Actor George Wendt, who once played the ever-loyal Norm on "Cheers," died Tuesday morning at his home at age 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."
Wendt was one of TV’s most recognizable faces as he appeared 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 show’s name.
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 began his career at The Second City comedy theater. He joined the improvisational group after he dropped out of the University of Notre Dame with a 0.0 grade-point average, according to his Second City biography.
Wendt returned to higher education to study economics, however, at Rockhurst College in Kansas 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 he joined 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 such shows as "Hart to Hart" and "Making the Grade." But it was in 1982 when he got his big break with the role of Norm Peterson on "Cheers."
"Cheers," which aired from 1982 to 1993, also starred Ted Danson, Rhea Pearlman, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, Shelley Long and Kelsey Grammer.
Danson said Tuesday he was devastated to learn of his longtime co-star's death.
“It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie," Danson said in a statement.
At the show's bar, Wendt's character was often seated next to another regular, Cliff — portrayed by John Ratzenberger, who said he was heartbroken by the news.
“For 11 years on Cheers, we shared a stage, a lot of laughs, and a front-row seat to one of television’s most beloved friendships," Ratzenberger said in a statement. "He was a true craftsman — humble, hilarious, and full of heart. What you saw on screen was exactly who he was off screen with impeccable comedic timing and a deep loyalty to those he loved."
Other members of the "Cheer" cast heaped their praise on Wendt.
“George Wendt was the sweetest, kindest man I ever met. It was impossible not to like him," said Perlman, who served up laugh and sass as Carla.
Wendt was nominated for six Emmys on "Cheers," though he never took home the winged statuette.
After the show ended, Wendt had a short-lived series called "The George Wendt Show," on which he played a mechanic with a radio show.
He also starred in several movies and made even small moments stand out, such as in the 1994 film version of "The Little Rascals." Wendt played a man selling lumber when the mischievous children were trying to rebuild their clubhouse.
