We were heartbroken to read of Kirstie Alley’s recent passing, which got us thinking about the famous American actress’s life and career.
Kirstie Alley, beloved actress known for her role in Cheers, has passed away at the age of 71 after a private battle with cancer (Credit: Elder Ordonez / INFphoto)
Of course, Alley’s breakthrough role was in the popular American sitcom Cheers, where she played buttoned-up businesswoman Rebecca Howe. Alley played Rebecca from 1987 to 1993.
Although she was a later addition to the main cast (she only made her character debut in the sixth season of the show), she became one of the sitcom’s most iconic characters, loved by both critics and audiences.
For her work in Cheers, Alley won a Golden Globe Award in 1991 for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Series and an Emmy Award in 1991 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Alley was 36 years old when she appeared in her first episode of Cheers, Home Is the Sailor, the sixth-season premiere of the show.
Kirstie Alley was cast as Rebecca Howe in Cheers during its sixth season, quickly becoming one of the most memorable characters in the series’ history (Credit: NBC)
The recent passing of Kirstie Alley made us think about the cast of Cheers as a whole – how old they were when they first starred in the iconic sitcom and where they are today.
Read on to get an update on all of your favorite cast members from Cheers.
Ted Danson’s Age When He Began His Iconic Role as Sam Malone on Cheers
Ted Danson plays Sam Malone, one of three characters to appear in every episode of Cheers. Danson was born in 1947 and was 35 years old when he appeared in the show’s series debut in 1982.
Multiple actors were initially considered for the role of Sam Malone, including John Lithgow, William Devane, and Fred Dryer, before Danson landed the part of playing the bar-owning Lothario for eleven years.
Ted Danson portrayed Sam Malone, the charming bartender and owner of the bar in Cheers, becoming one of the most iconic and beloved characters in television history (Credit: NBC)
Nowadays, Danson is perhaps known to more modern audiences as Michael in NBC’s The Good Place, which ran from 2016 to 2020. He also played the role of Mayor Neil Bremer in NBC’s Mr. Mayor, which was canceled after two seasons.
Shelley Long’s Age When She Debuted as Diane Chambers on Cheers
Shelley Long portrayed Diane Chambers during the first five seasons of the show. In this role, she acts as the female foil for Sam Malone’s boorish tendencies.
Like the role of Sam, multiple actresses were considered before Long got the part. Actress Bess Armstrong was even offered the role, while Julie Duffy and Lisa Eichorn were considered. Born in 1949, Long was 33 years old when the first episode of Cheers premiered.
Shelley Long portrayed Diane Chambers in Cheers, a role that earned her critical acclaim and made her a central figure in the show’s early seasons (Credit: NBC)
Long opted to leave the show after five seasons, citing a desire to pursue a film career and to be closer to her family. She recently appeared as a guest star in eight popular sitcom Modern Family episodes from 2009 to 2018.
Rhea Perlman’s Age When She Took on the Role of Carla Tortelli on Cheers
Carla Tortelli is another one of the three characters to appear in every episode of Cheers. Played by Rhea Perlman, Carla is a wise-cracking and mean-spirited waitress who works at the bar.
During the casting process, Rhea Perlman was the very first actress to be cast as a main character for the sitcom. Perlman was born in 1948, making her 34 years old by the time the show’s first episode premiered. She was 45 years old when the last episode of “Cheers” aired in 1993.
Rhea Perlman played Carla Tortelli, the sharp-tongued waitress in Cheers, a role that earned her multiple Emmy Awards and made her one of the show’s most beloved characters (Credit: NBC)
Perlman was a fan favorite of the show, and she swept the Emmy Awards with wins for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1989.
She has recently worked behind the camera as a post-production assistant for Barbie (2023) and provided voiceover work for animated shows.
George Wendt’s Age When He First Brought Norm Peterson to Life on Cheers
George Wendt plays Norm Peterson, one of the bar’s regulars, the last of three characters to appear in every episode of Cheers.
George Wendt portrayed Norm Peterson, the bar’s lovable regular, in Cheers, a role that made “Norm!” a household name and endeared him to fans for over a decade (Credit: NBC)
Initially, Norm was not intended to be one of the main characters. Instead, he was supposed to appear in one episode as one of the various customers at the bar. Wendt was the only main character to be a customer before being joined by friends Cliff Calvin, Frasier Crane, and Lilith Sternin.
George Wendt was born in 1948 and was 36 years old when he first appeared in Cheers. After an unsuccessful attempt at his own show, George Wendt currently stars in various films and has guest roles in television shows like The Goldbergs and Fresh Off the Boat.
Kelsey Grammer’s Age When He Introduced Frasier Crane on Cheers
Initially having a small role as one of Norm Peterson’s friends, Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane was only featured as a recurring character for the show’s third and fourth seasons before being upgraded to the main cast in the fifth season.
Grammer was born in 1955 and was 30 years old when he first appeared in the show.
Kelsey Grammer portrayed Dr. Frasier Crane in Cheers, a role that became so beloved it led to the successful spin-off Frasier, solidifying his place as one of television’s most iconic characters (Credit: NBC)
Of course, Grammer went on to star in Frasier, a successful spinoff that lasted for 11 seasons and was just as popular as Cheers.
As of late, Grammer has opted to lend his talents to the theater, starring in productions like Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum in 2019 and The Boy Friend at the Princess of Wales Theatre in 2020.
Woody Harrelson’s Age When He Joined the Cheers Cast as Woody Boyd
Perhaps the most famous star to have his career start in Cheers, Woody Harrelson first appeared as the dimwitted Woody Boyd in the show’s fourth season premiere in 1985.
Woody Harrelson replaced Nicholas Colasanto on the television series “Cheers.” Nicholas Colasanto played the character Coach on the show but sadly passed away during the third season.
Following Colasanto’s death, Woody Harrelson joined the cast in the fourth season as a new character named Woody Boyd. Harrelson was 24 years old when he appeared in the Birth, Death, Love and Rice episode.
Woody Harrelson joined Cheers as Woody Boyd, the lovable and naive bartender, a role that catapulted him to fame and marked the beginning of his successful acting career (Credit: NBC)
Most readers would know what Woody Harrelson is up to today, considering he has enjoyed a successful career in Hollywood since appearing in Cheers.
Recently, Harrelson has gone on to appear in The Hunger Games film series (2012 to 2015), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).
The cast of the popular sitcom television series Cheers, which ran from 1982 to 1993 with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons (Credit: NBC)
Cheers was one of the most successful sitcoms of all time and ushered in a golden age for the genre in American television during the 1990s. This is definitely due in part to the talented cast of comedic actors who helped bring the show’s characters to life.
We will never forget Kirstie Alley for the color she brought to the character of Rebecca Howe in Cheers.
Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe in the popular sitcom television series Cheers (Credit: NBC)