Cheers is one of the most celebrated sitcoms of all-time. Though it started out dead-last in the ratings, it eventually grew to become one of the most-watched shows in television history. The comedy followed the exploits of the employees and regular patrons of a charming Boston bar.
The show had extremely witty writing, but it was the characters that really made Cheers a classic. These fun, entertaining individuals made the bar a place we all wanted to visit. Still, as famous as all these characters have become in pop culture history, there are some interesting facts about them that you probably didn't know.
John Ratzenberger Created His Character
Cliff Clavin is the loud-mouthed, socially awkward mailman who sits at the bar and shares his unsolicited tidbits of useless information with everyone. He is a hilarious character and it is impossible to imagine the show without him. But before John Ratzenberger got involved, the character didn't even exist.
Ratzenberger originally auditioned for the part of Norm, but when he didn't get the part, he pitched a new idea. He told the creators that every bar has a guy who just spouts trivia constantly. They took to the idea and Ratzenberger joined the show.
The Perlman Family
Rhea Perlman's performance as Carla helped give the show a lot of its energy. Carla was an angry and vulgar waitress with a talent for picking up men and a penchant for getting pregnant. It is a role she seemed born to play, but she wasn't the only Perlman involved in the show.
Rhea's sister Heide Perlman was one of the main writers on the show and she would eventually go on to write for the spin-off show, Frasier. Not only that, but their father Philip Perlman plays the bar patron Phil.
Norm's Real Name
One of the most iconic parts of the show is the greeting Norm gets when entering the bar. Norm is the most regular of the bar's regular patrons, and as such, the whole place erupts with an enthusiastic "Norm!" whenever he arrives.
In a funny but often forgotten twist, it is revealed late in the series that Norm isn't actually his first name. His real name is in fact Hilary, which he hides for obvious reasons. As he explains to the others, he was named after his grandfather, who once killed a man for making fun of him.
Woody As Woody
After the sad passing of Nicholas Colasanto (who played the lovable but dim Coach), the show sought to find a new cast member to replace him. Opting to go for a younger actor, they cast Woody Harrelson as the innocent and naive Woody Boyd.
As the new bartender at Cheers, Woody fit right in with the gang and Harrelson became a star. Contrary to popular belief, though, the part was not made with Harrelson in mind. The character was named Woody before Harrelson even auditioned for the part.
Frasier's Father
Frasier Crane was introduced in the show's third season as a love interest for Diane. Even after the couple broke up, Frasier's popularity with audiences meant he was added to the main cast of the show and, as we all know, would eventually go on to star in his own long-running spinoff series.
In an interesting detail, long before Frasier was on the air, late actor John Mahoney guest-starred on Cheers in a small but memorable part as a disgruntled employee. Mahoney would, of course, go on to play Martin Crane, Frasier's father, in the spinoff series.
Coach's Jacket
Even with the excellent addition of Woody Harrelson, the loss of Coach had a significant impact on the show. He was such a memorable and likeable character that the show, while still great, lost a little bit of its heart.
In the seasons that followed, Coach was frequently mentioned by the other characters, in remembrance of Colasanto. In a touching tribute, Sam can be seen in some of the episodes wearing Coach's baseball jacket.
Al The Barfly
One of the most memorable side characters on the show was Al the barfly. Al is one of those background characters who are not a part of the main story but always seem to be there. When he does chime in with his raspy voice from time to time, it's always hilarious.
Given how the audience responds to Al's one-liners, it's not surprising that the show considered making him a main cast member later in the series. However, actor Al Rosen turned down the offer due to his poor health and he sadly died before the series' end.
Shelley Long's Pregnancy
As with most long-running shows, Cheers had to deal with some changes in its cast's lives over the course of the series. There was one tricky period when two members of the main cast were pregnant at the same time.
During the third season, Shelley Long and Rhea Perlman both fell pregnant. For Perlman, the fix was easy. Since Carla has a trend of getting pregnant, the real pregnancy was written into the show. However, for Long, she just had to spend much of the season behind the bar to hide the bump.
No Frasier For Kristie Alley
While the end of Cheers was a monumental moment in television history, the Frasier series at least meant it could continue to some capacity. Frasier managed to succeed on its own merits, but it did have a lot of fun bringing back many of the Cheers cast members in guest roles.
Throughout the show's eleven-season run, every major Cheers actor reprised their roles in the spinoff, with the exception of Kristie Alley who played Rebecca.
Sam Malone The Football Star
Cheers is certainly an ensemble show and succeeds because of that fact, but if there is a star of the show, it has to be Sam Malone. Sam is introduced as the owner and main bartender of Cheers. He is a recovering alcoholic and former Major League baseball pitcher.
The show made Ted Danson a star and remains one of his most famous roles. However, the part of Sam had to be slightly reworked when Danson was cast. The part was originally written as a football star, but they decided someone of Danson's physique would be more believable as a baseball star.