‘Cheers’ Cast
Ted Danson Then
Ted Danson, who played Sam Malone, the bar owner – was the glue of the operation. The good-looking, sweet but at times misled mainstay of the Cheers cast was an instant hit with audiences. Originally written as a retired fooballer, Sam’s character was re-written as a retired baseball player to match Danson’s physique. No cosmetic surgery required.
Ted Danson Then
Ted Danson Now
Ted Danson quickly became a household name. He worked and is still working mainly in TV; he has done shows like HBO’s Bored to Death, Damages and CSI Crime Scene Investigation. But Ted has also graced the silver screen in movies like 3 Men and a Baby, Saving Private Ryan and many many others.
Ted Danson Now
Shelley Long Then
Cute, sassy and in need of a job, Diane Chambers ate up the screen every week as Sam Malone’s love interest. Like Danson, Long got her start on TV on shows like The Love Boat and MASH, but Cheers catapulted her into stardom. After 5 seasons, over worries the show was growing stale, Shelley left to pursue other things.
Shelley Long Then
Shelley Long Now
It’s hard to overstate the comic genius of Shelley Long. For anyone who has caught her performances on Modern Family in recent years, she has a ‘je ne sais quoi’ in her timing and delivery that not many comic actors possess. She also had a successful film career which included titles like Irreconcilable Differences, The Money Pit and A Very Brady Sequel.
Shelley Long Now
George Wendt Then
George Wendt may have been kicked out of university, but thank goodness he didn’t go and do a fashion course – he went into acting! Getting his start in show business sweeping the floor, he quickly moved onto appearances on MASH and Taxi. Originally meant to be a bit part, Norm was so loved by audiences that the show’s producers wrote him in a main character – and he was on every single episode of the show from then on.
George Wendt Then
George Wendt Now
Life after Cheers was a bit more challenging for Wendt that one might have thought it would be. He starred in his own spin-off series entitled Norm close on the heels of Cheers, but production was shut down after only 8 shows. Yet George is a happy family man and has made numerous guest appearances over the years on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as appearing in the 1999 Alice in Wonderland and having many credits on Broadway.
George Wendt Now
Rhea Perlman Then
No-nonsense waitress Carla Tortelli (far right) was a fixture on the show. She had a soft spot for Sam Malone (Ted Danson), but otherwise was forever telling everyone how it was – and making wise crack after wise crack. Audiences adored her and Rhea Perlman won four Emmy awards for her work on Cheers.
Rhea Perlman Then
Rhea Perlman Now
No cosmetic surgery required – Perlman looks great and is a happily married (to hubby Danny Devito) mother of three. She continues to work steadily on TV and in the movies. In Matilda she co-starred alongside her husband Devito; currently she is a recurring guest star on The Mindy Project. If movies and TV weren’t enough Rhea also found time to write a successful children’s book series called ‘Otto Undercover’.
Rhea Perlman Now
John Ratzenberger Then
John Razenberger, the seemingly demure postman, who seemed to know a lot about everything – quietly made everyone guffaw and giggle for years as Cliff Claven. Rambling into the bar every day after work, he would sit on the end of the bar and comment on just about everything that went on. What a goof – what a voice!
John Ratzenberger Then
John Ratzenberger Now
It was John’s voice that would really see him through after Cheers ended. Although he did make appearances on several sitcoms, like Wings, The Simpsons and of course Frasier – Ratzenberger would do voice-overs for practically ever Pixar film ever made, from the Toy Story series, to Ratatouille and Finding Nemo.
John Ratzenberger Now
Woody Harrelson Then
Woody Boyd – the bizarre, slightly dopey bartender on Cheers, earned Harrelson an Emmy for his convincing performance. The character was carried over into Frasier as well. Woody may have come out of nowhere – but he had places to go…
Woody Harrelson Then
Woody Harrelson Now
Woody was just getting started on the set of Cheers, as after the show ended he went on to have an incredibly successful film career. He made everyone’s spines tingle in Natural Born Killers and The People vs. Larry Flint earned him an Oscar nomination. Lately he has been wooing new audiences with his work on The Hunger Games.
Woody Harrelson Now
Kirstie Alley Then
Striding onto set as the neurotic Rebecca Howe, Kirstie Alley made sure audiences had a whole new character to fall in love with. After Shelley Long left Cheers, Kirstie made a splash as the slightly more high profile member of the bar’s management.
Kirstie Alley Then
Kirstie Alley Now
After Cheers ended, nothing could really stop Alley. She built a wonderful career in TV and movies and even landed herself a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has charmed audiences in countless films like Look Who’s Talking and its sequels, Shoot to Kill and Drop Dead Gorgeous. Kirstie hasn’t learned a trade or taken a fashion course – she just keeps on acting!
Kirstie Alley Now
Kelsey Grammer Then
It’s hard to forget Dr. Frasier Crane if you were ever a fan of Cheers. Paranoid, snobbish, obsessive and emotional – Frasier had it all! He was a delightful contrast to the otherwise rough and ready tone of the bar and brought in a strange twist to storylines as the show progressed.
Kelsey Grammer Then
Kelsey Grammer Now
Indeed everyone loved Kelsey Grammer’s character so much – Frasier became one of the most successful spin-off series ever and ran for more than a decade. Later, Kelsey starred in Boss, a dramatic TV series which won him a Golden Globe. A theatre buff, Grammer also spends a lot of time on Broadway.
Kelsey Grammer Now
Bebe Neuwirth Then
Bebe Neuwirth was certainly distinctive as Frasier Crane’s incredibly uptight wife Lilith on Cheers. Dressed in her no-nonsense suit, with her hair pulled back in a flawless bun, she seemed ripe for the psychiatric help she was offering her patients. Face-offs between her and her husband were legendary.
