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For today’s Gen-Z kids,The Big Bang TheoryandFRIENDSmight be some of the shows that they feel are iconic. But long back in the 80s, aired a show that changed the definition of sitcoms and grew a massive fan base across the US.
Yes, we are talking about NBC’sCheers, which ran successfully from 1982 until its series finale in 1993. Critically acclaimed and loved by many during its original run, the series is one of the best sitcoms.
Cheersis hilarious, intelligent, fast-paced, heartfelt, peopled by unforgettable characters, and consistently good. The story revolves around a Boston bar, owned by Sam Malone (Ted Danson), a former relief pitcher, and has several other main characters, who either work in the bar or visit it regularly.
Decades later after its final run, let’s take a look at where some of theCheers‘ major cast members are now!
Here’s Where the Cast Members of Cheers Are Now!
1Ted Danson
Ted Danson, who portrayed amiable bartender cum ex-baseball player Sam Malone is one of the characters onCheerswho found the most success. The actor was popular for his role onThe Doctorsbefore starring inCheers. The actor earned 11 nominations and two Emmy awards for his role on the NBC show.
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From the bar, he went on to more than outdo himself, featuringThree Men and a Babywith Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg and its sequel. he also featured in several other TV shows such asInk, Becker, Bored to Death,andCurb Your Enthusiasm. Most recently, he appeared in an NBC sitcomMr. Mayor,and is active in drama series.
Coming to the actor’s personal life, he has been married to actressMary Steenburgensince 1995. The actor also shared two daughters with his first wife Casey Coates.
2Shelley Long
Shelley Long, who is known for her role as Diane Chambers inCheers, had a diverse career before and after the popular show. Long’s character goes in for a break only to find a job as a waitress in the bar. Moreover, her relationship with the prime character Sam was one of the main plots of the show.
She earned five Emmy nominations and one win forCheersand went on to star in several series such asModern Family,Good Advice, andBrady Brunchmovies.
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Years later, the actress returned toCheersin a guest appearance but later reprised her role in the spin-offFraiser. Even though she has been around the camera less, her role inCheersis among her popular work. Long was married to Bruce and shares a daughter with him, Juliana Tyson.
3Rhea Perlman
Rhea Perlmanis widely known for her iconic performance as Carla Tortelli on the television sitcomCheersbut that is just one of the many roles she has played in her career. She had a small role in one of the most popular TV series,Taxi.
But her eventual breakout came about when she was cast on the NBC sitcom as Carla. The actress’ character was a fierce witty waitress and her sharp wit and great physical presence were loved by viewers making her one of the most loved characters in the show.
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She scored 10 Emmy nods and four wins for her work as Carla. This role opened doors for her and she went on tostar in series such as Pearl, Ally McBeal, Hung,Kirstie Kirstie, andThe Mindy Project. Additionally, she played a significant role in the 2023 filmBarbie.
In 1982, Rhea married Danny DeVito, her co-star fromTaxi, and the couple welcomed three kids.
4John Ratzenberger
John Ratzenbergerlanded his long-awaited role of Cliff Clavin the arrogant but friendly mailman in the sitcomCheers. Clavin was a trivia-loving patron of the bar, who often shared ‘extra information’ even when it was not welcome. Fun fact: he tried out for the part of Norm, played by George Wendt, but landed up playing Cliff Calvin.
Little did he know that Cliff would turn out to be one of the famous characters of the series. Ratzenberger was part of the show’s main cast until its last episode in 1993. This role also brought him a number of Emmy awards and made him a household name.
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More than in Cheers, Ratzenberger is probably known for providing his voice to the character in every single Pixar film. Some of his famous works include Hamm the Piggy Bank inToy Storyalongside Mack the Truck inCars, the Abominable Snowman inMonsters, Inc., and Legit. Out of all the Pixar-related films, Inside Out 2 was recent to feature Ratzenberger after a long break from any of the films by the Pixar studios.
The actor has been married to Julie Blichfeldt since 2012 and has two children from his first marriage with Georgia Stiny.
5Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer joined the cast of show in its third season as Dr. Frasier Crane and later on theFrasierspin-off series. He earned two Emmy nominations for that role but even more notably transitioned into his then-ongoing ever-popular spinoffFrasier, for which he received 10 Emmy nominations and won 4.
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Grammer has been able to remain quite busy over the years with his work in film and television. Interestingly, he has also been featured in many such filmsX-Men: The Last Stand,Transformers: Age of Extinction, and others in the independent caucus.
Recently, he reprised his iconic role of Frasier Crane in a reboot ofFrasier. The show sees Frasier moving to Boston experiencing new adventures, and meeting new people in his life.
6George Wendt
In the 1970s,George Wendtstarted his professional stage life as a member of a famous improvisational comedy-oriented group calledThe Second Cityin Chicago. He joined the sitcomCheersas a bar patron and a comically loveable accountant.
The character of Norm Peterson was a role that made the actor’s golden career. While Wendt’s depiction of Norm was a character who spoke to the viewers, it was the easy-going nature of the man along with his famous one-liners that tallied up the fans’ affection.
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He was a cast member on the sitcom till the end and went on to receive 6 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations consecutively in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series.
Of late, Wendt was seen inAmerican Gods(2021) andStealing a Survivor(2020). Coming to Wendt’s personal life, the actor tied the knot with actress Bernadette Birkett and welcomed three children.
7Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley’s career took off in the year of 1987 portraying Rebecca Howe in Cheers, who makes her entry into the sitcom in the sixth season after the departure of Shelley Long, one of the lead characters.
The ambitious and oftentimes weak character was a crowd puller for her, earning her a Golden Globe award as well as an Emmy award. The role made her a household name and a regular on Cheers until its final cut in 1993.
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She went on to act in several projects includingVeronica’s Closetwhere she was featured between 1997 and 2000,Look Who’s Talkingin 1989, andDrop Dead Gorgeousin 1999.
Alley stayed active in show business in later years, but more as a reality television star, and starred in shows such asDancing with the StarsandCelebrity Big Brother.
The actress was married to Parker Stevenson and welcomed two children with him until their divorce in 1997. In December 2022, she died from colon cancer at 71.
Cheers received critical praise and managed to reach high viewership ratings winning numerous Emmy Awards and also spinning the acclaimed seriesFrasier.
Everyone knew the popular theme song,Where Everybody Knows Your Name, which engrained its place in pop culture. The television series is regarded as one of the best American comedy series and one that pioneered the way for comedies and changed the format of future television sitcoms.
Marita Pinto
Content Writer
Articles Published :15
With over two years of experience in the field of writing, Marita explores the world of pop culture and movies. She loves writing pieces that are insightful, engaging, and informative. When she is penning down words, you may find her binge-watching TV show and movies all day. Currently, she is contributing as an Evergreen Long-Form Content Writer at FandomWire.
