Beloved “Cheers” star George Wendt passed away in May 2025 at the age of 76, and his co-stars and fans alike are still feeling the loss. In a recent interview, Rhea Perlman, who played the tough and witty Carla on the hit NBC sitcom, shared her heartfelt thoughts about her longtime friend and colleague.
“That was the saddest thing ever, when George passed away,” Perlman told The New York Post while promoting her new Netflix show, “Too Much.”
“Really unexpected. None of us thought he was that sick. And I don’t think he thought he was that sick – because we had seen him not that long ago during the Emmys.”
Perlman was referring to the “Cheers” cast reunion at the 2024 Emmy Awards, where the group came together to honor the iconic show that ran for eleven seasons from 1982 to 1993. She also mentioned seeing George and his wife, actress Bernadette Birkett, out and about. “I would run into George and his wife, Bernadette, often on the street in the valley where they lived,” she said. “Everything seemed just fine.”
Wendt, best known for his role as Norm Peterson—the lovable bar regular who was always greeted with a chorus of “Norm!” when he walked into the bar—died of cardiac arrest on May 20, 2025. His death certificate also listed congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as contributing factors.
Rhea Perlman’s memories of George go far beyond the screen. “He was just the sweetest man in the world,” she said fondly. Reflecting on their scenes together in Cheers, she shared a glimpse of their playful chemistry on set. “Norm would sit on the bar, and I’d be standing next to him,” she recalled. “Every once in a while, I’d give him a punch, because that’s what Carla does. I’m punching him out of love.”
George would always respond in character. “He would go ‘ow!’ and make me feel like I really hurt him,” Perlman said with a laugh. “And I’d go, ‘Oh, stop it! You didn’t even feel that.’ He was like a pussy cat.”
Wendt’s legacy goes beyond his memorable sitcom role. His nephew, “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis, also paid tribute, describing Wendt as “fun and kind and as warm as any character he played.” Sudeikis added, “He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that plays the trail being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have.”
For fans of “Cheers,” George Wendt will always be Norm—the guy who made everyone at the bar feel like family. But for those who knew him personally, he was even more than that. As Rhea Perlman said best, “He was just the sweetest man in the world.”