John Ratzenberger Campaigning NBC for a Cheers Reunion

[Brian Damage]

THAT famous bar where everybody knows your name could soon be open for business again.


The cast of the hit American television show Cheers are pitching for a reunion series.

The comedy, which notched up 270 episodes between 1982 and 1993, made household names of Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Kirstie Alley, Shelley Long and Woody Harrelson.

For another series the cast would need the go-ahead from NBC, the American network behind the much-loved programme which was broadcast by Channel 4 in Britain.

The main push for a reunion run comes from regular cast member John Ratzenberger, 62, who played Cliff Clavin, the postman who was famed for his know-it-all attitude. His character could always be found sitting next to his drinking partner and best friend Norm, played by George Wendt.

In London to promote the DVD of Up, the animated film for which he provides voices, John said: “I know for a fact that every single cast member would love to revisit it.”

He said it was still not clear whether NBC executives were behind the idea. But he added: “It’s up to the network. I know the cast members will do it.”

Asked whether scripts for a new series existed, he said: “I don’t know about scripts but how they take it forward would be up to the creators, James Burrows, Glen Charles and Les Charles. It would be their decision. Then we could get a script together.

“It would be a great thing to do. It was a terrific time in all of our lives. We just sat around in a bar cracking jokes for 11 years – and we got paid.”

Unlike the casts of many other long-running series, John said all the regulars had all rubbed along famously.

“Don’t forget, it was set in a bar,” he said. “It’s not like it’s an emergency room in a hospital. It wasn’t like there was a lot of tension. Despite appearances, we didn’t have a drink. It was all fake beer. We’d have been falling around all over the place.”

Asked whether Cheers would still be popular, he said: “I don’t know about now but I remember when we held a parade in Boston we drew more people than the Pope. It was big.”

Since leaving Cheers, John has provided voices for characters in animation films like Up, Toy Story, A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo.

Ted Danson, who gained an Emmy nomination for his role in the TV drama Damages in 2007, still insists that his time on Cheers was “the happiest of my life – it was like an extended family”.

A spokeswoman for NBC said: “There’s nothing on the slate at the moment that we know of. We don’t show Cheers on the network any more. It was like 20 years ago, wasn’t it?”

The final episode of Cheers was seen by 80 million people, the second most watched finale in television history behind the 106 million who saw the end of M*A*S*H 10 years earlier.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...ing-for-return

[Stuck In The '70's]

Typical response from NBC. They don't know what Michael J. Fox looks like and they're not sure when Cheers was on their network. I'd love to see a Cheers reunion but the NBC that aired Cheers doesn't exist anymore.

[Marvo301]

I'd love to see a Cheers reunion. I would definitely watch it.

[Chocoholic]

I'd love to see a Cheers reunion too, as well as for Wings and a couple of other NBC shows, but like Sonny said, the NBC that aired Cheers has ceased to exist

[PrettyinPink55]

I would LOVE to see a Cheers reunion!!

If NBC won't do it, can they pitch it to another network?

[oldguywithsticks]

This would probably be the coolest thing ever were it to happen. I'm down for it!

[Chocolate Moose]

Sounds like ole Cliffy didn't save his money !!!!!

[Cliff Barnes]

It would be awesome to do one, I have wanted one for years. That is a real jerk response from NBC, clearly it is a different regime now. I would think the main decision would be made by Viacom since they own it, they could try to put it on another channel-while I doubt it might get a new series, at the very least a reunion movie would be fun. I don't think John has money problems, he seems like he's the most active one-I think he honestly just feels like the rest of us, we'd love to see them again, while they're all still with us.

[yankeesrj12]

NBC should air this to help pump some life into their other comedies.

[samanddiane4eva]

Brian, this article inspired me to do a twitter campaign for a Cheers reunion.

Tired of waiting for a Cheers reunion like I am? Please tweet the following message on Twitter then ASAP and be heard:

" Please RT this. "Dear The Powers That Be, Please make a Cheers reunion TV movie!" #cheersreunion "

Be sure to include the hashtag or a variation of it: #cheersreunion . I really want this to trend and I can't do this without your help. Thanks so much!

[Kristen]

I'd be curious to see this. Esp. if Shelley Long came back, and they somehow revived the whole Sam/Diane saga. I'm not sure what kind of premise could be used, but I bet someone could come up w/ one. I hope someone listens to John's idea!

- Kristen

[McGillicuddy]

I suggest someone start a Facebook Page. They got Betty White on Saturday Night Live, so why not this? While you're at it start a Facebook Page to promote hiring some new folks at NBC, that spokeswoman sounds like an uninformed idiot!

[samanddiane4eva]

Done.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-wan...e/395769579492

[oldguywithsticks]

While I'd again love to see this happen, the chances are HIGHLY unlikely. I just think it'd be too difficult to get everybody to agree to do this. I'll keep my hopes up though.

[McGillicuddy]

Though I'd love to see the Cheers gang return to their roles, I could see a retrospective show as being more feasible.