“Cheers” actor George Wendt passed away at the age of 76.
George Went has won the nominations for six consecutive best-supporting actor Emmy, who will play Norm Peterson in NBC’s “Cheers.”
Kelsey Grammer pays tribute to his previous “Cheers” co-stars, a known name.
In a conversation with Gayle King’s Sirius Xm show “Gayle King in the House,” the 70-year-old “Frasier” actor lamented the loss of “cheer” star George Went. Went, who played Norm Peterson in the classic comedy, passed away on May 20th at the age of 76.
“George was a lovely guy,” Glamour said. “It’s still strange to talk about him in this day and age.”
He continued. “I spoke to his family yesterday and told them how much I liked him and how I choked him a bit. But George was hysterical. For 11 years, America had been waiting for him to step into the bar every Thursday night to say something funny.
Glamour, who played psychiatrist Fraser Crane in “Cheers” and its spinoff “Frasier,” added that on the show, Went always “sits on that stool and orders that beer and says something that burns the world.”
Representatives of Went previously confirmed to USA Today that the actor had passed away peacefully while sleeping at his home. “George was a doting family man, a beloved friend, and everyone who was lucky enough to know him,” the representative said. “He will miss him forever.”
Went’s death fell on the anniversary of the “Cheers” series finale, which aired on May 20, 1993. Went later redisplayed Norm’s role in the episode of “Frasier.”
Other members of the cast said in a statement shared with Woods Today, along with John Ratzenberger, who previously played Cliff Clavin, in honor of Went, that he “bred the standard with a subtle glow – that was his gift.” He added that the actor was “a true craftsman, humble, cheerful and heart-filled. What I saw on screen was someone who was offscreen with perfect comedy timing and deep loyalty to the person he loved.”
Ted Danson, who starred as Sam Malone in “Cheers,” said “I was devastated to hear that Georgie wasn’t with us anymore,” but Lea Perman, who played Cara Torteri, said, “George Went was the sweetest and kindest man I’ve ever met.
She continued. “As Carla, I often stood next to him. Norm always took the same seat at the end of the bar, so I managed to grab him and beat the crap at least once a week.
Contributor: Brian Alexander and Kimi Robinson
