George Wendt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Wendt
Wendt at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards in September 1989
Born	George Robert Wendt Jr. (1948-10-17)October 17, 1948 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 20, 2025(2025-05-20) (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Rockhurst University (BA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–2024
Known for	Norm Peterson in Cheers
Spouse(s)	Bernadette Birkett ​ (m. 1978)​
Children	3
Relatives	Tom Howard (maternal grandfather) Jason Sudeikis (nephew)

George Robert Wendt Jr. (born October 17, 1948 – died May 20, 2025) was a well-known American actor. He was most famous for playing the character Norm Peterson on the TV show Cheers. This popular show aired from 1982 to 1993. For his role as Norm, George Wendt was nominated six times for a special acting award called the Primetime Emmy Award. Besides Cheers, he also appeared in many movies. Some of these include The Little Rascals (1994) and Santa Buddies (2009).

Early Life and Education

George Robert Wendt Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Loretta Mary and George Robert Wendt. George was one of nine children in his family. His maternal grandfather, Tom Howard, was a photographer. George Wendt also had a famous nephew, actor Jason Sudeikis, who is known for the TV show Ted Lasso.

George went to Campion High School in Wisconsin. He later studied at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated in 1971 with a degree in economics.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Acting

After college, George Wendt joined a comedy group called The Second City in Chicago in 1975. His first job there was sweeping floors! It was at The Second City that he met his future wife, Bernadette Birkett. She later voiced Norm's wife, Vera, on Cheers.

Before Cheers, George Wendt had small roles in TV shows like Taxi and M*A*S*H.

Becoming Norm on Cheers

From 1982 to 1993, George Wendt played Norm Peterson in every single episode of Cheers. Norm was a friendly bar regular who always got a big cheer when he walked in. This role made George Wendt very famous. He was nominated for six Emmy Awards for his acting on the show. He also played Norm in other TV shows, like Frasier and Wings.

Wendt's handprints in concrete at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park

After Cheers

After Cheers ended, George Wendt continued acting. He hosted Saturday Night Live and appeared as a funny character named Bob Swerski. Bob was one of the "Chicago Superfans," who loved the Chicago White Sox and Bears sports teams.

He also appeared in music videos, including Michael Jackson's "Black or White" in 1991. George Wendt starred in his own TV show called The George Wendt Show in 1995. He played a garage mechanic with a radio show, but the show only lasted a short time.

George Wendt often played Santa Claus in movies like Santa Baby and Santa Buddies. He also acted in plays, including Twelve Angry Men and Hairspray, where he played Edna Turnblad.

In 2013, he appeared in a funny commercial for State Farm Insurance. He played Bob Swerski again, meeting football player Aaron Rodgers. In 2023, George Wendt was a contestant on The Masked Singer. He performed as "Moose" and was mostly sitting during his performance.

Personal Life and Family

George Wendt was married to Bernadette Birkett. They had three children: Hilary, Joe, and Daniel. As mentioned, he was the uncle of actor Jason Sudeikis. Jason's mother, Kathy, is George Wendt's sister.

George Wendt passed away at his home in Los Angeles on May 20, 2025, at the age of 76. His publicist shared that he was a loving family man and a good friend.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

See also

In Spanish: George Wendt para niños