Late Cheers alum George Wendt is remembered for his comical performance as Norman Peterson and his death, naturally, broke fans’ hearts in May 2025. While a cause of death was not immediately disclosed, Wendt experienced a few health setbacks in his final years. He chose to keep his personal life private, though.
“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” a spokesperson for Wendt told The Hollywood Reporter. “He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.”
Below, learn more about Wendt, his health and his death.
‘I love that stool. If there’s a heaven, I don’t wanna go there unless my stool is waiting for me.’
— Norm Peterson’s final ‘Cheers’ scene (May 20, 1993) pic.twitter.com/qUwGlVJtKx
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) May 20, 2025
Who Was George Wendt?
Wendt is best known for playing the character Norman Peterson for all 11 seasons of Cheers. From 1982 to 1993, Wendt was in Cheers and went on to receive multiple nominations in the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category. The sitcom also earned 28 Emmy Awards and was nominated countless times during its run.
After the series wrapped, he went on to appear in the short-lived sitcom The George Wendt Show, followed by Airplane II: The Sequel, No Small Affair, The Little Rascals, Spice World and Santa Buddies.
How Old Was George Wendt?
Wendt was 76 years old when he died in May 2025.
George Wendt’s Health
Wendt rarely talked about his health, but he was seen in November 2024 visiting a medical dialysis facility in Log Angeles, according to Daily Mail. As seen in photos published by the outlet, Wendt was in a wheelchair at the time.
Previously, Wendt was hospitalized from chest pains in 2012, according to multiple outlets. At the time, he reportedly underwent coronary bypass surgery after doctors found a constricted artery in his system.
While working on the set of Cheers, Wendt and his fellow castmates had to drink a fake, flat and rather salty “beer,” which he described in a 1985 interview with The Washington Post.
“There I was slamming those down for a whole day. It not only tastes disgusting, I was afraid of keeling over from high blood pressure,” Wendt said at the time. “Then, I got the knack. I didn’t have to put all those brews away. It only mattered when the camera was pointing my way. It took a couple of years, but now I watch the camera. That’s how I make my money. That’s acting.”
How Did George Wendt Die?
Wendt’s cause of death is still unclear at the time of publication, but according to multiple outlets, the late actor died peacefully in his sleep.
