Fans Pay Tribute to ‘Cheers’ Star George Wendt After His Death: ‘See You Later, Norm’

George Wendt, known for playing Norm on “Cheers” has died on May 20, TMZ reported. He was 76 at the time and the cause of death is yet unclear.

Wendt leaves behind his wife Bernadette Birkett, and their three children, Hilary, Joe, and Daniel.

Upon hearing the news of Wendt’s passing, fans took to social media to pay their tributes to one of their favorite sitcom characters.

Journalist Jeff Sneider wrote on X, “R.I.P. George Wendt, the star of CHEERS, SNL’s “Da Bears” sketch, and one of my personal favorites, PLAIN CLOTHES … Everyone should drink a beer in his honor tonight.”

One fan shared, “Rest in peace, George Wendt. My condolences to his family and friends. He imbued one of the greatest characters in sitcom history, and took part of the greatest running bit in sitcom history every time Sam or Coach or Woody would ask him how he was doing.”

Another tweeted, “Raise a glass today to the beloved and iconic George Wendt. He brought such laughter and joy to our lives with his everyman warmth and candor. He will be deeply missed and his legacy in comedy will be cherished by future generations. May his memory be a blessing.”

One posted a still of Wendt in character leaving the “Cheers” bar and wrote, “See you later, Norm… RIP George Wendt.”

George Wendt Almost Didn’t Get the Role of Norm

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Wendt revealed in a 2016 interview with the Australian channel Studio 10 that Norm was almost played by his “Cheers” castmate.

“John Ratzenberger, the guy who played Cliff, he came in for my role,” Wendt shared. “And he could sort of tell it wasn’t going too well, so he literally — not figuratively — said, ‘Thanks.'”

Wendt continued, “He had one foot out the door and he pops his head back in said, ‘Do you have a bar know-it-all?’ And they said, ‘No.”

He recalled Ratzenberger improvising what would become Cliff Clavin, the postal worker, on “Cheers.”

When asked about the beer he was constantly seen drinking on-camera, Wendt shared that it was non-alcoholic and tasted “terrible.” He said, “Warm and flat, and had a pinch of salt on the bottom of every mug.”

On where he envisioned Norm 20 years later, Wendt mused, “[He] would be the house manager of some sober living environment with all these terribly troubled young boys.”