Kelsey Grammar paid tribute to his late Cheers costar George Wendt following Wendt’s death at age 76 on Tuesday, May 20.
“George was a lovely guy,” Grammar, 70, said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio’s Gayle King in the House on Wednesday, May 21.
Grammar admitted to host Gayle King that Wendt’s passing was “a bit of a surprise,” so much so that he found it difficult to speak of his costar “in the past tense.”
“I spoke to his family [on Tuesday]. I just told them how much I liked him,” Grammar added. “I choked up a little bit.”
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The Dr. Frasier Crane actor went on, “George was just hysterical. For 11 years, America waited for him to walk into a bar every Thursday night and say something funny and just knew he wouldn’t disappoint. He was just extraordinary, how he’d just lope across that [barroom] floor and sit down at that stool, and order that beer and say something that set the world on fire.”
“He was an extraordinary guy,” Grammar concluded.
Grammar’s comments echo similar tributes from many of Wendt’s Cheers contemporaries, including John Ratzenberg. Wendt and Ratzenberg’s comedic rapport as drinking buddies Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson was a highlight of Cheers throughout its 11-season run.
“[George] was a true craftsman — humble, hilarious, and full of heart,” Ratzenberg said Tuesday. “What you saw on screen was exactly who he was off screen with impeccable comedic timing and a deep loyalty to those he loved. I’ll miss our conversations and the quiet moments of friendship that meant the most.”
Rhea Perlman, who played cocktail waitress Carla Tortelli on Cheers, described Wendt as “the sweetest, kindest man [she] ever met” in a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday.
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“It was impossible not to like him,” she added. “As Carla, I was often standing next to him, as Norm always took the same seat at the end of the bar, which made it easy to grab him and beat the crap out of him at least once a week. I loved doing it and he loved pretending it didn’t hurt. What a guy! I’ll miss him more than words can say.”
Wendt’s family shared the sad news that the six-time Emmy Award nominee passed away at his home earlier this week.
“Beloved actor and comedian, George Wendt, best known for starring in the NBC hit comedy Cheers, has passed away,” a family representative told Us. “George’s family confirmed the news of his death early Tuesday morning, announcing he died peacefully in his sleep while at home. George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever.”
Aside from Cheers, the actor had his own short-lived sitcom The George Wendt Show — inspired by the classic NPR show Car Talk — on CBS in 1995 and later had a recurring role in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. His movie credits include Airplane II: The Sequel in 1982, the 1985 Chevy Chase comedy Fletch, 1997’s Spice World and Christopher Reeve’s 1980 fantasy drama Somewhere in Time.
Wendt is survived by his wife, Bernadette Birkett and their three children: Joe, Hilary and Daniel. (Wendt was also the uncle of actor Jason Sudeikis.)
