George Wendt, the beloved actor and comedian best known for his role as Norm Peterson on the iconic sitcom Cheers, passed away at the age of 76.

According to a BBC report, he died peacefully in his sleep at his home on the morning of May 20, 2025. Wendt had been married to his co-star Bernadette Birkett since 1978. They are the parents of three children.

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Wendt's family confirmed his death in a statement, per People magazine. They wrote:

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“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. He will be missed forever.”

The Kansas City Star.

According to another report in the outlet, her husband is Dan Sudeikis. He is a vice president of a business development company, The Sudeikis Company. According to the Independent, Kathy organized an annual family reunion called Nanapalooza to bring her siblings together to honor their mother.

Wendt praised Kathy’s son and his nephew in his last interview before his death. Here is all you need to know.

In his final public appearance alongside his Cheers co-stars, Woody Harrelson and Ted Danson, George Wendt spoke warmly about his sister, Kathy Sudeikis’ son and his nephew Jason Sudeikis.

According to a report in the People magazine, when Wendt appeared on the May 2024 episode of the podcast, Still Here Hollywood, with Steve Kmetko he opened up on Sudeikis’ rise to fame in his career.

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Wendt recalled:

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“It was [David] Letterman or Conan [O'Brien], he said, 'Did your uncle George have any advice for you?' "

“And Jason goes — he's so sharp — he goes, ‘Yeah he told me just get on the best show on television and one of the greatest shows of all time and just pretty much take it from there.’”

And he added,

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“‘So I did.’ He got on SNL.”

Further praising Jason Sudeikis, he said,

"He's such a great kid. Very proud. Proud...not only of the success, but he's solid."

According to his IMDb profile, Sudeikis gained widespread recognition after appearing on Saturday Night Live. He was hired as a sketch writer in 2003 on the show. He became a cast member and writer for eight seasons before he left in 2013. However, he occasionally makes appearances on the show.

He has received numerous nominations and wins from major award bodies, confirming his status as a prominent figure in entertainment. Some of it includes several Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy.

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