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George Wendt has passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 76 on May 20, 2025.
The beloved actor and comedian was best known for his role of Norm Peterson on the iconic sitcom Cheers. The NBC sitcom ran for 11 seasons, from 1982 to 1993.
Wendt was born and raised in Chicago. His parents were Loretta Mary (Howard) and George Robert Wendt II, who was a realtor and a navy officer. After dropping out of Notre Dame University, he worked with Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe from 1974-1980, according to his IMDb profile.
George Wendt is survived by his wife, Bernadette Birkett and their three kids — Hilary Wendt, Joe Wendt and Daniel Wendt.
In August 2024, Wendt reunited with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson for an episode of the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, a report in The Hollywood Reporter indicates. During this reunion, the trio fondly reminisced about their time on Cheers, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and reflecting on the show’s legacy.
Wendt’s last reunion acted as a fitting farewell for his fans. Here is what we know.
All you need to know about George Wendt’s last Cheers reunion
George Wendt’s last reunion with his Cheers co-stars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson was a poignant one, as it would be the final time that fans watched their favorite celebrity. The appearance was as his final engagement before his recent passing.
According to a report in People magazine, during George Wendt's appearance on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast in August 2024, he recalled that he was initially auditioned to say just one word in the pilot of Cheers, which was “beer.”
The casting directors soon realized that he was worth more than just one word, leading him to audition for a different character, which ultimately became the role of Norm Peterson. Recalling how he got his big break, he said on the podcast:
“My agent called and said, ‘You know, honey, they want you to do this Cheers. ‘Now you're not available,’ because I had this other show at Paramount for CBS. Then they go, ‘But they want you to come in anyway, and it's really small, though. I go, ‘Oh, okay.’”
He added,
“I read it and then they decided they were going to try to make it work out where I could do both shows, and then the other show got canceled.”
According to a report in The Mirror US, George Wendt made his last public appearance on January 29, 2025, when he was seen in Los Angeles. He was seen getting out of his car with the support of a cane, along with wife, Bernadette Birkett, 78.
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While the exact cause of his death was not confirmed, a report in the Daily Mail indicated that the actor was experiencing health struggles due to his weight, which had reached 457 pounds.
The report further mentioned that in 2012, he was hospitalized with chest pains and underwent coronary bypass surgery after doctors discovered a constricted artery. After the surgery, he continued to face mobility challenges and experienced difficulty in walking.
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