era, spending eight of its remaining 10 seasons in the top 10 shows and peaking as the most-watched programme in its ninth season. The series received 117 Emmy nominations, winning 28 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times. Wendt was nominated for six consecutive Emmys for his portrayal of Norm, appearing in every episode until the series ended in May 1993. Outside of Cheers, Wendt appeared in various television roles, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Columbo. Wendt was married to Bernadette Birkett, who voiced his never-seen sitcom wife Vera on Cheers, since 1978. The couple had three children – a daughter and two sons. George Wendt's cause of death has been revealed. The Cheers star died on May 20 aged 76, and now TMZ has released his official cause of death as per the certificate obtained from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. It lists the actor's cause of death as "cardiac arrest with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes" and adds that "end-stage renal disease - kidney failure - and hyperlipidemia" were also contributing factors. Best known for his role as beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the hit NBC bar sitcom Cheers, Wendt had spoken candidly about the impact of the show on his life. He said in a past interview: "I was lucky to be part of something that became such a beloved part of people's lives." Born in 1948, Wendt became a household name throughout the run of Cheers, which was on air for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. Despite a rocky start with low ratings that nearly saw the show cancelled after its first season, the sitcom grew to become a defining sitcom of its era, spending eight of its remaining 10 seasons in the top 10 shows and peaking as the most-watched programme in its ninth season. The series received 117 Emmy nominations, winning 28 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times. Wendt was nominated for six consecutive Emmys for his portrayal of Norm, appearing in every episode until the series ended in May 1993. Outside of Cheers, Wendt appeared in various television roles, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Columbo. Wendt was married to Bernadette Birkett, who voiced his never-seen sitcom wife Vera on Cheers, since 1978. The couple had three children – a daughter and two sons. George Wendt's cause of death has been revealed. The Cheers star died on May 20 aged 76, and now TMZ has released his official cause of death as per the certificate obtained from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. It lists the actor's cause of death as "cardiac arrest with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as underlying causes" and adds that "end-stage renal disease - kidney failure - and hyperlipidemia" were also contributing factors. Best known for his role as beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the hit NBC bar sitcom Cheers, Wendt had spoken candidly about the impact of the show on his life. He said in a past interview: "I was lucky to be part of something that became such a beloved part of people's lives." Born in 1948, Wendt became a household name throughout the run of Cheers, which was on air for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. Despite a rocky start with low ratings that nearly saw the show cancelled after its first season, the sitcom grew to become a defining sitcom of its era, spending eight of its remaining 10 seasons in the top 10 shows and peaking as the most-watched programme in its ninth season. The series received 117 Emmy nominations, winning 28 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series four times. Wendt was nominated for six consecutive Emmys for his portrayal of Norm, appearing in every episode until the series ended in May 1993. Outside of Cheers, Wendt appeared in various television roles, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Columbo. Wendt was married to Bernadette Birkett, who voiced his never-seen sitcom wife Vera on Cheers, since 1978. The couple had three children – a daughter and two sons.
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