Real Beer Or Not: Norm Peterson's Drinking Habits

Norm Peterson, played by George Wendt, is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers. Norm is a beer-loving barfly and is seldom seen without a beer in his hand. However, the beer he drank on the show was not real. In fact, it was a non-alcoholic, flat, warm, and salty beverage that Wendt described as unappealing and not refreshing. Despite this, Wendt's acting skills made it seem like he was enjoying a nice cold beer, and his portrayal of Norm earned him six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Norm Peterson was played by George Wendt

Norm Peterson, the beer-loving barfly from the classic American television show Cheers, was played by actor George Wendt. Norm was a regular fictional character on the show, appearing in all 275 episodes of Cheers from 1982 to 1993. He was initially the only customer featured in the show's main cast and was known for his witty one-liners and love for beer.

George Wendt earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Norm. The role was created specifically with Wendt in mind, as the producers were familiar with his work on an episode of Taxi. In fact, in the original script, the name used for his character was "George".

While Norm was often seen with a beer in hand, Wendt himself did not always enjoy the beverages as much as his character. The "beer" that Wendt drank on set was non-alcoholic, warm, flat, and loaded with salt to create a frothy head. Despite this, Wendt's acting skills ensured that the beer never looked unappealing to viewers.

In addition to his role on Cheers, Wendt has made appearances on Saturday Night Live, playing the role of Bob Swerski, a Chicago Bears super-fan. He has also guest-starred as Norm Peterson on other shows, including St. Elsewhere, The Tortellis, Wings, and The Simpsons.

Norm's beer was fake

Norm Peterson, the beer-loving barfly from the classic American television show Cheers, did not drink real beer during the show's 11-year run. Portrayed by actor George Wendt, Norm became a staple of the sitcom, appearing in all 275 episodes of the show, which aired from 1982 to 1993.

While Norm was seldom seen without a beer in his hand, Wendt revealed in an interview with ESPN that he was actually drinking non-alcoholic "fake beer" on set. The producers of Cheers wanted the fake beer to be served on tap, but as the specific type they wanted was not available in kegs, they ended up putting cans of the generic fake beer into soda pop dispensers. This process, which took place long before filming began, resulted in the beer being flat by the time it was poured for Norm to drink on-screen.

To improve its appearance, the props team added salt to the beer mugs so that the carbonation would create a frothy head. This made the already unappealing beverage even worse, according to Wendt, who said, "That was some serious acting to pretend I liked that stuff."

The distinction between Norm and Wendt's drinking preferences is an interesting one. While Wendt shares an appreciation for beer with his character, he has also drawn some clear lines. In his book, Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional’s Guide to Beer, Wendt wrote, "I actually like my wife; Norm, on the other hand, was a bit more ambivalent about his heard-but-never-seen wife, Vera... And when I drink a lot of beer, I will occasionally get drunk. Not so for Norm: It was very important to the network (and to my mother) that Norm never seem like he was getting loaded. They didn’t want him to appear pathetic."

The character was based on a real person

Norm Peterson, the beer-loving barfly from the classic American television show Cheers, was based on a real person. The character was portrayed by actor George Wendt, who earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance. While Wendt was a beer enthusiast in real life, the drinks consumed by his character Norm were not real. In fact, the non-alcoholic beer used on set was described by Wendt as "warm, flat, and loaded with salt".

The character of Norm was created specifically with George Wendt in mind, as the producers were familiar with his work on an episode of Taxi. However, the character himself was based on a frequent customer encountered by co-creator Les Charles while working as a bartender during college. This individual came into the bar every single night and regularly claimed he would have "just one beer" or "just one more beer".

Norm Peterson became a well-known staple of the sitcom Cheers, appearing in every single episode from 1982 to 1993. He was initially the only customer featured in the show's main cast, later joined by best friend Cliff Clavin, Frasier Crane, and Lilith Sternin. Norm's entrance into the bar and his customary greeting of "Afternoon (or Evening), everybody!" followed by the bar crowd yelling "Norm!" became a running gag on the show.

While George Wendt shared an appreciation for beer with his character, there were also some distinct differences between the two. Wendt has stated that, unlike Norm, he actually likes his wife. Additionally, while Norm could consume large quantities of beer without appearing drunk, Wendt noted that he would occasionally get drunk when drinking a lot of beer. Despite the challenges of drinking unappealing fake beer on set, Wendt's acting skills ensured that the beer always looked refreshing on screen.

Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers

Norm Peterson, the beer-loving barfly from the classic American television show Cheers, was a fictional character portrayed by actor George Wendt. Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers from 1982 to 1993 and was the only customer featured in the show's main cast. He is one of only three characters to appear in every episode of the show, along with Sam Malone and Carla Tortelli.

Norm's character was based on a frequent customer met by co-creator Les Charles while working as a bartender during college. The character was created specifically with George Wendt in mind, as the producers were familiar with his work on an episode of Taxi. In the original script, the name used for his character was "George". However, after John Ratzenberger, who played Norm's best friend Cliff Clavin, auditioned for the same role, the writers expanded Wendt's role, and the character evolved into Norm Peterson.

Norm's entrance into the bar is a running gag on Cheers, typically beginning with a greeting by Norm, followed by the bar crowd yelling his name. This is then followed by someone asking how Norm is doing and what he'd like to order, to which Norm usually responds with a witty remark and orders a beer. Despite always having a beer in hand, Wendt did not drink real beer during the filming of Cheers. The non-alcoholic beverage used for the show was served warm and flat, and the props team added salt to the beer mugs to create a frothy head.

Norm's never-seen wife Vera, whose voice was heard on the show, was played by George Wendt's real-life wife, actress Bernadette Birkett. Norm's best friend, Cliff Clavin, was portrayed by John Ratzenberger, who originally auditioned for the role of Norm.

Norm's wife, Vera, was played by George Wendt's real-life wife

Norm Peterson, played by George Wendt, is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers. The character was named after Wendt's paternal grandfather, Hilary Norman Peterson. Norm appeared in all 275 episodes of Cheers from 1982 to 1993 and was the only customer featured in the show's main cast.

Norm's wife, Vera, was often mentioned but her face was never seen. In the season 5 episode "Thanksgiving Orphans", Vera finally appeared, but her face was covered in a pie thrown by Diane. The actress was uncredited. The only other times Vera was seen, viewers could only see her legs or her waving from a car. Vera was the butt of many of Norm's jokes, but he often professed his love for his wife and defended her honour. Norm and Vera separated during the second season of Cheers but reconciled in the last episode of the season.

Vera was played by George Wendt's real-life wife, Bernadette Birkett. Birkett provided the voice of Vera and her legs were shown a couple of times. The only time Vera's face was shown was when it was covered in pie. This was played by a different actress, Rebecca Soladay, in an uncredited appearance. Interestingly, both Birkett and Soladay appeared in a different Cheers holiday episode as a love interest for Cliff!

While Norm was often seen drinking beer, Wendt has revealed that he actually drank non-alcoholic, flat, salty, and warm "fake beer" on set.

Frequently asked questions