Everyone knows the names of the characters in the classic NBC comedy Cheers. The theme song promised they would. George Wendt played Norm, the Cheers regular with an ever-growing, never-paid bar tab. Cheers Co-creator James Burrows said Norm posed major challenges for the show’s writers.
Burrows was the guest of the Unintelligent podcast on July 18 to talk about his book, Directed by James Burrows. He explained how the character Norm created major problems from the very first episode of Cheers on.
George Wendt inadvertently gave ‘Cheers’ Norm writers homework
Burrows describes Norm’s very first entry into the pilot for Cheers. What Wendt did became a tough act that the writers should follow for 11 seasons.
*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden}html,body{height:100%}img,span{position:absolute;width:100%;top:0;bottom:0;margin:auto}span{ height:1.5em;text-align:center;font:48px/1.5 sans-serif;color:white;text-shadow:0 0 0.5em black}
RELATED: ” Cheers “: NBC complained about not understanding nerd jokes – ” We Don’t Care “replied the director
“In the book, I talk about Norm’s seat”, Burrows said. “Where he sat, he has a long way to go to get to that seat. Normally he would walk around the bar and I would put him in the first seat he came to, but the thing was, Diane was in that show. She walks in and she must be there closer to the door because she’s waiting for her fiancé to come with the ring so that made me take George all the way. So that forced the normisms to take a bit longer to get him there.
The casting of George Wendt as Norm was flawless
Burrows credits Wendt for making Norm the memorable one Cheers character he has become. This is where great writing met the perfect actor.
“The way Norm’s character was written, George is the perfect person to play that”Burrows said. “He looks like he’s had a few beers, he never gets off the bar stool, he’s dry like that character was. Again, we played a big part, put a big actor in it and it took off. You take a big role and put some kind of good actor in it, it’s not going to be as effective.
RELATED: ‘Cheers’: Ted Danson Sam Malone’s Role Almost Gone To Another Future NBC Star
#Cheers #Norm #writers #lives #miserable #cocreator