Questions
Who created Cheers and when did it air?
It was created by brothers Glen and Les Charles along with director James Burrows, and it aired on NBC from September 30, 1982 to May 20, 1993 across 11 seasons and 275 episodes.
Where is Cheers set, and was the bar real?
It is set in a Boston bar, and the exterior shots use the real Bull & Finch Pub, which the creators reportedly found through a phone book. The pub became a tourist attraction drawing nearly a million visitors a year.
Who are the main characters?
Bar owner and former Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson), waitress Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), Coach Ernie Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman), regular Norm Peterson (George Wendt), and mail carrier Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger).
Is it true George Wendt originally auditioned for a one-word part?
Reportedly yes. He auditioned for a role whose only line was "Beer!" before the character was renamed Norm and grew into one of the show’s main figures.
How did the Cliff Clavin character come about?
After John Ratzenberger lost the audition for Norm, he reportedly asked producers about creating a "bar know-it-all" character, which led to Cliff Clavin the mail carrier.
Was Sam Malone always meant to be a baseball player?
No. Ted Danson was initially considered for a former football player role, but the character was changed to a former baseball player. Bill Cosby was also reportedly considered early for Sam.
What happened to Coach after the actor died?
Nicholas Colasanto died of a heart attack on February 12, 1985, and his character Coach was written as having died off-screen. Woody Harrelson joined as replacement bartender Woody Boyd.
Did Ted Danson know how to bartend or follow sports?
Reportedly not at first. He attended bartending school for the role and had to learn about sports, even though he had never attended a baseball game.
Was Cheers a hit right away?
No. The season 1 premiere ranked 74th out of 96 shows and the series was nearly canceled, but support from NBC president Brandon Tartikoff helped it survive. It later spent eight consecutive seasons in Nielsen’s top 10 and ranked number one in season 9.
How big was the series finale?
The 98-minute finale aired May 20, 1993 and drew about 93 million viewers, roughly 64 percent of everyone watching TV that night, making it the most-watched episode of the 1990s.
How many Emmys did Cheers win?
It received a record 111 Primetime Emmy nominations and won 28, and it was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series in all 11 of its seasons.
Who sang the famous theme song?
"Where Everybody Knows Your Name" was written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo. Producers reportedly rejected two earlier songs before landing on the iconic theme.
What shows spun off from Cheers?
Its spinoffs include The Tortellis, Wings, and Frasier, the last of which ran from 1993 to 2004 and got a 2023 revival.
Whatever happened to the actual bar set?
The roughly 1,000-square-foot set was offered to the Smithsonian, which reportedly declined it as too large. The set sold at auction in 2023 for $675,000, and its front door sold in 2025 for $163,000.
Which actors appeared in every single episode?
Three cast members appeared in all of them: Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, and George Wendt. John Ratzenberger missed only two episodes.
