Actor George Wendt, who earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Norm Peterson on the long-running sitcom Cheers, has died.
Wendt passed away peacefully in his sleep at home early Tuesday morning, his family confirmed, per The Hollywood Reporter. He was 76.
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“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” a representative for the actor said. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
Wendt is best remembered for his portrayal of the beer-loving Norm Peterson on Cheers. He portrayed the character in all 275 episodes and 11 seasons of the hit NBC sitcom from 1982 until 1993, making him one of only three characters to appear in every episode the series, during which time he earned six consecutive Emmy nominations in the supporting actor in a comedy series category. He later reprised the role in the spinoff The Tortellis, which ran for just a single season 1987, as well as Frasier, which ran for 11 seasons from 1993 until 2004.
Born in Chicago in 1948 as one of nine children (his sister Kathryn is the mother of actor and comedian Jason Sudeikis), Wendt entered the entertainment industry in the ‘70s as a comedian with Second City, and went on to transition his career to TV. His earliest roles were in shows including Hart to Hart, Soap, M*A*S*H, and Taxi,the latter of which was written by Glen Charlesn and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. throughout the ‘80s. He also appeared in films like My Bodyguard (1980) and Somewhere in Time (1980).
Wendt followed his breakthrough role in Cheers with a starring role in CBS’ The George Wendt Show, and also appeared in The Naked Truth, St. Elsewhere, Wings, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Seinfeld, and more. On the film front, his credits include Dreamscape, Fletch, Gung Ho, and Guilty By Suspicion, among others. Wendt was also a regular on Saturday Night Live throughout the ‘90s and competed as the Moose on The Masked Singer in 2023, with his other credits including Hairspray, Hot in Cleveland, Fresh Off the Boat, and The Goldbergs.
Wendt is survived by his wife, actress Bernadette Birkett; his children, Hilary, Joe and Daniel; and his stepchildren, Joshua and Andrew.