Bebe Neuwirth Then
Bebe Neuwirth Now
Bebe doesn’t need cosmetic surgery; she looks wonderful these days – and like her on-set husband, Neuwirth made the trip from Cheers to Frasier. Bebe also sings and dances and has appeared as Velma Kelly in Chicago and Morticia Addams in The Addams Family Musical – roles for which she has won Tony awards.
Bebe Neuwirth Now
Nicholas Colasanto Then
Ah, loveable ‘Coach’ – played by Nicholas Colasanto. Always ready with a friendly ear or piece of advice, Coach was like a slightly lost uncle who everyone liked having around. Although a hit with viewers and cast alike, Colasanto regrettably had to leave Cheers prematurely due to failing health.
Nicholas Colasanto Then
Nicholas Colasanto Now
Sadly Nicholas died in 1985 and Cheers was his last piece of work, but he had done many things before appearing on the show. Much older than other cast members, he had fought in WWII and then trained as an actor upon his return to the US. He was known as an actor and director – and directed episodes of TV series like Starsky and Hutch, Columbo and Bonanza. He also appeared in many films, most famously in Hitchock’s Family Plot and Raging Bull.
Nicholas Colasanto Now
Paul Willson Then
A masterful improv actor, Paul Willson was known to have a way of taking a script and making it funnier. One of the most recurring guest stars on Cheers, Paul Krapence was a bit of a strange outsider. He was a hanger-on that people didn’t notice too much when he was there, but missed when he was gone.
Paul Willson Then
Paul Willson Now
No stranger to success, Willson has appeared in dozens of different TV series and films. Often playing the odd man out – he has lit up the screen in shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Full House and Malcolm in the Middle. He continues to delight audiences with his ‘everyman’ quality.
Paul Willson Now
Roger Rees Then
Originally from Wales, Roger Rees brought an accent and flair from across the Atlantic in his portrayal of Robin Colcord. Much loved and appearing in dozens of episodes, Rees would delight audiences over several seasons of Cheers.
Roger Rees Then
Roger Rees Now
Sadly Rees passed away 2015, but he has a wonderful legacy. Posthumously inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, Rees was best known in the UK for his work on the stage, where he earned an Olivier a Tony Award for his performance as the lead in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Apart from Cheers – in America he was famous for his portrayal of Lord John Marbury in The West Wing.
Roger Rees Now
Jackie Swanson Then
Pretty, wealthy and gaga over Woody, that is how she will be remembered on Cheers. In a bizarre plot twist, Woody Boyd, the impressionable bartender, falls in love with Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson) who is essentially an heiress – and the two get hitched!
Jackie Swanson Then
Jackie Swanson Now
Early on in her career, her friend – the late singer Prince, wrote a song for her. Since then Jackie has had an exciting and varied career. She has made countless guest appearances on many big TV series over the years including Cheers, The Golden Girls and Baby Talk. She has appeared in films like Lethal Weapon, and done extensive modelling and advertising work.
Jackie Swanson Now
Jay Thomas Then
Although handsome and charming, Jay Thomas’ character, Eddie Lebec, is bad news. Eddie and Carla enter a fraught and poisonous relationship over a couple of seasons of Cheers – which sees Carla go through a lot of heart ache. Eventually Carla falls pregnant and the love birds wed, only for Carla to discover that there’s another ‘Mrs. Lebec’.
Jay Thomas Then
Jay Thomas Now
Although an accomplished film actor, Jay is best known for his work in TV. Apart from Cheers, he has appeared in several hit series inlcuding Mork and Mindy and Murphy Brown – for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Jerry Gold.
Jay Thomas Now
Frances Sternhagen Then
Cliff Clavin is forever describing his mother, with whom (despite his advanced age) he still lives. His mom – Esther Clavin (Frances Sternhagen) bursts onto the set as a smart, funny lady in season 7 and is nobody’s fool. As her son plots to try to get her to marry a rich man (so Cliff can later inherit) – she is having none of it.
Frances Sternhagen Then
Frances Sternhagen Now
A brilliant dramatic and comedic actress, Frances has had no trouble making a bright career for herself. She has appeared in countless films, but is perhaps best know for her work in TV where she has grabbed audiences’ attention in series like Sex in the City, Law and Order and The Closer – where she played Brenda’s Southern mother to a tee.
Frances Sternhagen Now
Tom Skerritt Then
With his rugged good looks and easy wit, Evan Drake (played by Tom Skerritt) was a welcome addition to the cast of characters on Cheers. For numerous episodes Drake became embroiled in funny and alarming storyines, that would generally confirm his suspicions about George, Rebecca and the other people he knew from the bar.
Tom Skerritt Then
Tom Skerritt Now
Tom Skerritt has been a very well known face for a long time. Known for his ease and ability to appear natural on screen he has racked up an impressive filmography, including titles like MASH, Alien, Top Gun and Stealing Magnolias. TV has also been kind to him where he received an Emmy for his role as Sherriff Brock in Picket Fences in the 1990’s.
Theater Tom Skerritt
Dan Hedaya Then
The cheeky villain is Dan Hedaya’s specialty, and his work on Cheers was no exception. As he portrayed Nick Tortelli, Carla’s completely inappropriate ex-husband, he was as sleezy as they come. That said, it was hard not to love him.
Dan Hedaya Then
Dan Hedaya Now
Predictably this wise-cracking Brookyln boy has done alright for himself over the years. He has done extensive stage and appeared in a myriad of films and TV productions. On the silver screen you may have seen him in Wise Guys, Joe Versus The Volcano or Clueless.
Dan Hedaya Now
