Beloved 'Cheers' Actor Dead At 76

STUDIO CITY, CA — George Wendt, best known for playing Norm in the classic 1980s sitcom "Cheers," died Tuesday morning in his sleep. He was 76.

His family in a statement described him as "a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him."

He died at his home in Studio City, according to The New York Times.

The entertainment industry mourned Wendt on Tuesday, with SAG-AFTRA in a social media statement saying that he "captivated audiences with his charm and wit."

"From his early days with The Second City to his iconic role as Norm on Cheers, George Wendt’s work showcased how comedy can create indelible characters that feel like family," National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson said in a statement on social media. "Over the course of 11 seasons, he brought warmth and humor to one of television’s most beloved roles."

Wendt was born in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago, WLS reported. He was one of nine children, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which reported that his father was a real estate agent and his mother was a housewife.

Wendt attended Campion High School, a Catholic boarding school in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and then Notre Dame, where he rarely went to class and was kicked out. He transferred to Rockhurst University in Kansas City and graduated, after majoring in economics.

Early in his career, he performed in The Second City's touring company and on its mainstage, according to a biography on The Second City website, before moving on to film roles and eventually being cast in the iconic part of Norm Peterson on "Cheers," which aired for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993 and brought Wendt six Emmy nominations.

Wendt starred in 1995's "The George Wendt Show," which ran for eight episodes, and later took roles on several television shows, including "The Naked Truth" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," along with repeat appearances on "Saturday Night Live," according to his Internet Movie Database page.

He also found steady work onstage, slipping on Edna Turnblad's housecoat in Broadway's "Hairspray" beginning in 2007. He was in the Tony Award-winning play "Art" in New York and London. He starred in the national tour of "12 Angry Men" and appeared in a production of David Mamet's "Lakeboat."

Wendt is survived by his wife, Second City alum Bernadette Birkett, who voiced Norm's never-seen not-so better half, Vera, on "Cheers."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.